Page 22 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

She shook her head. “It should not have happened, nor will it happen ever again.”

“As ye wish,” Bran acquiesced, rising from the pallet in one smooth motion. His muscles rippled with every move he made. Idalia averted her eyes.

They descended the ladder to the main floor below. The family was gathered around the table, breaking the fast. “Come, sit, eat,” their host encouraged them with a smile.

“How is your son?” Idalia asked as she came to join them at the table.

“He is doing much better this morning after a night o’ yer remedies. We cannae thank ye enough for yer helping our son. We would like tae repay ye for yer kindness.”

Idalia shook her head. “There is no need. You provided Bran and I with shelter for the night. That is enough.”

The man shook his head. “That is nae enough. Ye have done us the greatest kindness in saving our son. Please, allow me tae loan ye my horse. Ye will be able tae travel faster with two horses rather than two o’ ye on one horse.”

Idalia’s brows rose in surprise. “That is most generous of you, but we cannot leave you without your horse.”

“I have another. Ye may arrange the return o’ the horse when ye are nae longer in need o’ it.”

“Are you certain?”

“I am.”

Idalia nodded in gratitude. “Thank you.”

He shook his head, a tear in his eye. “Nae, lass, it is ye that is owed our gratitude.”

“I will have the horse returned tae ye meself,” Bran promised. The man nodded his consent. Bran looked at Idalia. “We should leave before...” He let the words hang between them.

Idalia nodded.

“I will prepare the horses for departure,” their host replied.

“I will go with ye,” Bran replied, and the two men left the cottage.

Idalia turned to the mother. “May I look in on your son one last time?”

“Aye, o’ course.” The woman arose and led the way to the room at the back of the house.

The boy lay sleeping, his breathing now regular and peaceful. She laid her hand on his forehead. The fever was gone. His struggle for breath was over. Idalia nodded in satisfaction; she could leave, and the boy would survive. “Remember to use the herbs the way I showed you when he has any sign of difficulty breathing.”

His mother nodded. “Aye, I will.”

Idalia smiled and followed her back out into the main room, where Bran awaited her. “The horses are ready. It is time tae leave.”

Idalia nodded and bid their hosts farewell. She followed Bran outside, to find two horses waiting with bags of food hanging over their backs. Bran lifted her up and placed her on the back of the borrowed horse. It was a gentle brown mare who accepted her weight with grace. Idalia instantly liked her. She appreciated the distance between herself and Bran after their kiss. The last thing she wanted was to be held in his arms all the way to Strathnaver. She feared she would not be able to restrain herself if he kissed her again. She had embarrassed herself enough upon waking.

They rode away from the cottage together, keeping a careful eye out for August Raymond’s men. Idalia could not escape the feeling they were being watched. The fact they had been followed when Bran had taken her from the seer’s cottage, and she had not suspected a thing, made her doubt everything about her own sense of perception. She suspected that every tree held behind it an undesirable secret waiting to cause them harm. Bran was nearly as tense. His back was erect and his eyes alert. His free hand rested on the hilt of his blade.

They rode until the horses needed to drink and rest. Bran stopped them by the edge of a small stream and allowed them a moment of reprieve. He kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings. They took a moment to drink and eat. Barely a word was exchanged as the awkwardness from their morning kiss still hung in the air between them. Idalia avoided his eyes as she ate her handful of dried fruit.

A twig snapped in the woods behind them. They both turned to see what was there. “Get on the horse,” Bran commanded. “If I tell ye tae run, ye run. Dinnae argue with me, dinnae return for me, just run.”

“Bran?” Idalia questioned.

“Get on yer horse, lass, now.”

Hearing the steel in his voice, Idalia obeyed. She climbed back onto her horse and prepared to run. As she turned to make certain that Bran had mounted his own horse, the sound of an arrow whistled through the air and landed, sinking its head into Bran’s shoulder. “Bran!”

“Run, Idalia! Run and dinnae look back!”