Page 2 of Highlander’s Love

“Do ye live nearby?” Owen said.

“The village is a fair walk away.”

“Someone waits for ye? A husband, mayhap? I can take ye home.”

He needed to be careful riding alone with enough gold to buy an estate, but who would presume a youth like him was carrying a sack of gold? And the lass clearly needed help…

“I’m nae marrit yet.” She rubbed her ankle under the dress. “I dinna think I can move yet.”

“Aye. I’ll make fire to warm ye, and ye can have my bread and cheese for the road.”

But what about the gold? Shouldn’t he take it to Innis Chonnel first? A pretty smile bloomed on her face.

No, the best way to hide something was to put it in plain sight, right? And he felt needed, appreciated, important.

“When ye feel better, I will take ye wherever ye want,” he added.

“Ye have a heart of gold, lord,” she said.

She called him lord… Warmth spread in Owen’s chest. At his age, he hadn’t done anything yet to deserve the name. Aye, his grandfather was the chief of his clan and a close ally of King Robert the Bruce, and his father was a great warrior, and so were his brothers. Clan Cambel were proud descendants of Diarmid the Boar, a great hero from legends. And yet it was the first time in Owen’s life that he’d felt important.

Would he hear the same respect in his father’s voice once he delivered the package?

Owen made a fire and kept a lookout for Aileene’s attacker. The man could return with another weapon or with some friends. But Owen doubted it. The man would probably assume Owen had continued on his way and so had Aileene. Owen had had his fair share of adventures with servant girls and willing farmers’ daughters, but this lass… No one had ever looked at him with such admiration and gratitude.

He was the joker in the family, irresponsible and left to his own devices. He was surprised when the MacDougalls gave him the sack of gold he had now hidden among other pouches on his horse’s back. But he was honored. Finally, he had a chance to prove his worth to his clan.

King John Balliol was a guest at Innis Chonnel, the Cambel clan seat. Owen couldn’t wait to see his father’s astonished face, as well as his brothers’. Craig and Domhnall would surely be surprised. Mayhap, his life had turned around today. Mayhap, his father would finally agree to take him into battle.

Aileene sat by the fire, massaging her ankle. Owen gave her a piece of bread and cheese.

“Thank ye,” she said as she took them from him. Their hands touched, and her eyes lingered on him. Her gaze moved down his tunic and even farther south to the front of his breeches. Was she really suggesting something? She’d just been attacked. Was she really ready?

Aileene broke eye contact and bit into the bread and cheese.

“I want to thank ye,” she said. “I need the silver to buy a potion for my sick father. Ye may have saved his life as well.”

Owen shrugged. “Nae need to thank me.”

She took a bottle out of her basket. “I make delicious berry wine and am on my way to trade it in the neighboring village. I’d love for ye to have a bottle. Would ye like some?”

“Aye.” Owen grinned. “I never refuse a fine wine.”

She smiled back, dimples forming at her cheeks. She removed the cork and handed the bottle to him.

“Sláinte,” he said and sipped. The wine was sweet and not very strong, and Owen drank more, suddenly thirsty. They shared the bottle and the food and chatted. Aileene was a lovely woman, and Owen sensed she was enjoying his company. She kept throwing those lingering glances at him, and he knew what they meant. He was all for it, but he also didn’t want to take advantage of her.

His head was pleasantly spinning from the wine and her company. She kept rubbing her ankle, wincing from time to time.

“Do ye ken anything about healing?” she said. “My ankle ails me.”

Owen licked his lips, his mouth dry. “I can look at it if ye want?”

“Would ye?”

“Aye, but are ye certain? ’Tis nae proper… And that man…”

“I trust ye.”