Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6) - Paula Quinn Page 0,21
three brothers. The English took my uncle with them. He was seven and raised on the battlefield. Father Timothy took care of him and taught him about God amidst all the bloodshed. When my father found his brothers, the priest took them in under his wings. He has been in all my cousins’ lives from their births and has often reminded us all of how God had blessed him, puttin’ him in the service of the MacPherson Clan. He is a gentle man, but he has fought on the battlefield against the English.”
“Aye,” she said, sounding like a satisfied cat. “I imagined he was most likely a gentle man.”
He laughed softly. “Oh, how did ye know?”
“Because you are gentle.”
“Lass, I’m a warrior,” he whispered through the door.
“You are gentle with me. Back at the priory, I feared that you would not be. I prayed about it often as it weighed heavily on me. But I feel safe with you. You and your men have been very kind. Thank you.”
Galeren closed his eyes. They were silent for a moment and Galeren thought she may have fallen asleep.
“Is it true, Captain? Are you chaste?”
“Aye, ’tis true. I finish my six years in less than a month.”
“Six years! You are a very disciplined man.”
“’Tis gettin’ more difficult the closer it comes to bein’ over.” And being near you, he wanted to tell her.
“I…I will pray for you.”
“Thank ye,” he said softly.
“Good dreams, Captain,” he heard her faint whisper.
“Good dreams, lass.”
He was awakened several hours later when she opened the door and he tumbled into her room, sprawled out on the floor. He opened his eyes to find her standing over him with a smile she tried to cover with her hand. She’d taken off the bandage around her head and her curls tumbled over her eyes.
“Are you hurt?” she asked, kneeling beside him.
“No,” he answered.
“Then why are you still on the floor?”
“I am a bit dazed.” He sat up and smiled at her.
She giggled again and he stared into her eyes. He saw too much in them. He saw parts of her heart, sadness, regret, desire, shame. It made him feel worse. Like the worst kind of lout because he was sure he was the one making her feel these things. And yet, it took his strongest resolve not to lift his fingers to her smooth skin, not to smile and pull her in for a most forbidden kiss.
He pushed himself up and onto his feet.
She followed, rising like a flame. He took a step away and then around her and stepped out into the hall. She left the room and moved past him while he slipped on his boots.
He would keep his distance from her today. He was no monster. He would have Mac—
“I wish we could stay with your grandparents a little longer, Captain,” she said, pausing to let him catch up.
“Aye.” He wished the same, but it wasn’t wise to remain with her longer than he needed to. “But yer uncle expects ye today and ye willna be there. We will already be a day overdue.”
Her smiled faded. She stepped back. “Aye. We do not want to be overdue to my uncle. You are a very disciplined soldier.”
He nodded—though at the present moment, he took no pride in it. He didn’t know how much longer his discipline would hold out. He wanted to share his smiles with her, touch her cheek, her hand. He wanted to seduce her, with the hope of kissing her. But she was forbidden. He tried to see her the way, it seemed, others saw her. Not as beautiful. But then he’d watched her laughing with his men or lost in worship that made her weep. When she spoke to him, he found himself wanting to make her smile.
“In this case, lass, I must be.”
She straightened her shoulders and set her chin with resolve. But her fortitude didn’t reach her eyes. “You are correct, Captain,” she said and turned to leave.
His resolve didn’t falter. He wouldn’t let it.
He swallowed as she walked away to join his grandmother in the kitchen. He wanted to go the other way, out the front door. He would leave without her. Let John send someone else, or let his men take her the rest of the way.
But it was his duty to take her to John, to protect her. He wanted to protect her. The wilds were dangerous, especially for women. He wouldn’t leave.