Page 53 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“Are you sure you know how to use that?” John asked.

“You’d be surprised.” Evanna laughed. The accent felt odd on her tongue, but she was much too conscious of her words with John. “I’ve been using guns since I was a small girl.”

“Is that common in Scotland? Teaching women how to hunt and use guns?”

“Not really,” Evanna said. “But Da always felt I should know how to use one. There were so many weapons around the castle, he was afraid I’d hurt myself if I didn’t know how to use them properly.”

“That was wise of him. Won’t he be joining us?”

“He’s tired after the feast last night. So, you have me in his stead.”

“A much more pleasing partner,” John grinned. “Shall we ride out?”

“Yes.” Evanna turned back to the men that had been gathered for the hunt. “There’s a wild boar in the woods, lads,” she said, switching smoothly into her natural accent. “It’s vicious, it’s angry, and we need to hunt it before it hunts us. Are ye ready for another feast, lads?”

“Aye!” they all cried as one.

“Do ye want wild boar for Christmas dinner?”

“Aye!”

“Then ye best get hunting!”

A wild cheer went up as the men divided into teams to cover the large area of the woods. Aleck was part of Royce and Joseph’s team. Evanna had considered inviting him to join her but had hesitated. Giving Aleck any kind of attention felt like a betrayal to John who she intended to marry.

“David,” she called one of the footmen. “Can ye please stay behind to relay messages. I dinnae want the Laird to feel he cannae reach me if he needs to.”

“Aye, Lady Evanna.”

“Thank ye.”

Once all the arrangements were made, Evanna joined John and Lockard, and they made their way into the woods. Lockard was close-lipped as always and walked on ahead. So he was far too ahead to hear their conversation. Evanna was a little nervous. Last time she had been completely alone with John in the woods, Aleck had stormed in on them and made unsavory accusations on her character.

“Thinking of Aleck?” John asked.

“No! What?” Evanna licked her dry lips. How had he known?

“I am. We were in fairly similar circumstances last time.” John looked over his shoulder. “It is a great comfort to me knowing I am here on your father’s invitation, so he can’t accost us the way he did last time.”

“He was only doing his duty. I thought you’d forgiven him.”

“I didn’t have much choice,” John shrugged. “There is very little choice in life.”

Evanna found that statement a bit odd. “Have you had little choice in your life?”

“I’m sorry,” he smiled. “I know it sounds bleak, but yes. They let you make choices for all the little things, inconsequential things. But you’re never trusted to make the big decisions, are you? That’s always out of your hand.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“You wouldn’t.” John’s smile twisted into something bitter. “You’ve always been able to make your own decisions. You wouldn’t know what it’s like wanting something but unable to have it.”

Evanna pursed her lips. “Are you saying I’m spoiled?”

“I’m saying you’re lucky.”

She couldn’t put a finger on it, but something about John was irksome. There had been no such edge to their conversations in England or on the Continent. Talk had always ranged from happy topic to happy topic. Now every sentence of his felt like an attack or a critique. It was almost as if he didn’t want to be here.

“What exactly am I lucky about? If you think I haven’t faced struggles, or hardships, or heartache, for that matter then you are—”