He did not slow, only added, “Keep up.”
The forest closed around them soon after, the ground uneven beneath their feet as James led her deeper without pause.“Watch where ye step,” he said, glancing back briefly. “The land will trip ye faster than any man.”
Eloise huffed, catching herself on a low branch. “I can walk well enough without yer words,” she snapped.
He stopped abruptly, turning to face her. “Aye? Then tell me what ye see.”
She frowned, glancing around. “Trees,” she said flatly.
His expression darkened slightly. “Then ye’ll nae last a day out here if that’s all ye notice. This is why I have brought ye to the forest. There is much distraction in the woods. It takes a keen eye to make yer way through it.”
He moved again, gesturing toward the ground. “Tracks,” he said, pointing to faint impressions in the soil. “Deer, passin’ through not long ago.”
Eloise stepped closer, squinting slightly.
“If ye cannae read the ground, ye’ll starve before ye find food.”
She straightened, irritation flaring. “I didnae ask for a lesson in huntin’,” she said.
“Nay,” he replied, “but ye’ll take it all the same.”
They moved on, James pausing to point out a hidden snare tucked near a cluster of brush. “That would’ve caught ye by the ankle,” he said.
Eloise crouched beside it, examining it with growing interest. “Clever,” she murmured.
“And necessary,” he said.
She glanced up at him, her expression thoughtful. “And ye think I need to ken this why?”
He met her gaze evenly. “Because I want ye to and that is enough.”
Next, he showed her how to test the wind, lifting a handful of dirt and letting it fall. “It tells ye where it blows,” he said.
Eloise mimicked the motion, though less gracefully. “Or it tells me I’ve dirt on me hands,” she replied dryly.
He gave her a sharp look. “Mock it if ye like, but it could save yer life.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Ye’ve an answer for everythin', do ye no?”
“Aye,” he said simply, “because I’ve had to.”
By the time he placed a knife in her hand, her patience had thinned considerably.
“Throw it,” he instructed, nodding toward a marked tree.
Eloise hesitated, then did as told, the blade spinning wildly before striking the ground.
He stepped closer. Eloise felt him move behind her. A warmth wrapped around her as his chest brushed against her back briefly. He raised his arms around her.
“What are ye doing?” she whispered.
“Showing ye how to hold the knife,” he said.
She watched as he placed his large hands on top of hers. She breathed in.
“Hold it like this,” he said. His words were gentle in her ear. She could feel his breath on her neck.
“That’s it. Ye have it now,” he said.
