Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

make that mistake again.”
    “Do you think they are following us?”
    “‘Tis possible, but I do not think so.” He was pleased when he heard the water, saw his horse stop and bend down to drink. “Come, I need to look at your arm. It stopped bleeding in the night and we should wash it.”
    She wiggled her elbow out of his grasp. “I can do it.”
    “Nay, I will do it.”
    “I am not a child and I do not need…” she quickly looked around and raised her voice. “You did not bring my horse?”
    He grabbed her elbow again and made her turn to face him. “I protect you now with my body, you will ride with me and you will not disobey me!”
    “Are we back to that? I do not enjoy being told what to do!”
    He practically pulled her to the creek, forced her to sit down in the grass and started to untie the bandage around her arm. “I do not enjoy being disobeyed. You make this more difficult than it needs to be, Charlet.”
    “Bridget. I am Bridget Cameron, remember?”
    He remembered, but all night he kept saying her real name over and over in his mind. He liked it. He liked it very much and he liked her spirit, the color of her hair and the green of her eyes. He just wasn’t about to admit it to her. He also noticed her hostile words did not match her movements. She wasn’t fighting him at all physically. He unwrapped the bandage and she helped by holding her arm out. He glanced at her face and noticed her glare. “What?”
    “How do you propose to guard me with your body while I bathe?”
    That was something he had not thought about. But her irritation seemed to help her ignore the pain, so he decided to play with her anger. “I intend to bathe with you.”
    Her jaw dropped. “You will not!”
    “I will not look.”
    “Like you did not look before? I do not believe you.” She hadn’t noticed him dip the cloth in the cold water, and when he laid it against her injured arm, she caught her breath.
    “I suppose now you are going to cry again.”
    “I will not.”
    “Good. Your injury will heal and the pain will be better in a day or two.” He noticed a tear run down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
    She lifted her arm and looked over her shoulder to see the wound for herself. The round puncture wound was not much bigger than the tip of her middle finger and she was relieved. The surrounding area was bruised, but that would heal too. Still, it hurt a lot. “I require more wine than you carry.”
    “I detest a drunken woman even more than a weeping one. I will give you more when I think you need it.”
    “You are the most stubborn, mule-headed, horse’s...”
    “Aye, try to remember that.” He submerged the cloth in the water, washed it and wrung it out. “I suggest you drink your fill. It will be a while before we see water again.” He wrapped the bandage back around her arm and tied it.
    “Where are we going?”
    “You will see.”

    Laird Ferguson was back and Kenna was excited, scared, nervous and confused all at the same time. She saw him ride into the courtyard with his guard and managed to dart out of sight before he spotted her. Why had she done that, she wondered. Then she hoped Kevin would send for her. But why would he? Laird Ferguson did not want to mar ry Charlet, he said so himself.
    The other lairds were gone from the meadow and so were their guards. Kenna had been tempted to take Julie through the forest with her so she could go to the Ferguson hold in hopes of at least seeing him from afar. She could always say she wanted to talk to her Uncle. But Kevin might need her, so she gave up on that idea. Now Ferguson was here and she wondered why.
    If she could find a place closer to hide, at least she would see him again when he left. But when Kenna backed up, she bumped into Duff. His broken nose was still healing and he had faded black marks under each eye.
    “I choose you,” Duff announced.
    Kenna rolled her eyes and walked away. “You and half the world.”
    Duff shouted after her, “Kevin wants you.”
    Don’t run, she reminded herself. A woman does not run, she walks slowly, especially where a man is concerned. Isn’t that what Rachel told her? But her heart was beating fast and she couldn’t remember exactly who told her that. She took her time climbing the steps, but it seemed like there were twenty more than before. Don’t run, she reminded herself again.
    She opened the door and walked in, but Kevin was not there. In fact, she was alone with Laird