Page 101 of Wedded to the Devilish Highlander
“… wanted to what?” Reid asked.
His voice snapped her out of her daydream, and she turned to him. “Make sure ye were all right,” she said irritably.
“Ye should go and speak with him,” he suggested.
“The Laird?”
“Nay, the stablehand.”
“I’m keepin’ ye company,” Eileen pointed out. “I cannae leave ye to walk alone.”
“I dinnae want yer company,” Reid huffed. “And I need some alone time to… think about things. Go away; ye’re makin’ a nuisance of yerself.”
“Are ye sure?” Eileen asked.
“Aye, I’m sure,” Reid assured her. “Go be with him.”
“Thank ye,” Eileen said.
She kissed him on the cheek and then skipped off to Archer. He saw her coming and finished quickly with the stablehand before stepping up to her.
“Ye look mighty jovial today,” he noted.
“Well, when yer life is saved and yer braither comes back from the dead, ye’ve got plenty of reasons to be pleased with life.”
“Aye, ye’re right,” Archer agreed. “I feel much the same as of late. We’ve rounded up fourteen men who were in league with Henry Millar. He was the one behind it all. Mack Douglas was followin’ Millar’s orders just like the rest of them. There willnae be any more trouble in the keep.”
“And O’Gunn?” Eileen asked.
“He’s a trickier one,” Archer sighed. “He’s been spoilin’ for war for years, and if we go in accusin’ him of his crimes—rightfully so—he’ll have nay option but to respond with force, which will wipe out his clan but cause casualties on our side all the same.”
“So, ye leave him be? He gets away with it?” Eileen pursed her lips.
“He does and he doesnae,” Archer said. “He’s never been in a weaker position. Nay clan wants to deal with him. And seein’ as me clan exposed his schemes, we’ve never been in a stronger position without our allies. When his clansfolk realize the tight spot they’re in, Lachlan willnae be Laird for much longer.”
“I dinnae like how all of this works,” Eileen admitted. “It was much easier when ye… well, when ye dealt with Mack and Millar.”
“Aye, but ye cannae do that with everyone. We dinnae need to worry about that right now. Ye’re safe, and so is yer baiter and me clan. This is a time for celebration. But afore that, how about we take a walk?”
“Aye, I would like that very much.” Eileen smiled. “Just the two of us?”
“Aye, just the two of us. Right here, right now.”
Eileen smiled wider. It was all she’d been waiting for since he’d saved her from Millar.
Archer held out his hand, and she took it. A bolt of pleasure shot through her hand and up her arm, before settling into the pit of her stomach. She gripped him tightly. She just could not let him go.
“Where shall we go?” she asked.
“It doesnae matter,” Archer said. “As long as we can be together and away from all of this, that’s all I care about.”
“Aye.”
Eileen let him lead her through the courtyard, and as they passed people, smiling and nodding as they went, she completely forgot about their fake betrothal.
They stepped out of the side of the castle and into the woods. Birds chirped and sang as they walked on, as if announcing that the Laird and Lady were passing through. Eileen imagined a stag raising its head to listen to the song, and a hare perhaps perking its ears.
The sun shone down from the cloudless sky, picking out the colors of each leaf hanging from branches low and high, and Eileen felt her heart sing aloud for all to hear.
