“Aye,”he agreed. “Though few would dare question Laird McCulloch on such matters.”
Their conversation was interruptedas Noah approached, keeping a respectful distance until Hector acknowledged him.
“The horses are ready, Me Laird,”he reported. “We should leave soon. Storm’s brewin’.”
He gesturedtoward the western sky, where dark clouds had begun gathering over the mountains.
“We’ll continue this discussion later,”Hector said, his tone suddenly decisive. It was no longer a request, but a command. “The longer we linger, the more danger ye face.”
Gabriella nodded,suddenly aware of the many eyes watching them from the village square.
Had someone overheard their conversation?Would rumors already be spreading about the Laird’s unusual guest?
They walkedin silence to where their horses waited, Noah vigilant at their side. The air had grown heavy with the promise of rain, and a chilly wind whipped at Gabriella’s skirts as Hector lifted her onto her mount.
His hands lingeredon her waist a moment longer than necessary, and she found herself unable to meet his gaze. The memory of his kiss—fierce and demanding—flashed unbidden through her mind.
What wouldit mean to be the wife of such a man, even if in name only?
“Ready?”he asked, swinging himself up easily onto his stallion.
She nodded,though in truth she was far from ready for any of this. The enormity of his proposal scrambled her thoughts as they rode out of the village.
Thunder rumbledin the distance as they took the path back toward Castle McCulloch. Gabriella rode with Hector on the stallion, with Noah bringing up the rear. The first heavy drops of rain began to fall, splashing her face like cold tears.
France.
The word echoedin her mind with each hoof beat.
France had representedeverything she had longed for—a new beginning, anonymity, freedom from the shadows of her past.Now, Hector was asking her to relinquish that dream in exchange for his protection.
Yet,even as doubt plagued her, Gabriella couldn’t deny the logic of his proposal. Lewis had found her once. What would stop him from finding her again, even across the sea? And what allies would she have in a strange land, with no one to stand between her and those who sought to profit off her?
The rain beganto fall more heavily, soaking through her dress despite Hector’s cloak, which he had draped around her shoulders before they departed. Ahead of them, the path disappeared into a blur of gray sheets of water, while behind them, the village—and perhaps her chance of escape—faded from view.
The storm intensifiedwith startling swiftness, turning the path into a muddy stream. Lightning flashed, followed by a crack of thunder that made Gabriella’s horse shy nervously.
“This way!”Hector called over the downpour, veering off the main road. “There’s a crofter’s hut just beyond those trees!”
The abandonedstone dwelling appeared through the curtain of rain—small but sturdy, its thatched roof partially collapsed at one corner but otherwise intact.
Hector dismounted quickly,helping Gabriella down before leading the horses to a meager lean-to at the side of the hut.
Noah securedthe perimeter with practiced efficiency. “I’ll keep watch outside, Me Laird,” he said, positioning himself beneath the overhang, where he could observe their surroundings.
Inside,the hut was a single room with a dirt floor and a small hearth. Hector kneeled by the fireplace, examining the remnants of old kindling.
“We’re fortunate,”he muttered, finding dry wood stacked nearby. “The crofter may be gone, but he left somethin’ useful behind.”
As he workedto start a fire, Gabriella huddled near the door, water dripping from her sodden dress. The space felt impossibly small, with Hector’s broad shoulders taking up so much of it. When flames finally caught, casting flickering light across the stone walls, the hut seemed to shrink further.
“Ye should come closerto the fire,” Hector urged, rising to his full height. “Ye’re shiverin’.”
Gabriella stepped forward hesitantly,extending her hands toward the growing warmth. “Thank ye,” she said softly.
They stoodin silence for a moment, the only sounds the crackling of the fire and the relentless drumming of rain on the roof.
“About yer proposal,”she began, her eyes fixed on the flames. “If I agreed, what exactly would it mean between us?”
