The Scot's Quest - Keira Montclair Page 0,21
he chuckled in response. “You aren’t so mad now, are you? In fact, I’ll find you another apple.”
He left, and the horse tried to follow him, something that both delighted him and caught him by surprise. If a horse followed you, it usually meant they were fond of you, but he kept her inside the stall. He didn’t wish to upset the big stallions nearby.
After grabbing a few more apples, he offered the treats to the beasts paying attention to him, each one nickering or nudging him with a thank you. Once he’d given the other treats out, he returned to Misty and gave her a soft hug. “You’re much calmer than Dyna, or are you trying to tell me something about her? Her grandsire thinks she has a soft heart. What say you?” he whispered, speaking so low no one would hear him.
She whinnied and lifted her head, a gesture he chose to take as the horse’s assent. “You answered that question so quickly, I wish you’d answer the rest of the ones that haunt me.”
He was being utterly ridiculous, but he wished he had someone to talk with about Dyna. She had a way of making him want to be better. He’d worked out with his sword just to build up his body like the Grant warriors, and he’d be lying if he said the main reason wasn’t to impress Dyna. She made him want to fight harder, run faster. She made him wish to be the kind of man Alexander Grant would want to marry his granddaughter.
Dyna made him dream of sharing a life with her. Of approaching her parents and asking for her hand in marriage. Of fighting side by side and then returning to their own cottage. Of having a bairn together.
And where would Senga fit into all of this? If not for the possibility that her lassie could be his daughter, she didn’t fit in at all.
If his purpose had been to see if he and Dyna would suit, their time together on the hill had given him his answer. They were powerful together, even if he hadn’t known how to answer the challenge she’d thrown at him. There was no denying that when he was with Dyna Grant, magic happened, and he believed she felt the same way.
He’d apologize to her later. He only hoped she could forgive him, because under no circumstances would he agree to take her maidenhead without marriage.
After he finished brushing Misty down, he returned to the great hall, sighing with relief when he found it empty. He hadn’t wanted to see her cousins, true, but his greater fear was seeing the pain in Dyna’s eyes. How could he explain himself to her?
Everything he’d said was true, but it didn’t explain the entirety of his feelings. He wasn’t worthy of a noblewoman. Her cousins didn’t want him in the clan, or so it had felt in the middle of the woods with an angry wild boar aimed at him.
Dyna Grant tempted him more than any other woman. Her strength, her skills, her long legs. Her perfect arse. The way he could make her lose all sense. Making a lass like Dyna fall apart in his arms, moan with need, beg him for more…it was more than a man could ever wish for, was it not?
But he could have a daughter somewhere with a camp woman. And part of him thought he shouldn’t commit himself to Dyna until he knew the truth of that.
Joya and Els came in from the kitchens just then, so he bolted up out of his chair. Joya gave him a searching look and said, “Everything all right, Derric? You disappeared.”
The last thing he wanted to do was open his heart to Els, who’d made it clear that he didn’t think much of him, so he just shrugged.
To his surprise, Els gave Joya a kiss on her cheek and said, “I’m going to run out to the stables. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He nodded to Derric before he left. The gesture was a surprisingly kind one, and there didn’t look to be any spite or judgment in his eyes.
Turning to Joya, Derric said, “Sit with me awhile?”
Joya sat down and tipped her head at him. “Something’s bothering you, I can tell.”
He sighed. “Aye, many things. First, a general question for you. How would you describe a person who’s soft-hearted?” He hadn’t forgotten the fact that he had a quest to complete before Alex