Conall’s expression darkened. “Family isnae something I like to talk about,” he said gruffly, turning away from her gaze.
It seemed her erstwhile companion wasn’t one for answering questions. Already his jaw was clenched and his hands tightened around the tiller, as if remembering some unpleasant memory.
“Okay, sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to pry.” She changed the subject. “Do you always sail alone?”
“Not normally. Normally I travel with my sword-brothers under my commander, Kai Stewart.”
“Oh. So where are they now?”
Conall’s expression grew pensive. “On business of their own.” He gave her an unreadable look before turning back to the sea, leaving Molly with more questions than answers.
As the day wore on, the rocky coast disappeared entirely. Rolling waves stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. The water was bright and silvery, reflecting the sunlight that broke through the clouds as the sky cleared and turned a brilliant azure blue.
Molly scanned the horizon, searching for signs of life. In the distance, a pod of sleek dolphins crested the waves before slipping below the surface.
“Look there!” she said, pointing.
Conall followed her gesture and smiled. “Ah, the scouts of the sea. We see them often in these parts.”
Molly opened her mouth to tell him about the dolphins she saw regularly on her boat trips but stopped herself just in time. She was supposed to have amnesia. How could she explain her familiarity with local wildlife without giving herself away? The web of lies she’d woven was getting harder to maintain.
She turned her gaze back to the endless expanse of sea and sky. The wind picked up, whipping Molly’s hair across her face. Just like that, the weather changed again, dark clouds rolled in, and the sea began to churn. Conall’s expression turned grim as he gripped the tiller and stared at the horizon.
“Storm’s coming. Reef the sails,” he shouted over the rising wind.
Molly scrambled to obey, years of sailing experience kicking in. The boat pitched and rolled as they fought to control the rigging. A rope flailed loose, dangerously close to tangling in the tiller. Molly lunged for it just as Conall reached for the same line. Their hands collided, fingers intertwining for the briefest moment before they grasped the rope.
Molly met Conall’s gaze. The strength and warmth of his rough hand against hers sent a jolt through her body. This was no time for distraction, yet she was acutely aware of his nearness. With an effort, she wrenched her focus back to the sails, cheeks flaming.
The storm grew worse and, not for the first time, Molly cursed the capricious Scottish weather. The boat tossed about like a cork in the churning sea and rain came down in a torrent, stinging her skin like needles. In moments, Molly’s hair was matted to her face, her clothes drenched through.
Oh what she wouldn’t give for her rain cape right now! In fact, what she wouldn’t give for a bigger boat that had a cabin and space below decks where they could escape the rain!
Conall barked out orders like a true ship’s captain and Molly, relegated to first mate, had no choice but to obey. Conall worked with a fierce intensity, his muscles bulging as he fought to keep the boat steady.
They worked in tandem, and Molly felt a strange sense of camaraderie, as if she and Conall were soldiers fighting a battle side by side. As always when she worked a boat, the adrenaline was intoxicating, the wild lash of the wind and water both terrifying and exhilarating.
She had no idea how long the storm lasted. It could have been minutes or hours but all of a sudden, the sun broke through the clouds, the wind died and the rain reduced to a gentle drizzle. Oh yes, the Scottish weather could be capricious indeed.
Finally, when the waves had calmed and the rain relented to an annoying drizzle, Molly collapsed onto the deck, exhausted. Conall joined her, and silence settled between them as they caught their breath.
“Impressive,” he said finally, his voice gruff with fatigue. “Ye are a skilled sailor, lass. I’m sure yer father would be proud of ye.”
To Molly’s horror, a lump formed in her throat. Then, before she could help herself, she burst into tears.
