Page 16 of Taming the Highland Beauty

Callum gazed at Gille for a long while before he finally nodded. This fairy was difficult to understand. Only the day before Gille had been wild and untamed, with sharp edges and a driving will to survive. She still had the will to survive, which was why she had offered to connect with Lady Janet again despite the danger to herself.

But there was another side to this fairy woman that he had not noticed, or if he were honest, taken the time to see before now. She healed the animals and the trees in the world around her, and despite her desperate situation she could allow herself to smile. And her smile had been beautiful . . .

Chapter Seven

It took another two hours for Gille’s dizziness to settle. When she could finally stand, she washed herself then made her way to the armoire. She selected the most demure gown Gwendolyn had lent her—a light grey, black, and red tartan dress with a stomacher and underskirt embroidered with tiny rosebuds and leaves.

Gille struggled into the gown, secured the ties, then smoothed it over her waist before examining herself in the small looking glass above the washstand. It had been a long while since she had seen her own image reflected in something other than a stream. She looked . . . softer. Reaching up she touched the skin on her cheek. Aye, her skin was silky to the touch instead of the grit and coarseness she used to feel in the woods. The bath had helped, or was it something more?

Befuddled, she looked lower at the dress she had chosen, and bit down on her lip. The dress clung to her breasts and hips. Gwendolyn was obviously smaller than herself. She tugged at the bodice. No matter how much she tried to pull it up, the fabric persisted on falling lower. With a sigh Gille gave up. The dress would have to do. Besides, who ever looked at her closely enough to notice such things?

A wave of heat tingled through Gille that had nothing to do with the fire in the hearth. This morning Callum had looked at her in a way no man ever had before, either fae or human. With trembling fingers, she lifted a comb and parted her hair in the middle, then pulled it back, securing it with a black ribbon on the washstand that she tied in a simple bow. Then, to soften the effect, she tugged two tendrils loose at her temples. She checked her appearance once more and nodded. Perhaps Callum had just been concerned about her and the odd looks he had given her would not continue.

Either way, she could not avoid going belowstairs if she was going to help Lady Janet, and possibly herself. Resolved to do what needed to be done, she headed out the door and down the stairs. At the landing she paused, and her heart gave a jerk. Callum was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for her. His dark eyes followed her as she descended and stopped before him. She caught the fresh scent of soap, and he gave her a smile that was different than any smile a man had given her before.

She swallowed against the sudden tightness in her throat. “Are we to get started straight away?” she asked Callum as Alastair, Tormod, Orrick, and Keiran came to join them.

Callum’s gaze did not waver, but his smile slipped. “We are eager to start healing Mother’s memories, but we can wait until you have broken your fast.”

“If I am going to reconnect with your mother as I did last night, it might be best to do that on an empty stomach. Besides, I would rather make use of the early morning hour.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “But before we go, there is something I must say to you.” She needed to make amends before she lost her nerve. “I realised this morning while trying to regain my equilibrium that I had been unfair to you.”

At his questioning gaze, she drew a deep breath and continued quickly. “I blamed you wrongly for the fire in the forest. I was angry and frightened. The villagers were not going to leave unless I went with them. The fire was a result of their actions, not yours.”

“I am sorry you had to take a bump to your head to realise that, but I will accept your apology on one condition.”

“What?”

“That you accept mine.” His brows lifted in challenge. “I should have asked you to help Lady Janet instead of trying to force you.”

“Thank you, and I accept.” She smiled at him. “Does that mean we agree on a truce?”

“I suppose it does.” Callum’s smile returned. “What do we do now? Where do we start in trying to stitch Mother’s memories back together?”

“I need to go to the garden beyond the gates.”

His gaze narrowed. “It would be safer if we stayed behind the gates of Dunvegan. The villagers might have followed us here.”

“While Dunvegan is beautiful, it is made from stone, and very little grows behind the walls of the keep. My magic comes from nature. I must surround myself with the natural beauty of the gardens to draw fully on my power, or I might not be able to heal your mother.”

“So be it then,” Tormod cut in. “The men are in the courtyard, waiting to protect all of us should the villagers be waiting outside the gates.”

Reluctantly, Callum nodded. “Stay close.”

Gille walked alongside Callum as they made their way to the castle door, where he paused and lifted a tartan shawl from a hook near the door and handed it to her. “It is still a bit chilly out there this morning.”

She accepted the finely woven cloth even though she would have preferred her own moss-covered cloak, but now was not the time to argue that point. In silence, she draped the MacLeod tartan around her shoulders and proceeded across the courtyard, surrounded by the castle’s guards. Behind her walked Alastair, Tormod, Orrick, and Keiran, as well as Lady Janet, who floated behind them all, and Lottie.

Callum must have noticed her curiosity at the healer joining them today because he said, “Lottie asked to join us. She has a stake in whatever Mother’s dreams reveal as well.”

Gille could not argue that point and simply nodded as she progressed towards the gates. Despite the large group, Gille managed to block out the sound of the footfalls on the earthen path and focused her senses on nature’s magic.

A chill hung in the air, making each breath a visible puff. The scent of damp earth mingled with those of heather, peat, and pine to create a distinctive Scottish perfume. In the distance sheep bleated softly, their calls echoing in the pre-dawn stillness.

As the gates opened, they headed to the right, crossing the stone bridge. With each step, the yellow and gold morning sunshine increased. At her feet, wisps of mist clung to the pathway, shimmering like spun silver in the growing light. The natural world became visible around her, leaving Gille with a sense of renewal. A new day stretched before her filled with the possibility of both repairing Lady Janet’s memories and finding a way to break her own curse.

Callum’s brow furrowed with concern. “Which part of the garden would be most suitable?” he asked, keeping pace beside Gille. “Perhaps the picturesque Round Garden, or the serene Water Garden?”

“The Walled Garden,” Gille replied, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “It is the oldest part of the estate, and where I felt most at peace during my previous visit.”