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The man set such a pace that poor Father Murdock could not keep up. Serene stayed by the priest’s side, preferring his friendlier company to that of the snarly Angus. The man trod a good distance ahead of them, looking back at them every now and then to give her an accusing look, as if he suspected she was doing something sinful as she walked with Father Murdock.
“Dunnae mind him, aye,” Father Murdock said between huge huffs of breath. “He has a kind heart but a gruff exterior.”
She nodded, the simple words making her feel a bit better. “Do ye ken where Cameron is?”
Father Murdock nodded. “Since it’s close to the supper hour, he’ll be down at the loch taking a swim. He does so every night before dinner. It dunnae matter if it be winter or summer.”
“But the waters must be freezing in the winter!” she exclaimed.
“Aye,” Father Murdock said with a chuckle, “they are. But the man has something to prove, I reckon.”
She frowned. Why would a man so powerful looking and so seemingly in control need to prove anything to anyone? She thought upon earlier in the healing room. Had there been a strain between him and his brothers? It hadn’t seemed so, truly, but there may have been a slight awareness of something. “To his brothers?” she hazarded a guess.
“Nay,” replied Father Murdock, his brow dipping into a frown. “To himself, lass. To himself. He just dunnae ken it yet.”
Not long later, as the loch came into view, Serene paused in her flight down the seagate stairs and stared in amazement at the vast expanse of water. Her response was so strong it made her think she’d never seen such a large body of water. She swept her gaze across the gently lapping water in search of Cameron but did not see him.
Angus had stopped also and was looking toward the right side of the castle. He turned to her and Father Murdock. “He’ll be swimming around that bend. He likes his solitude.”
She nodded, expecting him to continue, but the man surprised her by stepping toward her, and saying, “Raise yer arms.”
“What for?” she asked.
“I’ll be checking that ye dunnae have a weapon ye’re planning to use.”
Her jaw dropped open at his words.
“For the love of God!” Father Murdock bellowed. “Do ye truly believe that Iain and the others would nae have already checked her for weapons?”
Angus pressed his lips together. “I suppose.” His gaze lingered as if he was still considering searching her, but then he snorted. “I’ll offer my apologies now because I ken this will anger ye, but…,” he said, moving to her once more and running his hands quickly and lightly over her legs, waist, and ankles.
Her anger was so great she nearly choked as she glared at him. Beside her, Father Murdock shook his head and murmured, “Ye’re a suspicious old fool.”
“Say what ye will,” Angus growled, finished, and moved away from her, “but being suspicious has kept me alive all these years. Ye can go see Cameron now,” Angus pronounced.
“Are ye certain?” she asked, making her voice syrupy sweet while narrowing her eyes on the Scot. “Perchance my hands are weapons.” She raised her hands in the air in front of her. “Perchance I can break a man’s neck with one twist!” She clucked her tongue, and Angus made a derisive noise from his throat.
“Ye’d nae even be able to get yer hands around Cameron’s neck. He’s that much taller than ye. And I feel sure he’s faster and certainly stronger.”
The man irritated her, yet she did understand his feelings, which frustrated her and made her want to scream. Instead, she turned and marched in the direction the man had said she would find Cameron. She’d gone ten steps before she remembered her manners for the priest. She swung back around to find both men staring at her. She grasped her skirts and dipped another curtsy. “I hope to see ye again soon, Father Murdock.” To Angus she simply grimaced, to which the priest chuckled.
“Ye best hurry,” he said. “Supper will be soon, and Iain dunnae abide stragglers to the great hall, especially Cameron, as captain of the guard.”
Nodding, she hastened her steps down the rest of the narrow stairway, making sure to watch where she was placing her feet. The passage was windy and slick with mist, and when she reached the bottom the ground was covered with rocks. She imagined falling down these stairs could well mean one’s death. She rushed across the rocky shore, struggling to keep her hair out of her eyes as the wind whipped it in her face. A quick glance up showed dark, gathering clouds. A storm was coming.
The instant the thought left her head, rain fell from the sky as if she had unleashed it. She trudged along the craggy land, her head pounding with each step. Following the shoreline around the bend, the land narrowed, and a hidden alcove of water came into view. Above her and to the right, thick woods loomed from sharp rock. As she drew closer to the water’s edge, she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the rain so she could see better. She gasped at the sight of Cameron MacLeod emerging from the water without a stitch of clothing on his body. Now she knew why he wished for solitude. She had no doubt that Angus had known, too. The man could have told her!
Her anger fled under her curiosity. She gaped at Cameron. Slabs of muscle on his stomach formed into a vee. There was not an inch of extra flesh on the man. Every part of him was honed for combat, from his thick arms to his Viking legs.
She was well aware that she should look away, yet she could not. She feasted on him, staring in awe. He moved with swiftness, full of grace and emanating a palpable virility. Her belly tightened with awareness as he came closer, his muscles rippling with each step. She inhaled a sharp breath as he stopped in front of her, shock clear in his eyes. Without a word, he bent down, picked up the plaid she had not even realized was at her feet, and quickly donned it. He slicked back the wet hair from his face, which emphasized the rugged masculinity of his sculpted cheekbones and square jaw.
Her heart sped at his nearness. He overwhelmed her with his height, muscled build, and the intensity that seemed to radiate from him. Surely, she had been around men before, but she felt certain she had never been affected by one the way she was by this man. She didn’t believe anyone could ever forget such a heady feeling.
“Ye’re beautiful,” she blurted out. She gasped at her own brazenness.
His eyebrows drew together, and he looked almost agonized by what she had said. Heat burned her cheeks, neck, and chest, despite the cool rain that was now steadily pelting her. She tried to think of something to say, since she had made herself look so foolish and he clearly was uncomfortable. But then his brow softened, setting into a straight line before a defeated look swept across his face.
With an audible sigh, he said, “So are ye, lass.”
