were there but didn’t go to hunt.”
“Couldn’t have shown you if I was down there.”
His thoughtfulness defeated her. “You knew I would want to see it.”
“Aye.”
“I’ve never hunted.”
“And you’ve always wanted to, no doubt. I’ll be teaching you then.” Finally he stopped, turned and looked at her. She refused to look away, put her chin up defiant against her own reluctance.
“I would like that.”
He was studying her as closely as she had studied him. She fought the urge to squirm.
“No doubt, you’ll be good at it.” He stated.
He couldn’t know that but in her defense she admitted, “I can tickle fish better than my brothers.”
His chuckle echoed through her, rattling the foundation of her resistance. Over and over she tried to remember Diedre’s words.
Just don’t let him near. Stick with the women folk and don’t let him near. Then you can have a high time with us, and return home to anyone you want
By the next day her resistance was firmly back in place.
CHAPTER 12 - LOVE LOST
Talorc looked to the sky. Clear and bright and cold enough to freeze the ground. A relief after the wet, muddy journey of neither snow nor rain but a muddled mix of both that slapped their faces and melted on the ground.
Soon, the sun would set. By mid-day tomorrow they would reach Glen Toric. He planned it that way, so the sun would be high in the sky, shining down on his home in its most magnificent glory just as they rode up to it.
Despite the chill they took time this afternoon to bathe in the loch below, wash away the long muddy ride before trekking up to this camp, an outcropping of stone off the edge of the woods.
From the higher vantage point, aided by a bright moon, the tall square keep of Glen Toric could be seen, the substantial wings flaring out and back from its sides. The long narrow climb up to it proof of the safety it offered. Not fancy but strong, and sturdy and easily defended. Large enough to hold all she needed. Much like him.
He nodded to Liam, the last of the guards he met on his round of the watch, and headed back toward the camp. Positioned in the woods, his best men would watch for trouble while the others slept free from attack. This close to home there was little fear of that.
Diedre passed him as he wove through the woods. She had a parcel. Food for Liam, her latest love. Fair enough, the man had to eat. He also had to keep his wits about him.
“You’re not to distract him.” Talorc warned.
“Perhaps you’re the one who needs distracting.” She offered. “You’ve got to be frustrated as a mad bull with her within reach but out of touch.”
Oh, aye, he was frustrated as hell. Had expected to be wed three nights ago, the night of the Handfasting, but a warrior's camp was no place to woo a wife. And he needed time. Time to decide if he should warn her of what their coupling would mean. That she would be his wife at the end of it. It was a fine line of trust he walked.
But Deiedre knew he’d not take the bait. Never had with her, never would. In the past, discretion stopped him. Diedre didna’ understand the concept, proved as much tonight when she offered her game with Maggie right there in the camp. Empty gesture or no it showed a poor sense of decency.
“You get my ken? Give him the food but get back to the others.”
“Aye, I get your ken.”
He nodded, left her, trusting she would follow his orders.
He stopped just outside the light from the fire, the first one lit on this journey. He risked it as they were tight within MacKay land.
As he looked over the men, as was his way, he assessed the mood, warm from the fire, high spirits as they were so close to home. He made certain he accounted for everyone, everything before he let his sights rest on Maggie.
She stood speaking with some of the men, oblivious to her own power as a woman. Every man seen as a brother or cousin of sorts, she was comfortable with them, all of them, except him.
He made her nervous, he knew that, understood what it meant. She didn’t. Soon, he would teach her.
So he gave her ground, distance, thought that would ease the way for him, but he thought wrong. Rather than earn her trust, she