Page 10

The smile faded from Maeve’s eyes a little as she fell into a wistful memory. “She was lovely and kind and sweet. She was everything ye could want in a ma.”

“Mine was the same,” Gowan said. “My father was always more interested in Ewan than me, and I cannae blame him considering he was the heir. But my mother always made sure tae treat us the same.”

“What happened tae her?” Maeve asked, hearing sadness in his voice, a sound that she was all too familiar with.

“Illness got her,” he replied.

“Aye, mine tae,” Maeve said.

“It’s a shame they are nae gaeing tae be around tae see us be married,” he said.

“Aye, but at least ye still hae yer da, and yer brother. I always assumed that when I got married, my entire family would be there with me, that I would see their smiling faces. It’s nae gaeing tae be the same without them.”

“I’m sorry if ye feel like ye hae tae rush intae it because I’m here.”

“Ye dinnae hae tae apologize. I think if I was nae pushed, then I might never be ready. Grief is a strange thing. I know I should be ready tae live my life, but all my heart wants is tae wallow in sadness. Tae be honest, I was also a wee bit resentful that the last thing my da did was take my fate intae his own hand. I suppose we never truly get a choice in life anyway.”

“Nae if we want tae be anything important,” Gowan replied. “Only people who dinnae matter get tae make their own choices. Like me,” he added with a soft smile.

She cast an askew glance at him. “How can ye nae matter? Ye are marrying me.”

“Aye, but it is only this marriage that gives my life meaning. Up until this point, I was just the brother of a man who would be Laird. That’s why my father never worried about me gaeing about fighting. I remember once that Ewan wanted tae come with me, but Father wouldnae let him. I’m nae sure I hae ever seen him sae angry.” He shook his head and looked a little helpless. Maeve had never known what it was like to be unimportant, and she got a sense that Gowan didn’t like it. However, he didn’t seem to want to dwell on it and quickly moved the conversation to something else. “Sae, if ye haed yer choice, what man would ye hae chosen tae be yer husband?”

Maeve stifled a laugh, surprised that he would ask such a thing. She looked away shyly because deep down, she knew she may well have chosen a man like him, someone strong and powerful and charming. He had a force of personality that she could not ignore, and she had a feeling that in time he would win her over fully. As they walked beside each other, she could not forget the way she had felt as his body had pinned her to the ground. The sizzling heat burned under her flesh again, and this swirling, chaotic energy came to life within her as though some beastly thing possessed her.

“Oh, someone dashing and handsome, someone good at dancing,” she said coyly, not wishing to admit that she was quite happy with the man her father had chosen for her. In response to this, Gowan stopped walking for a moment and danced around her, flicking his feet merrily before collapsing into a deep rolling laugh. It was an infectious laugh, and Maeve found herself to be taken with it as well.

Eventually, they made their way outside to the courtyard. Lanterns had been lit to allow people to enjoy the courtyard at night. Maeve walked to the rear of the courtyard, where a target stood. Beside it was a rack of bows and a plethora of arrows.

“Ye managed tae best me in swordsmanship, but would ye care tae hae a wee try with the bow?” she asked.

“Aye, but let’s make it more interesting. If I win, then ye hae tae give me a kiss,” he said, his eyes flashing with excitement.

Maeve blushed and thought it was forward of him to suggest such a thing before they were married. Her heart fluttered and she blushed. While she was flattered by this, she was still a young woman in possession of her virtue, and although he was going to be her husband, she was not sure if she wanted to agree to something like this so soon. There was a hint of danger about being around Gowan, as though anything might happen, and she became flustered to think about what may happen before the wedding.

In fact, she was so flustered that her inhibitions went wild and began to clamp her heart.

“I will take yer bet, but if I win, then ye will hae tae leave me alone for one day,” she said, almost regretting the words as they slipped out of her mouth. She didn’t want to be left alone by him, but the rush of emotion passed through her like a torrent, and she had never experienced something like this before. It was as though she wasn’t in control of her own body, and she didn’t like it.

Is this love?

Gowan deemed the bet agreeable and probably had confidence in his chances of beating her yet again. He took his three arrows and a huge bow, stretching the string taut before firing them toward the target. The arrows flew straight through the air and hit the target with a loud thump. It was an impressive beginning as they clustered around the gold target, and he flashed her a confident smile.

“I think ye haed better wet yer lips,” he said, chuckling to himself. Meanwhile, Maeve fetched her bow and stretched out her limbs before she took aim. She stretched her legs wide and curled her hands around the bow, pulling back the string delicately. She breathed out as she shot, firing the arrows in quick succession. They hit the target at almost the same time, and they all met nearly the same point. They were so close together that they looked as though they had formed one arrow. They had struck the very middle of the target and were surrounded by Gowan’s arrows.

“I’m impressed,” he said, although his voice faltered with disappointment.

Maeve had a smile on her face at proving herself better at him in this endeavor, but then she remembered the bet and wished she had wagered something else. It was touching to see him disappointed like this, and it gave her hope that even if he found it easy to charm other women, he really only wanted to charm her.

He had wanted a kiss, and if she was honest with herself, Maeve wanted one as well. She returned the bow to the rack and then turned to face him.

“Ye did shoot well. If it haed been anyone else, I’m sure ye would hae won. Perhaps in a way, we both won,” she said, and suddenly felt a surge of courage within her heart. She acted without thinking, rolling forward on her toes to give him a kiss. It was a quick, brief effort where her lips brushed against his. A flicker of warmth flashed through her before it was over, and she burned with embarrassment. The impulsiveness was not a quality that she expressed often, and given how he stood there looking shocked, she wondered if she had made a terrible mistake. After all, she had never kissed anyone before, so she assumed she must have been awful at it.

She apologized and quickly walked away, returning to the safety of the castle and her chambers, feeling self-conscious about her lack of experience. Given the way he effortlessly charmed those women, and his age, he must have been with many women before her. She did not know much about the world, but one thing she did know was that men rarely saved themselves for marriage as women did. To them, innocence was a thing to rip away as soon as possible rather than to be protected as it was for girls. He wanted a wife, but all he would get was a girl who had no idea what she was doing. He must have thought her a fool, and she quickly became anxious about the wedding night as she wasn’t sure how she was going to cope with it all. The thought of his hands touching her was a pleasing thing, but it was swiftly followed by uncertainty. There were so many unknowns, and Maeve found herself becoming overwhelmed by the things that were required of her in this life.

7

The kiss had stayed with Gowan for a few days. It had been a ghost of a kiss, yet her presence lingered around him, and he found himself unable to stop thinking about her. The bet had been won by her, but she had been gracious enough to give him a taste of what awaited him when they were to be married. It was enough to cause a storm within his heart. He had been so shocked at the kiss that he had stood there dumbfounded, utterly unable to move. He regretted that now, wishing that he had the wherewithal to gather her in his arms and kiss her properly, to truly feel what awaited him. Instead, he had let her flee.