Page 27 of Bewitching her Highland Savior

“Did I hurt ye?” Muriel asked in a shrill tone; hands hovering around him as though she didn’t know what to do. “I didnae mean to! I dinnae ken why I did that!”

“Nae, nae, it’s fine,” Liam said; though he had to admit that his foot hurt much worse than he had ever thought possible. “It’s good. It’s a clever thing to do. Ye did weel.”

Muriel beamed at him when he praised her; twirling the knife in her hand with a newfound confidence that Liam thought looked good on her. It also put him at ease; knowing that she was already getting comfortable with what he was teaching her.

“Will ye teach me how to handle a sword?” Muriel asked and Liam realised it was time to put an end to their training for the day.

“Learn to use the blade first,” he said. “We’ll keep trainin’ while we’re here and then whenever we have the time. But ye dinnae need a sword.”

“What if the assassin has a sword?” Muriel asked. “Wouldnae I need a sword of me own?”

“I’m nae givin’ ye a sword,” Liam said firmly. “Besides, an assassin wouldnae have a sword. There’s nae need for it.”

"Fine," Muriel said, but Liam knew she wouldn't give up so easily. Once she had mastered the knife, she would surely ask him again. “But then I’d like to talk to ye about somethin’ else.”

Liam didn’t like the sound of that. For every other time Muriel had spoken those words – she had begged him to take her back to Barra instead of Lewis.

“What is it?” he asked; eyes narrowing as he regarded her with suspicion.

“Ye ken that I dinnae want to go to Lewis.”

There it is. The same conversation all over again.

“I’ve told ye that nae matter how many times ye ask, I willnae take ye back to Barra,” Liam said. “Ye cannae keep askin’ me this, lass. Ye willnae change me mind and I’m getting’ tired of tellin’ ye the same thing.”

“I’m nae askin’ ye to take me back to Barra,” Muriel said. “I’m askin’ ye to let me stay here.”

Liam could hardly believe his own ears. Initially, he thought he hadn’t heard her correctly so he looked at Muriel for a few moments; blinking in confusion. But the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that she had, in fact, asked him to allow her to stay in Argyll.

“Ye cannae be serious,” he said. “What do ye mean? Why would ye want to stay here?”

“Why wouldnae I?” Muriel said. “Ye’re nae lettin’ me go back to Barra and I dinnae want to go to Lewis. Besides, I already love this place. Yer family is verra kind and I have never been as happy as I’ve been in the past few days. I wasnae even this happy in Edinburgh. And if me maither can come here—”

“Muriel… how did ye even get this idea?” Liam asked. “And how is this any different than takin’ ye back to Barra? I wouldnae be doin’ me job if I let ye stay here, would I? I made a promise to yer faither.”

“But ye ken how much I dinnae want to go to Lewis!” Muriel shouted; raising her hands in frustration. “I’ve told ye I dinnae wish to marry that man! Ye dinnae ken… ye cannae understand.”

Muriel sounded enraged, but there was a sadness beneath it all that made Liam pause. Every time she mentioned Lewis or her future husband, he felt sick to his stomach. He knew it wasn’t his decision to make. Her father had already paid him to do the job, and he had given him his word that he would finish it. There was nothing he could do to give Muriel what she wanted.

“I wish I could help ye,” he said quietly; brushing through his hair. “I really do. I dinnae like seein’ ye so sad, Muriel, but think of me own position. What am I supposed to do?”

“Nae one would ever find me here,” Muriel said; closing the distance between them and placing a pleading hand on his arm. “Nae one would ken where I am.”

“But yer faither would ken ye never made it to Lewis,” Liam pointed out. “He’ll come after me. What will I tell him then? If I tell him I let ye stay here, he’ll have me head. If I tell him I dinnae ken where ye are, I’ll be dead. What do ye want me to do?”

That seemed to give Muriel pause, and she looked down for a moment before returning her gaze to him. She wasn’t crying but Liam could see that her eyes were wet with unshed tears.

“I just… I really dinnae want to go,” she said softly. “I dinnae ken what to do.”

Muriel was so close to him and so sad – all Liam wanted to do was comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her; pulling her close and he felt her sigh against him as she lay her head on his shoulder.

“I dinnae ken what to do either,” he admitted; even though it pained him to do so.

For a few moments, they stayed like that – Muriel holding onto him desperately. When Liam pulled back to look at her, she stared up at him – eyes wide and lips parted.

Liam looked at her and saw the despair in her gaze, the glint of unshed tears in her eyes. He had never felt so powerless as he did in that moment and he couldn’t see a way out of the future that lay before Muriel. The knowledge that he could do nothing for her was a weight on his shoulders he could hardly bear.

With a sigh, he raised his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb resting on the corner of her eye to collect the moisture that had spilled from it. He could see every shade of deep blue and flake of gold in her eyes up close. He couldn't stop thinking about how lovely she was, as if she were carved from marble.

Liam couldn’t stop himself. He leaned closer; pressing his lips against her own in a gentle kiss. When Muriel responded; pushing herself closer to him, her lips parting – Liam kissed her properly, pouring everything he couldn’t say into that kiss.

One of Muriel’s hands came to rest on his shoulder, the other sliding into his hair. Liam felt like he could kiss her forever – keep her in Argyll as she wanted. Keep her by his side.

With a sudden breath, he draew back; putting several steps between them. It was a mistake, one that he couldn’t afford to make. He had stayed away all those days. Why did he have to kiss her now?

“F-forgive me,” he said; not daring to look her in the eye. “I cannae… we cannae do this. Ye understand, do ye nae? I gave yer faither me word, if I do somethin’ like this, it’ll put nae just me, but everyone here in danger. I cannae do this to me family, Muriel.”

His own words sounded foreign and strange to his ears, choked off. He had been avoiding his feelings for so long that now they rushed over him, unstoppable and uncontrollable. He had been so foolish, allowing himself to get too close to Muriel when he had always known that he had to distance himself.

This cannae happen again. I’ll make sure that it never happens again.

Even if it meant that Muriel would hate him. Perhaps it would be easier for both of them if she did.