Page 59 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

Rob’s eyes drifted shut, and his head bobbed up and down. It wasn’t quite a nod; his head just sort of rolled wherever it pleased.

Kenna surpassed a laugh. She had almost thought that Rob Fraser was immune to sleepiness; he had slept so little during the first half of their time in Aberdeen. It was good to see that he was a normal man after all.

Kenna guided Rob to the bed, and he collapsed back onto it with a moan of pleasure that made her blush. She turned away, thinking she would unearth some needlework project to occupy her time, but Rob grabbed her by the wrist before she could go and find one.

“Stay with me.”

“Ye’ll be asleep in a moment, how will ye even ken if I am there or not?”

“I’ll ken,” he replied as his eyes drifted shut.

Kenna tugged her wrist in an attempt to break free, but his grip was too strong, even in this state.

“Do I have any say on the matter?”

Rob shook his head, his eyes still closed.

“Honestly…” She sighed as she slipped into the bed beside him.

He released her wrist, moving his arm so that it was draped over her, enveloping her in his warmth. As she predicted, his breathing deepened in a matter of seconds, a soft snore slipping through his lips. She listened to it for a while, unsure of why her stomach was suddenly so full of butterflies.

* * *

“How much further to Dounie?” Kenna asked with a groan as she slid off the saddle and into Rob’s waiting arms.

“A few more days, lass. Ye already sore from the saddle? I told ye before that I have an excellent cure fer it,” Rob replied with a dangerous smirk.

“Not necessary. There isn’t a bit of pain,” Kenna lied, resisting the urge to rub the ache in her thighs. “I was just curious.”

“Sure, lass.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Go on, I’m sure the other lasses are waiting.”

Kenna nodded and walked off, doing her best to walk normally even though her legs wobbled beneath her as if she was a newborn. Despite this, she felt a small smile on her lips.

She had been smiling all day, it had seemed, and for the most foolish of reasons, such as seeing a cloud that reminded her of a rabbit or a pretty tree still clinging to its fall colors. Even the worst of the men’s jokes had made her smile. It had all started that morning when they had ridden out through the gates of Aberdeen just as the sun cracked over the horizon.

A new day, a new life, a new me, Kenna had thought, realizing that every fear and worry was being left behind in Aberdeen.

There would be no more queen to threaten her with torture and death, no more nobles or courtesans glaring at her whenever she left the safety of her room, and, blessedly, no more opportunities for Florence and Ellen to get into a quarrel about spending coin and social obligations.

Kenna’s entire body had relaxed, and a smile had worked its way to her lips, where it had remained for the rest of the day.

The Fraser party, despite hauling carts that were heavily laden with trunks and supplies, had made a remarkable pace. They rode much further in that single day of riding than they had been able to go when they were traveling with the Queen and her carts. Of course, it helped that they had only stopped when necessary, even eating their simple lunch of slightly-stale bread and cheese while on horseback. When the sun started to dip toward the horizon, they had kept on riding, making it a few more leagues before the light started to fade as the sun touched the highest hill on the horizon. Laird Lovat had quickly pointed to a small field off of the road and called for them to make camp, and to do it quickly.

Kenna found Florence and Ellen standing beside the large fire being stoked at the center of the field, bent over a pile of carrots, onion, and freshly caught rabbits.

“We have to make supper?” Kenna asked with a groan.

“Aye,” Florence replied, staring down at the pile, her forehead crinkled with confusion. “They say we could make a decent rabbit stew.”

Kenna looked around at the ingredients and nodded, hoping that she could mask her utter ineptitude for cooking.

“Aye, ‘tis a good plan. So, what shall ye have me do first?”

Florence scoffed.“Ye tell me; I always grew up with cooks.”

“And I did not?” Kenna retorted.

Ellen sighed and picked up the rabbits. With a couple of swift cuts and pulls, she pulled back all of the fur and was starting to separate bits of meat and bone. Kenna marveled at her, amazed at how easily this task was coming to her.