Page 29 of Highlander’s Bride

When Raghnall and Odhran returned, both looked satisfied with each other, which made Bryanna smile. She shouldn’t care, but she wanted to see Raghnall respected and loved by his people. After years in exile, it would be nice if he was accepted in his homeland again.

They shared the meal inside Odhran and Eamhair’s house. There was just one room, which included a hearth and two big beds that, Bryanna suspected, the family shared. Probably, the children slept in one bed and their parents in the other.

The floor was covered in reeds and hay, and there was a weaving loom. The big table they sat at had benches on both sides. There were several chests that stood in the corners of the house, for storage. The open door gave the only source of light, but Bryanna didn’t feel claustrophobic. Clearly, these people weren’t rich, but there was no doubt they were happy. The warm gazes that Odhran and Eamhair gave each other and the friendly bickering between the children warmed Bryanna’s heart.

The trout was amazing—there was nothing like freshly caught fish, she thought.

Raghnall’s dark gaze was heavy on her skin, and she stopped and whispered, “What is it?”

He shrugged and put a small piece of fish into his mouth. “I like watching ye eat.”

A blush burned her cheeks. “What? Why?”

“’Tis like ye havena eaten fish in yer life.”

“Not like this!” She chuckled. “This is amazing,” she told the family, and the children exchanged pleased glances. Perhaps a compliment from the lord’s wife meant a great deal to them.

Supermarket fish didn’t taste half as good. Often it was farmed fish full of hormones and transported frozen, so it had a strong fishy flavor and lost its natural juiciness.

This trout didn’t even need much seasoning. The crisp, fatty goodness had just a touch of woodsmoke and the tender taste of nature. She wouldn’t need to worry much after meals like these, with no sugar and salt and only organic ingredients, this was as healthy as it could get.

“Then I’ll catch ye trout every day of my life if it makes ye smile like that,” Raghnall whispered, and fireflies began buzzing at the bottom of her stomach.

At the end of the meal, Raghnall and Bryanna thanked the family. Raghnall went to the horses, but Bryanna stopped him. “Can we stay here for a bit? Ride some more along the river? We don’t have to return now, do we?”

Raghnall looked around. “I suppose so. Ye still want my company, lass?”

Heat crept up to her cheeks again. She didn’t have the courage to tell him she didn’t think she’d ever get tired of his company. “If you want mine…”

He chuckled. “Of course I want yers.”

She climbed onto the saddle, feeling awkward under his attentive gaze. Then they let the horses walk down the shore. It was so beautiful here, just like Tigh na Abhainn, but even wilder. Here, it felt as if they were alone, cushioned by the tall mountains from two sides, and the river at their feet. The fresh scent of the clear water reached her nose as it gurgled quietly.

Heartache stabbed at her chest. “You know, I can just imagine you living here for years and years. Hopefully, your clan war will be finished soon, and you can just relax. Go fishing. Grow vegetables. It’s so peaceful and beautiful… A simple life.”

Only, he would live it without her. So she should enjoy this while she could.

Raghnall stopped his horse, got down, and helped her down, too. He laid his cloak on the border between the grass and gravelly beach of the river. When they sat down, he circled his knees with his arms and looked at her. “When ye say ‘ye’ ye mean ye and me both, aye?”

She didn’t, of course she didn’t. “I wish I did. You know, my life back home is so monotonous. Every day, I do my work, I go home. I might meet a few friends, but even though I’m a grown woman, I feel like I should always let my mom know when I’ll be home because she’d worry…”

She wasn’t sure how much detail she should tell him, since he didn’t even believe she was from the future. Would he understand it if she told him she loved interacting with her students and giving them the gift of music? How she adored when they all could play their instruments and produce a beautiful melody? When they all became one through the music?

Her very soul buzzed with pride and excitement when a normally shy student would open up as they performed. She could relate to that.

That part, she liked.

But she wondered why she supported her students but never herself. Week after week, she watched The Voice and wished to apply for the program and maybe get noticed.

But she never did. Instead, she’d chat with her friends about their marriages, their children, and feel like she was living someone else’s life.

“You know,” she said. “I haven’t had this feeling for a long time.”

His dark eyes glistened. The wind picked up a strand of his hair that had escaped his long ponytail and brought it to her cheek, tickling her. “What feeling?” he asked.

“Like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

He blinked, the tension in his face melted away, and he looked younger again. Something darkened in his eyes, and he leaned forward to her.