Page 39 of Highlander’s Beautiful Liar

She was a good liar but a terrible actress. Stifling a chuckle, he mounted his own horse, packed with their picnic, and led them away from the populated lands and into the wilds. Despite his annoyance, he felt himself relax. It was nice to take some time for himself.

And his wife.

“It's beautiful here,” Cora said, breaking the silence between them. “The Thistles have a place in the country that we go most summers, but it still isn’t quite like this.”

She didn’t mention her family often, and Alec kept quiet hoping that she would continue. It still boggled his mind that she didn’t want her family to know that she was alive.

“There was a large hill near the cottage, and Lana and I would roll down it until we nearly made ourselves sick. Her mother would get so angry because we stained and ripped dresses, but she never stopped us even when she knew we were headed to the top of the hill. I loved my mother very much, but I didn’t have that kind of childhood, and it was wonderful to share something so innocent with the woman who had become my sister.”

“Connor and I had a similar tradition,” Alec said lightly. “Although instead of rolling down the hill, we’d push our sister Grace down. There was a small pond at the bottom, and we would wager whether or not she’d be able to stop herself before she got wet.”

Cora giggled. “Oh, your poor sister!”

“Poor nothing! She would deliberately pick thorns and burrs in the meadows and then hide them in our beds. She was a hellion. Still is. The best thing about coming here is that I no longer have to deal with her.” He received a letter from them only a couple of days ago congratulating him on his marriage and then chastising him for not waiting so they could join.

She looked over at him and bit her lower lip. “You have not mentioned introducing me to them. Is it because I am English?”

Her feelings were hurt. How did he not see that? She’d lost her family, and he didn’t even have the decency to offer her his?

“Nay. I believe my family will like ye quite a bit. Connor is dealing with a rising feud on his lands or he would have traveled here already.” Stopping at a clearing of the bluffs, he looked over at the beautiful view in front of them. “How about here?”

“This is lovely.” Before he could get to her, she hopped down nimbly from her stallion and landed gracefully.

“Ye are supposed to let yer husband do that,” he grumbled as he followed suit and opened the packs.

“Honestly, Alec, there is no one here but us. There is no need to continue the pretense.” Grabbing the blanket from him, she spread it out.

A knot formed in his stomach. “What do ye mean by that?”

“I have decided that I am comfortable with what we have,” she said simply as she sat down and smiled at him. “You will never come to love me, but we are compatible. You do not seem angry with me that we are marred, and I appreciate that. Things could be far more difficult. I think this is an excellent opportunity for us to discuss how we progress.”

“Progress?” he asked hollowly.

“Set certain ground rules in regards to other people.”

What the devil was she talking about?

“I am not a fool. I know how men are, even in marriage, so I believe it will be better if we are honest with each other. Women have been looking at you. I have noticed, and I do not want you to come to hate me for tying you down when you might want to be with another.”

Rage swept over him, but he tempered it as he opened a cloth of cheese and biscuits and placed it in front of them. “Yer father strayed in his marriage and it resulted in ye.”

Cora nodded impassively. “Yes.”

“And ye have seen firsthand from yer mother that yer father is not the only one.”

“Alec, you do not need to justify my conclusions. I am simply attempting to open up an honest dialogue here.”

An honest dialogue. When she was the one who lied about her name and her family. When she still seemed to keep secrets.

“Is there someone here who has caught yer attention?”

“What?”

“Ye seem to be giving me permission to break the vows that I made to ye, so I cannae help but wonder if ye are simply trying to excuse yer own actions.”

Her eyes chilled just a little as she straightened. “You are not about to imply that I have my eyes on Innes Campbell again, are you?”

“Ye brought his name up.”