"My pleasure." His dark, spellbinding gaze trapped her for a few seconds, making her recall all too vividly thepleasurehe was capable of providing. Such sinful sensuality she had never imagined. A flush of heat consumed her.
Elena coughed behind him. "My laird, pray pardon. I seem to have dropped my glove."
He turned toward her, then retrieved the glove from the ground. 'Twouldbe obvious to anyone Elena had dropped it intentionally. After handing it to her, he ignored her effusive thanks and darted Calla another intense glance before heading toward his black stallion.
Good heavens, he was paying far more attention to her than to Elena. Warmth rushed through Calla. She secretly watched and appreciated the wayRebbie'spowerful body moved. Then, he gracefully leapt onto the tall horse as if it was nothing.
Calla didn't dread the upcomingcéilidhas much as she had that morn. She felt near certain Rebbie wouldn't reveal their secret. But what if he wished to talk to her privately and asked prying questions? There were some things he could never learn about her.
***
"What is going on between you and Lady Stanbury?" Lachlan asked Rebbie in the solar that evening before thecéilidh.
Rebbie shrugged, pretending the very mention of the woman's name didn't send a rush of excitement over him. "I simply rescued her from that falling tree."
Lachlan smirked and handed Rebbie a dram of whisky he'd just poured. "Very heroic of you, and I'm certainly glad you saw the tree in time. But that wasn't what I meant. You asked me her name this morn, and you've been watching her all day. Has she caught your fancy?"
Rebbie should've known he couldn't hide anything from his friend. Besides, he trusted Lachlan more than anyone, besides Dirk. He trusted his two best friends equally. "I'll tell you, if you promise not to breathe a word to anyone."
"Of course."
"I… know her," Rebbie admitted.
"What do you mean, you know her?" Lachlan frowned. "In the Biblical sense?"
"Aye."
"God's teeth! When did this happen?"
"I'm thinking 'twas four or five years ago. InStirling. She's a widow, as you said."
"Aye."
"When did her husband pass?"
"I know not, but I'll ask Angelique."
Rebbie nodded. "But please, don't tell Angelique that we know each other from before. I don't want to embarrass Calla. I'm now wondering if 'haps she was married when we…." Rebbie cleared his throat. "She told me she was a widow back then. And I'd had too much to drink that night. Dirk and I had been playing cards in the inn. You were elsewhere, mayhap with another pretty widow."
"I hope you don't say that in front of Angelique."
"As if she doesn't ken already about how you chased the ladies."
"Aye, but no need to bring up my past."
"Have no worries. I simply want to find out more about Calla. She slipped out of the inn's room while I was sleeping the next morn. I looked for her for a few days but never saw her again, until now."
"You looked for her?" Lachlan lifted a brow. "That's odd for you."
Rebbie shrugged. "Aye, but 'twas a very enjoyable night… which I wished to experience again."
His friend sipped his whisky. "And now?"
"Nay. Not now."'Twasa lie he wished was true. "But since I know who she is, I find myself curious about her and why she approached me that night."
"Ladies get lonely, too, I'm certain. They're not supposed to enjoy the carnal pursuits, but … they do. Thank the saints." Lachlan smiled.
"Aye." Rebbie remembered that Calla had eagerly accepted each of his kisses and reveled in every sensual touch. "The beginning of the night is a bit hazy now, because I'd had several drams of whisky."
