Page 13 of Highlander’s Devious Ally

She shook her head. “We kissed when we met, but only in greeting.” She smiled at him. “Thank you for your kindness, Lyall. You are a good friend.”

He smiled back. “Then your wedding is definitely off?”

“I do not believe in curses.” Her voice was derisive. “So yes, and when I see my parents we will have a very long talk about this!”

He took her hand and kissed it. “You look very tired,” he said gently. “Shall I have someone come and sit with you while you sleep?”

“No, I will be fine, but thank you,” she replied. She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for everything.”

“No need,” he answered. “Fenella will be delighted to see you. I am sorry about last night and I promise it will not happen tonight. Please lock your door if you feel you need to, Ailie.”

She looked into his warm, expressive eyes, which looked more gray than green in the dim light. “You are a very kind man,” she remarked softly. “And I have no fear of you. My door will stay unlocked.”

“Thank you.” He smiled and stood up. “Sit for as long as you like, Ailie. I have put you in the same room as the one I did before.” He yawned and stretched. “And now I must go to bed.”

She smiled at him a little sadly. It had been a terrible evening and she was totally exhausted, but it had ended well. “Goodnight Lyall. Sleep well.”

“You too,” he said, as he left.

She resisted her urge to run after him.

When she woke up the next morning she realized that she had slept deeply and dreamlessly, and the incident with Jock, though still painful, was not uppermost on her mind. Lyall was. Somehow being with him had taken all her pain and fear away, and she thought he was the kindest man she had ever met.

When Fenella saw Ailith she was ecstatic, and jumped up from the breakfast table to hug her. Ailith laughed and hugged her even more tightly until Fenella screamed for mercy. They were still laughing when they sat down and began to eat.

“How is Lucy?” Ailith asked.

“She is the most wonderful creature!” Fenella replied. “The foot rot has cleared and she put on weight. And she is so sweet. She is the best horse who ever lived!”

Just then, Lyall came in. He was dressed for work, wearing a pair of hose and a loose linen shirt that was clean but stained.

“I take it you are not going to a ceilidh, M'Laird?” Ailith asked, her eyes twinkling.

“Sadly, I left my best kilt at my other castle!” he said regretfully, smiling into her eyes.

“I did not know you had two castles, M'Laird!” she remarked, sounding impressed.

“We don’t!” Fenella told him. “We have one castle and a cottage that Lyall has been going to fix up for about a hundred years!”

“Hmmm...you must show it to me, Ella,” Ailith said thoughtfully. “Perhaps we can use it for something. But now I must get home. I have appointments.”

“You are not going alone,” Lyall said, firmly.

“He means it,” Fenella whispered into Ailith’s ear.

“I think I am quite safe in the daylight,” Ailith argued.

“I will not hear of it, and that is the end of the matter,” Lyall stated. “You were under my roof and therefore under my protection. I will see you home and leave guards to protect you.”

Ailith looked at his face, and for the first time she saw what men must see. To women he was handsome and gallant, but to men he must be thoroughly intimidating.

“Do I have a say in the matter?” she asked.

“No,” he said shortly, and then he smiled. “Ailie, I honor your independence, but I want to protect it, and you. I know you are used to doing everything for yourself, but please let me look after you. Just for a while.”

Ailie wondered what would have happened if she had refused, because Lyall Stevenson did not look like a man who took no for an answer. However, the thought of riding beside him for three miles was an appealing one, so she simply said “Thank you.”

When they got to her house, Ailith felt very proud to show it off. It was not a castle, but it was a very handsome red sandstone building with a gray tiled roof and a sturdy dry stone wall around a massive flower-filled garden.