He gave a faint smirk. “Daenae grow accustomed to it,” he replied.
She laughed quietly. “Too late,” she said.
As they walked, villagers approached more freely now, greeting Eloise with shy smiles and curious glances.
“Ye must be the soon to be Lady MacAllister,” one woman said.
Eloise hesitated, then nodded. “Aye,” she said. “I suppose I am.”
The woman smiled warmly. “Ye’ll do well here. What a bonnie, lass” she said.
James watched the exchange closely, noting how easily Eloise responded, how naturally she spoke with them.
“Ye have a way with people,” he said as they moved on.
Eloise glanced at him. “I only speak as I would to anyone,” she replied.
“That is precisely it,” he said. She tilted her head slightly.
“Is that a compliment?” she asked.
He hesitated. “Aye,” he said at last.
He found himself watching her more than he intended, how she listened, how she laughed, how she met each person without hesitation.
She fits here, far more easily than I expected.She would make a fine Lady MacAllister.
The thought struck him unbidden. The realization hit hard, and he stiffened slightly.
No. That isnae the truth. It cannae be.
He forced the thought away.
This is a farce. A temporary arrangement. Nothing more. I willnae allow to think beyond it.
“We’re done here,” he said abruptly.
Eloise looked at him, surprised by the sudden shift. “Already?” she asked.
He nodded once. “Aye.”
As they returned to their horses, Eloise studied him quietly. “Ye’re a strange man, James,” she said.
He glanced at her. “And yet ye remain,” he replied.
She smiled faintly. “Aye,” she said. “I do.”
And though his expression remained controlled, something beneath it stirred once more, unsettled, unwelcome, and impossible to ignore.
James studied her for a long moment as they rode the horses, the village fading behind them.
“There is somethin’ else I would show ye,” he said.
Eloise tilted her head. “And what might that be, me Laird?” she asked.
He glanced toward the distant hills. “The loch,” he said simply.
Her face softened at once. “I would love to see it,” she said, her tone unguarded. “But why do ye go through the trouble ofshowing me all these places? I ken that ye are busy with yer duties.”
