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They had been heading toward the stables when Jonet finally came to a stop. Matthew had expected as much. Once breakfast was over and he had ushered her away from the dining hall without much of an explanation of where they were going, he had known it was but a matter of time before she stopped and questioned him.
He liked the confusion on her face, thought her furrowed brow was unusually adorable. “Ye daenae understand what I’m sayin’?” he asked with false worry.
She scowled at him. Forget what he had thought before. This expression was far more lovable. “Ye cannae just whisk me away from me breakfast and expect me to follow ye wherever ye want to go. Ye need to at least tell me.”
“Does that mean ye’re willin’ to follow me wherever as long as I tell ye where it is?” he asked, taking a step closer.
Her scowl slipped, her eyes darting toward the stables. They were standing by the entrance, in the line of sight of any stable hand who might be inside. Matthew did not mind who saw them, but it was clear Jonet did. She recovered quickly enough, her evil eyes returning with full force. “Ye ken very well that isnae what I’m sayin’.”
He chuckled. Unable to help himself, he brushed a stand of hair away from her face, pulling back his hand before she had the chance to react. “I ken. Ye would rather cut yer hand off then follow me wherever I went.”
“A little dramatic, but I’m happy ye understand.”
“I want it to be a surprise. That’s why I havenae said anythin’ to ye yet.”
She blinked, then stood a bit taller. “A surprise?”
“Aye. It’s goin’ to take us a while to get there so we need to get our horses and get goin’.”
He turned and entered the stables. After a moment, Jonet caught up to him. “Just where is this place if it’s goin’ to take all day?”
“It wouldnae be much of a surprise if I told ye,” he shook his head. He caught sight of Georgie who came running over to them.
“Temper?” he asked instantly, coming to a stop with an excited bounce.
“Aye, he’ll do nicely,” Matthew grinned and watched as he ran off again.
Jonet came to stand before him. “Give me a hint.”
“Nay can do.”
“That isnae hardly fair. Ye should at least give me a chance to figure out where we’re goin’.”
“I daenae want to risk ye findin’ out so I think nae.”
She pouted. Matthew blinked in surprise. His chest constricted and he wanted so badly to step forward and pull that cute bottom lip into his mouth. He dragged his gaze away, trying to bring himself under control.
Georgie returned a short while later with both Temper and Fenella in tow and soon enough, they were off, the enthusiastic Georgie waving them off. Matthew watched Jonet in her silence, drawn by the way she twisted her mouth from side to side, clearly in deep thought.
She truly looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. Matthew did not know which he had preferred—when her beautiful hair was in a single, thick braid, or when she let her hair loose. This style was both in one and it made her look so fierce and yet so feminine that it had taken everything in him not to pull her into a kiss the moment he had laid eyes on her in the dining hall.
“It is nay use, Jonet,” Matthew wrenched his eyes away. “Ye willnae find out where I wish to take ye.”
“I will,” she said confidently, her brows dipping in concentration. Mattehw smiled in response. “I ken the area around this land like the back of me hand. Ye cannae bring me anywhere I havenae been before.”
“I doubt ye ken this place.”
She looked curiously at him. “How do ye ken this place then?”
“Me Maither would take me here. She loved it so much because it was a spot nae many kent about.”
“Yer Maither? What about yer Faither? Did she nae take him there too?”
Matthew shrugged. “I daenae ken. He died when I was a wee child.”
“O-oh, I see.” Matthew slid his eyes over to see her eyes darting about nervously. His smile widened. “And yer maither?”
“She died a few years ago.”
