Page 35 of Highland Vows of Betrayal

“Both.”

Scarlett wondered whether Noah would guess that she was not a high-born lady. She feared he would sense it or see it for himself. Wondering if she pressed his temper too far, she used the skills that had just become second nature over the years as she folded the tartan neatly with not a single corner misaligned.

She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. He hung the rug from the saddle and motioned for her to mount. She trotted after him, her black stallion trailing his grey mare through the trees.

Earlier in the day, there had been much laughter and fun. Now, there was only a quiet intensity, which she was not enjoying. She watched Noah ahead of her; he didn’t once glance back and they rode in silence.

Scarlett came to accept one thing: she understood why he had mistresses. It was no surprise that women wanted to share his bed now that she had spent some time with him. Her mind shuddered as her various rambling thoughts collided crazily in her head, and she shook herself in the saddle. Such images could never be entertained, especially since he was about to marry Eloise.

They passed through a thin avenue of pine trees before they emerged on hardened mudflats. The area extended far beyond what she could see, clearly winding its way beyond the curve around the nearest hill.

“What is this place?” Scarlett asked. There was something both beautiful and dark about it. The mudflats were deep brown, almost black in places, and with the tall pine trees offering numerous shadows, it was as if night was falling despite the fact the day was still young. The scent of pine filled the air, and in the distance, she saw black cormorants landing on the wet sections of mud, seeking food.

“These are mudflats in the forest. They go on for miles.” Noah gestured to the hill and the way the dirt seemed to carve a path around its base. “This is the best place tae hunt deer.”

“Deer?” Scarlett repeated as her palms became clammy at the thought. Noah swung his leg over the saddle before dropping down. Straight away, drops of wet mud splashed upward around him, though he didn’t appear to notice.

He turned back to Scarlet, who asked, “Why are we here?”

“We are hunting deer,” he explained, fulfilling her fear.

I dinnae kill things. She kept the thought to herself. She had seen too much blood spilled in the tavern to hurt another living thing without cause. Hunting for food was at least understandable to her, but hunting for pleasure wasn’t something she could abide by.

I willnae do it.

Noah nodded to the crossbow attached to his saddle. “It’s what we dae.”

“What ye always dae? Or what ye dae just because I am here today?”

“What dae ye mean?” He removed the crossbow from the back of the black steed.

“I mean ye seem in a hurry tae do things ye think I willnae like.”

He shrugged, as if she saw things that simply weren’t there. Attaching the crossbow to his belt, he turned around to stare at the mudflats over crossed arms.

“Ye wanted tae ken who I am, Scarlett. Ye wished tae ken what sort of man ye would marry, and here ye have yer answer.” He didn’t move a muscle, as if he was waiting, testing to see what she would do next. “If this is one thing too far for ye, and ye cannae face all the mud, then I will understand. Tell me and I’ll take ye back tae the castle now.”

Scarlett stared at his back, her anger surging. She was no longer having fun, no longer amused at teasing him and receiving his flirtations in return.

He has an agenda in all of this. Whatever he is trying tae do, ‘twill nae work.

Swinging her leg over the saddle, she dropped to the ground, splashing wet mud all around her.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

At the sound of mud squelching beneath Scarlett’s boots, Noah turned. She shot him one of her defiant looks before reaching to his side.

“Do ye have a limit?” he queried.

“We havenae reached yer limit, have we? Why should we reach mine? Will ye scare me away by doing things ye think I will find terrifying?”

Did she see from the beginning what I was doing?

Scarlett pretended to squeal at the mud and froze, horrified by it. “Oh, nae, I have mud on my hem! Whatever will I do now?”

“Some ladies…”

“Ah, pox on other ladies. I’m nae them.” She strode past him, her boot sinking straight into the mud up to her knee on the first step. She was the first to laugh, and he couldn't help but join in.