Page 45 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

“Hold on just a moment, lass.” Rob turned and kicked at a large, dark mass in the hay.

With a yelp, the mass unfurled itself to reveal a man.

“What ye doin’ that fer?” Murtagh grunted.

“Go and get a few men who ye think are sober enough and rested enough for a hard ride. We’ve got orders from the Queen.”

“Aye, she finally letting us loose to be the wild dogs we are?” Murtagh jumped to his feet, a large smile on his face revealing all of the teeth he was missing.

“Aye, she did. Grab some supplies too. Oh, and make sure one of the men is Hugh.”

Murtagh ran off toward the inn with a strange canter of eagerness. Kenna would never understand why men were so eager to run off and get themselves killed.

“Ye even said it yerself; ye are tired,” Kenna admonished as Rob picked up the saddle and threw it over his horse’s back. “Do ye think that ye’ll do right by yer queen if ye are tired?”

“Oh lass, are ye that worried about me?”

“Do not flatter yerself so much.”

“If ye say ye are worried, I promise I’ll not tell a soul,” Rob said, turning and pulling her close, wrapping his muscular arms around her waist and locking her in place.

His face came closer, his lips barely brushing against hers as his green eyes searched her face, patiently waiting for a reply. Kenna tried to lean forward, to close the space between them, but Rob wouldn’t let her.

“Tell me that ye’ll worry about me,” Rob pressed again; this time, there was a trace of urgency to his voice. A need that made Kenna’s knees weak. How did he think she could talk when he was acting like this? She could barely even stand.

“Why do ye want me to?” she managed to murmur into the space between them.

His hands came up to cup her face. “I just wish to ken what is going on in that bonny head of yers, is all.”

“Must be good to wish fer something.”

“Ye’ll not tell me?” Rob pulled away ever so slightly, hurt in his eyes.

“I’ll tell ye, but only if ye beg me. Don’t ye laugh, Rob Fraser.”

“I canna help it, lass. I feel as if ye’ve robbed me of my best move.”

“Best move? Ye are such a—No, that is not the point. The point is that if ye wish to ken anything that is in my head, ye’ll need to beg for the privilege. And, in order to do that, ye have to come back to me, Rob Fraser. Ye have to come back safe and whole, or I’ll never tell ye anything, and I’ll not waste another thought on ye. Do ye understand?”

The laugh retreated from his lips. “Aye, I understand ye, lass.”

They kissed then. It was natural, and yet so far from that.

Is it natural to feel the world tip under yer feet? Kenna wondered.

“I’ve got to go, Kenna,” Rob said with a groan as he pulled away. “Ye’ll stay out of trouble while I’m gone?”

“I do not ken why ye are asking such a ridiculous question.”

Rob kissed her on the forehead, a slow, lingering kiss that etched itself into her skin.

“Quite reassuring. Goodbye, lass.”

Rob took the reins of his horse and walked from the stable, raising his hand in a quick wave as he went.

“Rob, one last thing.”

He stopped with a sigh and turned back to her.

“The Earl of Huntly’s bedchambers are in the round tower of the castle. I’ve only been to Strathbogie a time or two, but I remember that much. Ye ken, in case it comes up.”

Rob gave a nod, then Kenna watched him continue on his way.

Come back to me when ‘tis all over, Rob Fraser. Please,she prayed.