Page 22 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“And what will be these treasures?” Mr. Graves inquired.

“A bird’s feather,” John said.

“A unique stone,” Ashton chimed in.

“Something blue?” Clara suggested.

“Yes, that’s good.” John nodded approval.

“Snail shells,” Evanna said, getting into the spirit of the game.

“Butterfly wings,” Clara laughed.

“Are we still naming treasures or is this a recipe for some witch’s cauldron?” Ashton remarked, his lips twisting in his usual sardonic smile.

“Ashton’s right. That’s enough items for the list. Now, let’s divide in two teams and search in the gardens and woods.”

“Once a team has collected all items, we shall meet back here for tea and refreshments,” Ashton concluded.

“Miss MacLeod, I’d be honored if you would be part of my team,” John offered her his arm.

“That leaves you with the inferior Winchester, Clara.” Ashton gave Clara her arm. “Oh, how will you overcome such hardship?”

Clara laughed and playfully slapped his arm. John and Ashton invited the other gentlemen to comprise their teams. Aleck stood a few feet away, his frown deep and forbidding. Evanna was embarrassed by his insistence on being unfriendly and aloof.

“Aleck, won’t you join us?” Clara asked sweetly. “We could use your skills. Ashton is hopeless at finding things.”

Aleck looked surprised, but he didn’t refuse. Instead, he went and stood by Clara. Evanna was stunned by the change in his mannerism. He was still frowning, but his jaw had softened, and his stance was protective of Clara.

Evanna felt another sting in her breastbone, so sharp that she touched her bodice to see if an errant bee had slipped inside.

“Would you like the eastern end of the woods or the western?” Ashton asked his brother.

John tipped his head back to look at the sun. “Western, I think.”

“To the east!” Ashton announced and led his team towards the eastern end of the woods.

Evanna saw Aleck tense, knowing she was going another way, but she saw Clara take his arm and lead him behind Ashton. “She’ll be safe, Aleck. They are gentlemen, not wolves.”

“Are you pleased with me?” John asked, deftly diverting her attention away from Aleck’s receding back.

“I beg yer pardon?”

“I rescued you from a dull day with dull men.” John nodded his head towards Mr. Merton who was already sweating profusely in his suit, and Mr. Prewett who kept looking back at the house as if they were headed on a reckless journey and wouldn’t be back in months. “I’m sure we’ll be rid of them in the next half hour.”

“Then I propose we walk as fast as possible. Mr. Charity already looks quite fatigued.”

Mr. Charity was keeping up as best he could, but his short legs couldn’t keep up with the pace of Evanna and John. They entered the cool shade of the woods, and even though they had walked a distance away from the other party, they could hear their loud laughter and continuous discourse even if they couldn’t make much sense of it.

Evanna was curious about that laughter. Aleck couldn’t possibly be part of such hilarity, could he? She couldn’t stop thinking about the way his body-language had changed when Clara had invited him to join her team. Was he a different man in front of other women? Was he only a boor and an unfeeling monster with her?

“Penny for your thoughts?” John asked.

“I’m sorry. I havenae been a very agreeable companion, have I?”

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say that. But you are the quietest companion I have ever had the pleasure of walking with. Most women can’t stop chatting, and they never have much to say.”

“I was thinking on the nature of men.”