Page 17 of Highlander’s Burning Touch

“Aye, an’ we shall. When we meet again,” said Niven, casting his eye around as if he expected to see someone. Beating hooves told her the rider was still approaching, but for the time being, both of them were powerless to do anything about it.

“When we meet again?” said Deva, hopefully. But her mind was clouded with doubt. There was no chance her father would allow such a thing.

But the dreamy look on Niven’s face was the kick she needed to believe it. Maybe there could be some hope for them, despite her upcoming nuptials to whichever old goat won the tedious mudslinging contest.

“Aye, when we meet again, ye ken, after, ah, I get back to my men and ye report back to yer father…” said Niven with a wink.

“Yer men?” asked Deva, intrigued. In the week they had spent together, she had had a hard time unraveling any information about Niven. All she knew was he lived in the Macaulay keep and was one of the laird’s nephews, although she hadn’t got the impression that he held any special responsibility. “Ye mean yer uncle’s men?”

“Och, aye,” said Niven, dismissively. He held her hand. “Thing is, there’s loads of time for us to be together, isn’t there?”

The intense look in his eyes burned her deeply. Anxiety stirred Deva’s heart. Niven knew nothing of her future marriage. It cut at her core and made her ache for things to be different.

Seeing the change in her face, Niven looked crestfallen. “I mean, that is if ye want to?” he said, in barely more than a whisper, “I’ll be discreet when I come calling, so it doesnae cause ye any problems wi’ yer father, or at the keep…”

Alarm filling his amber-colored eyes, Deva’s heart gave a little ping. Niven’s thoughtfulness was touching, but her guts were wrenching with guilt.

He still thought she was a maid, and she longed to tell him the truth, but it was impossible.

“Aye, it’s what I want, more than anything,” she urged him, stroking his arm and holding him tight.

“But?” said Niven, his watchful eyes following hers incisively. The hooves that were pounding on against the horizon got nearer, but neither of them turned to look.

“But nothing,” decided Deva. Inside, something had changed. Perhaps her father had decided to auction her to the highest bidder, but that didn’t mean she had to give her heart.

Why shouldn’t she see Niven again if she wanted to? Even if it did have to be in secret. The revelation was such a wild one that it rocked her for some time. Then, with a slow smile, Deva brought her face up to his.

“But nothing, one way or another, we will see each other again…”

Chapter Five

Niven’s heart thumped. He was not used to feeling like this. Not even his long and torturous association with Sorcha had prepared him for intensity like this.

Emotions pounded as Niven’s heartbeat raced. Without warning, he was sweating profusely. His brain was so loud, all the other sounds had stopped. Which is maybe why he didn’t hear the hooves beating in the distance, coming closer.

It was ages before either of them spoke again. When they did, he was surprised to hear his own voice say, quite calmly.

“Aye, well if yer sure, lassie… It’s up to ye now,”

But despite his assured tones, Niven was anything but relaxed.

It wouldn’t be the first time he had got it wrong. Look at Sorcha. When it came to women, Niven had to admit he wasn’t the greatest at spotting signs. Or anything much, really.

But the look in Allyth’s eyes and her words had brought him around. Just as well, because he had been within inches of mounting his perpetually restless stallion and riding off. With one epic disaster already behind him, there was only so much his pride could take.

“Oh, I am quite sure,” Deva said, her light eyes penetrating him archly. Niven felt his insides turn to mush. So much for playing it cool. She was under his skin and had been from day one. Reeling, Niven reflected on how much had changed in only seven days.

Allyth looked at him, the corners of her lips sloping into a grin that he couldn’t decipher; was she happy or sad?

“So ye want me to prove it with an oath in blood?” she teased him. The wind, which had dropped for a short while, suddenly resumed with zest, blasting through the trees in the copse. Niven watched in wonder as the gust took Allyth’s hair, shaking it from its intricate twists, and sent it flying all over her face.

“Nae, that will nae be necessary,” he said, helping brush the escaping hair from her face. “There’s been enough bloodshed…”

His words served as a flashback to the sword which had poisoned him. As Allyth got her hair under control, Niven untangled his thoughts.

“But it could have been even worse… I would have died if it wasnae for ye,” he said, seriously. Allyth shook her head, but before she could speak, he continued.

“The fact is, these lands are dangerous, lass, an’ we have to do what we must to make them safe…”