Page 19 of The Blacksmith’s Wish

Effie laughed. A warm rich sweet sound that was entirely too pleasant.

“I jest,” she said. “Beitris’ mam did all the baking. I am here to help until she is done with the morning business at the bakery.”

His glare only made her laugh harder. In between giggles, she said, “Ye should have seen yer face.”

“I dislike when people make sport of me.”

“Aye,” she agreed. “That is exactly why I do it.”

Gowan opened his mouth, then closed it again moving away to his own stall. The troublesome woman was impossible.

A pair of young men approached her stall, both immediately smiling at Effie. One was the cooper’s son. The other worked in the stables. Both looked far too pleased to find her alone.

Gowan felt irritation stir immediately.

“Morning, Effie,” one of them said.

“Good morning,” she replied brightly.

The stable hand reached for a loaf. “Ye look lovely today.”

Effie’s cheeks pinkened slightly. “Thank ye.”

The young man grinned wider. Gowan suddenly found himself rearranging items directly at the front of his stall. As he moved things about, the two men had to shuffle sideways to keep out of his way.

“Oy, Gowan,” the stable hand said with a frown. The cooper’s son moved away to avoid being stepped on.

“Gowan,” Effie called out, peering around the cooper’s son, eyes dancing with amusement.

“What?”

“I believe ye are standing in front of my stall and obstructing my customers.”

“I am tending my stall.”

“By blocking mine?”

He grunted. Effie was right; he was acting like a protective oaf. There was no reason for him to care, or to act as if he was her chaperone. One thing he knew after years of knowing Effie was that she was independent and self-sufficient. The feisty lass didn’t require protection; if anything, others required it from her.

Without another word, the young men finally moved on.

Liam appeared beside him again, taking one look at the scene before nearly choking on laughter. “What are ye two doing?”

“He is blocking my stall, and I just lost a sale,” Effie said, sliding an accusing look toward Gowan. “Tell him to move.”

“He has to arrange his wares just as much as ye did. I am sure ye didn’t mean anything untoward, did ye?” Liam asked him.

Gowan shrugged. “Those two were nae interested in baked items.”

Just then Beitris appeared and took Liam’s arm. “Come sit with me.” They walked away.

Her eyes narrowed, Effie stepped around her table and approached him. Close enough that he could catch the faint scent of lavender. Close enough that his pulse did something entirely unhelpful.

“Why are ye overprotective of me?”

“I was nae protecting ye.”

“Nae?”