“Och.” He halted and turned in the saddle. “Have you ever seen such a bonny rainbow?”
Seona gasped. “Nay. ’Tis very bright.”
Even lovelier, at least to Keegan, was Seona’s smile as she took in the scenery. She was so beautiful his chest ached. Yet… he knew not how he was going to keep her in his life so that he might see her smile every day.
Facing forward, he urged the horse along at a slower pace. No reason to rush. He wanted to enjoy Seona’s arms around his waist a bit longer.
“I can’t believe how big the rainbow is,” she said behind his shoulder.
“Aye. Are you thinking there’s a great pot of gold at the end of it?”
She smiled. “’Haps. Or maybe something even better than gold.”
He wondered what she was thinking. What would she prize more than gold?
He covered her hands with one of his and stroked her silky smooth skin. An idea occurred to him. He turned. “I no longer trust your horse and I’m thinking you should ride with me for a ways.”
“In truth? You are right that Juliana has become unpredictable, but I’m not certain my aunt will agree to the riding arrangement.”
“She wants you to be safe, aye?”
“Aye, but…”
Out ahead, their party came into view. They appeared to be gathered around someone sitting on the ground. Who was that?
“I wonder what’s happened.” His heart rate accelerating, he kneed the horse into a trot. As they approached, he saw that it was Lady Patience sitting on the ground on a plaid blanket.
“Is Aunt Patience hurt?” Seona asked, concern in her voice.
Chapter Eight
Why was her aunt sitting on a blanket on the wet ground with everyone else standing around, Seona wondered.Heavens!Had something bad happened to her during the storm?
Keegan drew up a few feet from their party, moved his leg across in front of him and slid to the ground. Next, he lifted Seona down.
“I thank you,” she whispered, savoring one last, brief glance into his eyes.
He gave a deep nod and she hastened away to see what was going on.
“Aunt Patience, what has happened to you?” she asked, bending and taking her hand.
“Me? What about you, lass? I feared your horse would toss you onto the rocks and kill you.”
“Nay. I am well, as you can see. Keegan rescued me.”
“Thank the heavens.” Her aunt spared a halfway kind glance up at Keegan, the first Seona had seen her give him.
“Are you injured?” Seona asked her.
“’Tis my ankle. We dismounted during the gale and I stepped on a rock that rolled. I felt something pop in my ankle, then I fell to the ground.”
“Did you break a bone?”
“Nay, Laird MacKay examined it and said ’tis more likely I have sprained it or pulled something.” She glanced at Dirk where he stood a few yards away with Isobel.
’Twas good news at least that nothing was broken. “Can you stand?” Seona asked.
“I know not. Can you help me up?”
