Page 26 of Highlander’s Burning Touch

If nothing else happened, she would be going to the Macaulay lands. A little light came on inside her. At least she might bump into Niven there, although that might make things worse?

Deva frowned. She hadn’t thought of that. Being near enough to look but do nothing could bring its own challenges.

But before she could think further, she felt her father’s hand roughly upon her.

“Look sharp, lass, yer about to be awarded as a prize!”

His cold eyes ran through her, looking at her like she was cattle. Then he shoved her roughly to come up to the podium.

With her heart bumping in her head, Deva snaked shyly through the crowds to the front. There, the Macaulay knight stood waiting, his visor still clamped down.

Gazing unsurely, Deva wondered what thoughts were going on behind that metal visage. He was so rigid that she began to wonder if there really was a man inside there at all.

Uncomfortable, she turned her head. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she knew she was being stared at. And yet, the knight still did not flinch. In fact, he hadn’t moved at all. Concerned, Deva peered about. Was he alright?

But if anyone else had noticed, then it did not show. The crowd was still cheering, with extra caskets of whisky being rushed around the field to quench the thirsty spectators.

And everyone was looking at her. Everyone. Now that her father had appeared, the crowd had tamed a little, but there was still a lot of noise as he pushed to the front.

“So then, finally, our winner, representing the laird of Macaulay, will claim his prize,” he announced. “…my beautiful daughter, Deva MacLean’s hand in marriage.”

Deva should have been buzzing. On paper, this should be the strangest day in her life to date. She was leaving to be wed! To a stranger!

But this was just it. The Macaulay laird was not present – he had sent his apologies earlier that morning, leaving nothing but the silent knight to stand in for him.

Who wouldn’t stop staring?

“Well done,” she said, forcing her voice to sound gay and bright. Well, she had to say something, didn’t she?

But he didn’t say anything. The man remained silent; in fact, he didn’t even move.

“So then, let’s hear it for the Laird o’ Macaulay,” said, MacLean, his sinewy face twisting into a smile. He lifted the knight’s hand up to wild cheering. And now, a group of his men came to congratulate him.

The laird leaned into the knight. “So then, son, ye can take off yer visor noo…”

Briefly, the man paused, then, slowly, he removed the visor.

Deva’s face froze.

It was Niven.

Chapter Eight

“Pleased to meet ye, Mistress Macaulay…”

Niven recognized the voice as his own. But he had no recollection of saying the words. Removing his helmet, he bowed to the woman in front of him. Then, he set to work, taking off his armor.

But inside, his nerves were in bits. As if the joust wasn’t enough, he hadn’t got over the shock of seeing his own brother getting ready to take his place! And now there was this.

Without any warning at all, he was face-to-face with the last thing he had ever been expecting.

Allyth.

Except, of course, she wasn’t called Allyth at all. Unable to believe what he was seeing, Niven glared at the woman opposite.

Despite himself, just seeing her again had made him erupt all over. If she had been alluring before, then she was irresistible now. Gone were her servant’s aprons, and now she was every inch a noblewoman.

The exquisite silks of her dress and sapphire blue brooch set her eyes off to perfection. She had never looked so enticing.