Sin mounted his horse, then reached his hand down to Caledonia. Her eyes relieved, she grabbed onto him and he noticed the tiny bones of her hand. The softness of her touch. He’d never felt anything like her delicate hand in his.
He pulled her up to ride before him and turned his attention to Simon. “Where are we bound for?”
“On the way back yesterday, I was telling the boy about the sweets at the Unicorn Maiden. I even showed him where the shop was located and he said he would give anything to see the pastries and cockapies. I have a feeling he might have gone there. Though why I should bother rescuing him, I’ll never know. I swear my head still throbs from the little demon.”
Callie felt heat sting her face. “He didn’t mean to hit you, Simon. I swear that part of it was an accident.”
He gave her a droll stare that told her he didn’t believe a word of it.
Callie didn’t say anything as they rode toward the bakery. Jamie knew better than to leave her side. He’d never done anything this foolish in his life and she couldn’t imagine what had possessed him.
The lad had best be in trouble when they found him. If not, she was going to throttle his young life right out of him.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long to retrace her steps to the corner where Jamie had vanished. Simon led them a few yards over to a small bakeshop where an old woman was leaving with a basket full of bread.
As they approached the store, Callie saw the squirrel Simon had mentioned and she recognized the small head staring out the window, scanning the passersby. It was a head that bore the face of a demon and a smile of extreme jubilation as its large blue eyes focused on her.
“Oh, blessed be Saint Mary,” she whispered.
Relief tore through her as she slid from the horse and ran inside the store to her brother. He’d been close by the entire time, but without the men, she’d never have known to look here.
Tears ran down her cheeks again as she swept him into her arms. “Little runt,” she breathed. “You scared me.”
“I’m sorry, Callie.” He pulled back and showed her the cinnamon bread in his hand. “I thought we’d be needing something to eat for the journey. You’ve had nothing all day.”
Her hand trembled as she took the bread from him. “I would much rather starve than lose you.”
“I’m sorry, Callie. I never meant to scare you. I was just a little hungry.”
Sin swallowed at the sight of their reunion. At the love the two of them had for each other.
The boy looked up at Simon. “I wanted to buy the swan pastries you told me about, but the baker’s wife said I didn’t have enough coin for that.” He looked back at his sister. “You like pastries.”
While she kissed his cheek and assured herself the demon was hale, Sin paid for enough swan pastries to make the rapscallion’s belly ache.
Callie looked up as Lord Sin handed her brother his purchase. “Thank you for your kindness.”
By the expression on his face, she could tell her words made the knight terribly uncomfortable.
As they left the shop and headed back to the castle, Callie realized she wasn’t going to make it home. At least not alone. She’d been fooling herself to even think there was any chance of getting back to Scotland on her own. Worse, she’d almost lost the one thing that meant most to her in the world.
Dear saints, what if they hadn’t found Jamie? What if he had gotten hurt or killed or...
It would have been all her fault. She closed her eyes as pain swept through her for being so selfish. The last thing she wanted was to tell Morna she’d let something happen to Jamie. It would be the death of the poor woman who had been a mother to her as well.
Nay, she’d take no more chances with his safety.
But then what was she to do?
Her thoughts turned to the man who would be her husband. Could she trust him?
For an Englishman, he seemed reasonable enough. As did Simon.
Perhaps if she allowed them to go home with her, her clan might see that not all Englishmen were beasts. Perhaps they could even win them over...
What are you? Daft? Get your head out of the dreamworld, lass, and put it on earth where it belongs. There’s little to no chance of the MacNeelys ever accepting an Englishman into their midst.
It was a long shot, no doubt. But it was the only one she could see.
