Page 27 of Never Marry a Highlander

Since Craig didn’t have a piece of rope, she used a method that she’d done before.She pulled the back of her kirtle up through her legs and tucked it into her belt.With the bottom of her legs free, she stepped into the bitter cold water and waded until she studied the fish to see how they acted.

With a quick movement, she reached down and scooped a nice sized perch.She threw it on the bank and continued her search.When she was through, she’d caught two perches, one trout and a small salmon that she threw back.

“Did ye catch all these?”Craig said as he walked up to her, holding a large rabbit in his hands that he held up.

“Aye.I told ye I could fish.”

“So ye did.What I’m looking forward to is watching ye milk a goat, or race after chickens.”

The mon never took her seriously.

He walked past her, holding the dripping rabbit.“With this and yer fish, we’ll have a good meal.”

While Craig cleaned the rabbit, she foraged for edible plants to go with the meat and fish.“Doona leave the area, Lorena,” he said as he removed the skin from the rabbit.

“You’ve already told me, Craig.I am no’ a dim wit.”She sighed, annoyed again at being told what to do like some bairn.

She found quite a few items and set them on a log so she could cook the food.The fire Craig had started was now perfect for cooking the fish and rabbit.He stuck a thin stick into the fish and handed it to her.She held it over the flames, her mouth already watering at the thought of food.Nodding to the pile of plants, she said, “Can ye go to the stream and wash those, we can eat them with our meal.”

His brows rose.“’Tis no more than grass and things I step on when I walk.”

“It shows me how stupid ye are, husband.Those are plants that we can eat.”

He shook his head.“I’ll clean them for ye, but I’m going to eat plants.One of them might be poison.Is this how ye plan to get out of our marriage?”

“Nay, my plans run more along stabbing ye in the chest while ye sleep.”She had to laugh at Craig’s startled look.Aye.Let the arrogant oaf worry about it.

Lorena shook her head as she flipped the fish.The man was stubborn.As all men.She turned the rabbit meat and thought about this fool husband of hers.He was a good man, as Giles had said, but like all men, he was stubborn, arrogant, and assumed to know what was best for everyone else.

She grudgingly admitted that she’d seen no evidence—so far—of a temper.But ‘twas there, she was certain.All he needed was her not doing something he ordered, and she’d see it.‘Twas best to keep that in mind while she was thinking how protective and caring he was.

She turned the fish and rabbit again and considered the night before.Avery had been brutal and never did anything to make her feel as though bedsport could be pleasant for her.

Lorena sighed as she saw in her mind Craig doing all the things he could to make sure she experienced pleasure as well as him.

So confused in her mind, she concentrated on her cooking.She was wrapping herself in knots and ‘twas not necessary because Craig had assured her he would be spending very little time at Dun Ugadale because he had many duties that took him away for weeks at a time.

Craig returned from the stream shaking the plants, looking at them as if they would bite him.She laughed at this big, strong warrior who was afraid of some greens.

“I think everything is cooked,” Lorena said.

Craig went to the bag he kept strapped to his horse and pulled out a plate.He brought it to the fire and picked up fish and rabbit pieces.He waved her over as he sat on a log, and she joined him.She looked around and when she found the plants, she added them to the plate ever though Craig eyed them with suspicion.

“What is Helena Ross like?”she asked while they gobbled the food down.

“Helena MacKay now,” Craig said.“Helena is a pleasant lass.She’s a healer, so one could say she is caring and compassionate, as well.”

‘Twas obvious Craig held this woman in great esteem.Was this someone she would have to compete with?The laird’s wife had already caused Lorena to be humiliated by her betrothed asking his brother to step into his place.

“And is she pretty?”As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to bring them back.She sounded so silly and young.Certainly not how she wanted to appear to Craig.

He smiled and her insides fluttered.“No’ as pretty as ye.”

She hated that his one statement flooded her with warmth enough to cause her face to flush.She lifted her chin.“’Tis time to go, aye?”

His laughter at her reaction to his words made her want to kick him.Or throw something heavy at his head.

Once they had everything cleaned up and packed, he grasped her around the waist and lifted her to her horse.He vaulted onto his animal, and they rode away.