“Is it wrong that I doonae want ye to go?”
She shook her head, looking down shyly. “Nay. I feel the same. But I cannae delay any longer.” Gathering her fiddle and bow, she placed them in their case and slung it over her shoulder.
Torquil watched, transfixed and unable to move from his spot. “Until we meet again?” He asked, his voice hopeful.
Eilidh smiled. “I fear that ye have ruined me for anyone else with those divine kisses.”
He closed the distance betwixt them and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. “I willnae apologize for that.”
“I wouldnae want ye to,” she countered. She rose up on her toes and placed a featherlight kiss upon his lips and walked toward the path that would bring her back home.
“Will ye be safe walking home?”
She turned and smiled. “Aye. ’Tis something I have done plenty. Have nay fear. Until next time, Torquil MacGregor.” She spun and disappeared through the trees and Torquil fought the urge to run after her. To escort her home.
But he could only imagine what wrath that would bring about for Eilidh with her family. It would not sit well with his own family, but he could take whatever punishment that may be thrown at him. He didn’t want Eilidh to have to face aught because of their actions.
What they were doing was wrong. Evander was right when he said Seamus would be furious. He would be. Whenever his cousin did find out, Torquil fully expected a harsh punishment would be doled out. But even the threat of that wasn’t enough to keep him away from Eilidh.
He stood there for a long while, watching the trees where she had disappeared, afore making his way back to his cottage. He grabbed his lute and walked home. His steps light and heavy at the same time. Kenning that what they had done would have consequences that neither of them wanted to face.
Chapter Seven
Eilidh woke earlythe next morn, the feel of Torquil’s lips lingering on hers. She sighed, pulling her pillow over her face as she giggled into it. Happiness consumed her at the thought. She hadn’t realized how much it would mean to have someone look at you and want to get to ken you. The real you.
Torquil was unlike anyone she had ever met and the exact opposite of what she thought a MacGregor would be. If she listened to her brothers, all MacGregor men were barbaric beasts with no manners. Worse than that, even killers.
Torquil did not fit their description in any way whatsoever. He was kind. Soft-spoken. Incredibly handsome with sharp cheekbones and a jaw that looked as if it were chiseled out of stone. His beautiful green eyes were round, wide, and glinted with mischief. He wore his reddish-blond hair long, the waves brushing his shoulders. And he was tall, like her brothers, but with a much slimmer build. Her brothers would call him weak. But he was not. His strength was in his art, his musicality, his poetry. In those realms he was so very strong. It was the first thing that drew her to him.
And with the way he kissed her so thoroughly? She touched her lips again with a smile at the memory she wanted to keep reliving over and over again. Torquil saved some of his passion for those things that he didn’t share with most others.
His feelings.
The realization of that made her feel special—and she longed to see him again. Craved to see him again.Neededto see him again. Like a starving person needed food.
She jumped from the bed and splashed her face with cool water and got dressed for the day. She had told Morven that she would help her with the chores this morn. When she opened her bedchamber door, her sister’s hand was poised to knock.
“Perfect timing, I would say,” Morven laughed. “Good morn.”
“Good morn. Ye slept weel?”
“Aye. Ye?”
Eilidh nodded, trying not to grin widely. She had slept more than well, dreaming of Torquil and his kisses. “Shall we break our fast afore we start? I feel ravenous this morn.” It was not a lie.
Morven looked at her quizzically. “Are ye weel?”
“Of course, I am,” Eilidh answered with a giggle. “Dinnae be silly.”
“I am no’.” Morven raised her brows in disbelief. “Though ye seem to be. Ye are always in such a rush to get away from Hartsmoor. ’Tis unusual to see ye no’ only offer to help with chores, but also to break our fast together. Ye are acting oddly.”
They continued down the hall and stairs.
“I told ye that I would help ye this morn. I doonae understand yer confusion.”
They bypassed the bustling Great Hall, which was full of men breaking their own fasts and preparing for the day. Later, some of the men would be training whilst others performed all manners of labor and other such things in and around the castle. All under her father and Alpin’s watchful eyes and strong leadership.
Eilidh and Morven went straight to the kitchens, weaving around serving maids carrying heavy trays laden with loaves of bread, pots of jams and small urns of fresh churned butter, along with a variety of dried and salted meats. Others carried pitchers of honeyed ale. Eilidhinhaled deeply as the trays passed. The smells floating through the air offered a tempting aroma and her stomach growled loudly in response.
