Highlander's Trials of Fire: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Read online

  Jonet snorted. “I bet ye are the one who invited yerself to breakfast.”

  “I actually came by to see ye so we could leave out to me secret spot earlier and he invited me.” Matthew flashed her a dazzling smile. “And if the Laird himself issues an invite then who am I to say nay?”

  Matthew chuckled when he caught her rolling her eyes. Again, they fell silent, but this was a more comfortable one. He would often look at her, feasting his eyes on her beauty. If she was aware of his glances, she made no indication. After a while, Matthew was certain she was not paying him any mind. She was twisting her mouth from side to side again and he knew she had gone back to trying to determine where she was being led to.

  It would be another hour before they arrived. Jonet asked Matthew a few more questions about this secret location, but they yielded nothing more than confusion. He toyed with her some on occasion, offering her cryptic answers that he knew would only steer her in the wrong direction. Other times, he answered honestly yet the truth did nothing to help her.

  Before too long, they had arrived.

  “We need to dismount,” he told her when they came to halt. “It’s on foot from here.”

  “Is it much farther?”

  “We’re close,” he assured her.

  Jonet did as she was told and joined him by his side as he led her down past the crags and stones. They had left the smooth terrain behind which was the beauty of this land. The many dips and curves and rocky clusters was what served to hide this beautiful spot from undiscerning eyes. A wintry breeze was wafting over the terrain, bringing the scent of the pine trees in the distance. It had always been one of Jonet’s favorite smells.

  He led the way, humming with excitement. He was not lying when he told her he had learned of this place through his mother. Matthew was not sure why he had told her that. He did not even know why he was bringing her here. He simply wrote it off as a good way to get her to fall for him, a surefire way to the Lairdship.

  So, he did not know why his heart was beating madly when they finally arrived. Jonet gasped loudly at the sight before her and Matthew instantly smiled, pleased at her reaction.

  “Matthew,” she breathed, wandering closer. “This is beautiful.”

  It certainly was. It was a small pool of water, which might have sprung from an underground river. Hidden away behind overhanging rocks, Matthew knew the best times to see such a place. Right now was the first time, where the sun was positioned at the right spot, casting its golden rays to shimmer on the pool’s surface. The second time was at night, when the mood took that spot and the pool would shine in an ethereal glow.

  Jonet wandered over to the edge of the pool and crouched. Matthew came to stand behind her.

  “How deep is it?” she asked. “Can I swim in it?”

  “The water level stops at me chest so ye should be able to swim around a little, though yer feet will touch the ground.”

  “Oh, it’s so pretty. Ye’re right, I would have never kent about this place.”

  “Are ye happy I brought ye here?” he asked as he came to sit next to her.

  Matthew thought he knew Jonet a little bit now. With the way she had been acting since morning, he knew his pseudo-innocent question would make her think about her answer, looking up at him. He casually dipped his feet into the water and then faced her. She looked away.

  “It isnae bad,” she agreed noncommittally. She joined him by putting her own feet in the water, but there was a person-sized amount of space between them.

  “Wonderful. Then me surprise was a success.”

  “Daenae get too cocky now. It doesnae mean I wish to marry ye.”

  “Who said anythin’ about marriage?” he asked, eyes widening. He watched with satisfaction as her cheeks went pink. “Is that what ye’ve been thinkin’ of on the way here, Jonet?”

  “Of course nae,” she said sharply. “I just happen to ken ye have an ulterior motive for everythin’ ye do.”

  “Alas, ye happen to be wrong this time. I only wanted to come back here again. It’s been a while since I’ve last visited.”

  Jonet’s expression fell. She looked in front, kicking her feet a bit. Matthew watched the ripples in the water, overly aware of the fact she was once again thinking about something.

  “When was the last time ye’ve been here?” she asked softly.

  Matthew sighed. Again, he did not know why he was so comfortable saying this, but he decided to follow his instinct. It had never steered him wrong before. “The last time I came here was when me Maither died. It had been her favorite spot, so I thought it was only fitting.”

  “I take it ye two were close?”

  “Quite so. In fact, she was me closest friend. She had all the delicacy of a lady, even though she could curse and hunt like the rest of the men. She really commanded a lot of respect.”

  Jonet smiled softly. “She sounds like a wonderful woman.”

  “Aye, she was. Though she was quite protective of me. She might have tried to scare ye off if she were alive to ken I have taken ye to our spot.”

  Jonet giggled. “With the way she sounds, I might be in awe as much as I’m scared.”

  “That’s her usual charm. I could never truly understand it.” Talking about his late mother was making him sadder than he thought it would. He quickly changed the subject. “It takes nay smart guy to ken ye and yer Faither are as close as a pack of wolves.”

  “We are,” she smiled. She reclined back on the heels of her hands, still kicking her legs in the water. “But that doesnae mean me and me mother arenae close. I go to see her nearly every mornin’, actually, and we talk about all sorts of things.”

  “Is the Laird’s wife sick?”

  “Aye, she is. She’s been sick for a while. She’ll get better though. I just ken it.”

  Matthew nodded at the fierce determination in her voice. “I’m sure she will. I would love to meet her.”

  “I’m nae goin’ to make that happen unless—” She broke off, her eyes going wide.

  Matthew lifted his brows. “Unless?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Ye were goin’ to say somethin’.”

  “It’s nothin’. Let’s move on.”

  He turned to face her fully. Jonet sighed.

  “Do ye nae want to tell me because ye still daenae trust me?”

  “Aye,” she said without hesitation. “That is one reason…”

  Matthew studied her for a moment longer, watching her eyes fall, and growing distant. Her shoulders sagged ever so slightly. A shadow of sadness passing over her face. He took a wild guess. “And ye daenae want to risk a repeat of her past.”

  Jonet did not look as alarmed as he expected her to, which made him wonder if he might have made the wrong assumption. She sighed. “How do ye always manage to ken what I’m thinkin’?”

  “Ye are nae as closed off as ye think he are.” Matthew took this as his moment and scooted closer to her. She did not flinch away this time. She looked at him, meeting his eyes. “Open up to me, Jonet, and maybe ye’ll find that I’m nae so bad as ye think.”

  “It isnae ye that I’m worried about. It’s me.”

  “Ye think what happened to yer first two betrothed will happen to me if ye give me a chance, daenae ye?”

  She said nothing and everything at the same time.

  Matthew stared at her. Her beautiful face, her sad eyes. He could tell she wanted to wear her heart on her sleeve again, and her fear of the consequences stopped her. Here was the woman he had expected to find when he had first shown up—self-conscious, and sad.It bothered him to see it. Without stopping to think about the consequences, Matthew cupped her chin and kissed her.

  Chapter 11

  Jonet could not think straight. There was a pounding in her ears and yet it felt as if her heart had stopped altogether. She did not breathe or dare to move as Matthew pressed his lips closer to hers.

  Every inch of Jonet’s body felt as if it was on fire. After a few sec
onds, he moved closer to her, sliding his hand around the back of her neck. Jonet still had not overcome her shock, but her eyes closed and she relaxed. She eased into the kiss, not wanting to think any more. Only wanting to give in to the primal need simmering deep within her, needing to taste him.

  She had not realized she had been longing for his moment until it was finally here. Now, she did not want it to ever end. She too slid her hand around his neck, and he opened his mouth to her, allowing her to slip her tongue in.

  It was a slow kiss, a gentle one. One that was tentative and new, exploring and exciting. When they finally pulled away, Jonet could not help the smile that came over her face.

  Yet Matthew was not smiling, and he refused to let go of her. Keeping her face close to his, he gazed deeply into her eyes. “Ye arenae alone anymore, Jonet,” he told her. “I am here. Ye daenae have to worry about me getting’ hurt because all that nonsense about ye havin’ a curse is just that, nonsense.”

  His words broke her a little and out came the ugly truth.

  “How can I ken?” she asked. “They were all perfectly fine before they’d met me. And then they’d died. So suddenly, so oddly. How can I nae believe that I truly am cursed?”

  “Because someone as beautiful as yerself cannae be cursed.”

  Jonet sighed, rolling her eyes. “This is hardly the time for any attempts to sweet-talk me, Matthew.”

  “While that is me favorite thing to do,” he said with a quick smile, “I’m nae tryin’ to sweet-talk ye. Ye are beautiful. Inside and out. I havenae kent ye for long and yet I ken that ye are kind and caring and ye have a wonderful heart. A lass like ye cannae possibly be evil.”

  Her heart warmed at his words and she did not try to hold back her happy smile. “Ye think so?”

  “It breaks me heart that ye daenae ken this. Believe me, Jonet. It is all a coincidence.”

  She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe them all. All the people who had told her she should not worry about being cursed. She wanted to shed this ugly insecurity of hers so she could open herself up to good things again.

  Yet it was hard. She was not sure how to say it, even though she really wanted to.

  Matthew pulled away, as if he had just read her mind. “I hope ye believe me soon,” he nodded. “I ken ye daenae now, but over time, I hope ye understand that none of what happened was yer fault.”

  She blinked at him, shocked. “Can ye read me mind or somethin’?”

  Matthew glanced at her in surprise and chuckled. “My, ye’re a superstitious one. Nay, Jonet, I'm nae able to read ye mind. Ye have very readable expressions, is all.”

  “Oh.” When she caught him laughing, she slapped him on the arm. “Daenae laugh at me, ye bampot. I’m tryin’ to be serious.”

  “All right, I’ll stop.” His dying chuckles chased away a bit of the cobwebs that had settled around her heart. “Ye are quite adorable when ye are upset.”

  Jonet’s cheeks went hot. She splashed her feet in the water a little harder, half hoping droplets would land on her face and cool her down. His words made saying what she had planned to say much more difficult.

  “Perhaps ye should stay with us in the Castle,” she offered eventually.

  “Excuse me?”

  She could not look at him as she spoke, nervous all of a sudden. “All the men I have been betrothed to reside in the Castle once we have begun courting. We may nae be betrothed but… I’m nae entirely opposed to us having a courtship.”

  Matthew was silent for a few seconds. Jonet glanced up at him. “Do ye nae plan on sayin’ anythin’?”

  “Aye,” he sounded a little dazed. “I was crossed between tellin’ ye I love ye and kissin’ ye again.”

  Jonet chuckled, her heart thumping painfully even though she knew it was a joke. “A mere thank ye will suffice.”

  “Well, then thank ye, Jonet. For giving’ me that chance.”

  “Ye’re welcome.” Desperate, she said, “Let’s change the subject.”

  “All right.” Matthew turned back to the pool, reclining back on his hands like she had done. “I have a few questions for ye. Do ye promise to answer every one of them?”

  “Nay,” she said instantly and they both laughed.

  “That’s fair. I shall start simple then. What is yer favorite ballad?”

  Jonet answered him, and she answered the next one, and the next. He kept asking her questions, simple ones. She kept giving him the right answer every time, without a sliver of hesitation.

  She was unsure how much time passed while they sat there and talked, conversations sparking from the questions and answers that were given, but Jonet felt a sharp pang of disappointment when Matthew moved to his feet and said, “I think it’s time for us to leave now. I daenae think it’s a good idea for us to let sundown catch us.”

  She tried to hide the disappointment, climbing to her feet too. “Very well. Thank ye for bringin’ me here, Matthew. It was really lovely.”

  “Ye’re welcome, Jonet. Ye need only say the word and I shall carry ye whenever ye like.”

  “Maybe ye should have blindfolded me,” she responded. “Because I daenae need ye to bring me now that I ken the way.”

  “Or do ye?” He tossed the question into the air and walked away, leaving Jonet staring after him. She rolled her eyes at first, but then, when the question settled, she chased after him.

  “What do you mean by that?” she demanded to know.

  Matthew only tilted his head back and laughed.

  Jonet rushed straight to her mother’s room the moment she returned home. She had left Matthew behind when she did. She was sure he would be able to find his way around well enough, considering how close he had already become with her father.

  There were just a few things she needed to speak of, which she couldn’t possibly say to him.

  When she burst into her mother’s room, she was sitting upright, sipping what Jonet instantly assumed was soup. She looked surprised at Jonet’s sudden entrance, but she didn’t say anything until she finished swallowing and set the steaming bowl aside.

  “Did somethin’ happen?” Rinalda asked instantly.

  Jonet was happy her mother’s health seemed to have improved for today. It would make telling her everything much easier. “Matthew may nae be as bad as I thought he was.”

  Rinalda’s eyes brows shot up at that. “Are ye serious? So suddenly? What happened to yer plan to get rid of him?”

  “A terrible plan, Ma,” Jonet smiled. “Because he simply cannae be gotten rid of. Nae matter what I say or do, he always says the right things. At first, I was wary of it because I thought he was sayin’ what I wanted to hear. He seemed a little too smooth, a little too charmin’. But I daenae think it’s all an act anymore.”

  “What changed yer mind?” Rinalda asked curiously.

  “I daenae ken, honestly,” Jonet said. “It may be the sincerity in his words. I tried to ignore it before, wantin’ to find any reason I could to get him to leave, but I think he may truly have an interest in me, Ma.”

  “Now, what did I tell ye? Ye are a beautiful lass. It is silly to let a little rumor get in between ye and happiness.”

  Jonet sighed. “Is it a silly rumor, Ma?”

  “Does Matthew ken?”

  “Of course, he does. But he thinks it’s a silly rumor as well. He thinks I shouldnae believe it so much.”

  “Well, then, I think I am beginning’ to like him more and more. Ye should bring him to see me.”

  “So soon?”

  “Do ye have a problem with that?”

  “I daenae,” Jonet was surprised by how comfortable she was with the idea. “I daenae want anythin’ to make yer health any worse.”

  Rinalda waved a terrifyingly thin hand. “I hardly think havin’ a handsome gentleman pay me a visit is goin’ to affect me in any way. Rather, it might help lift me spirits some. Ye might see me up and walkin’ the very next day.”

  “Daenae let Faither hear ye,” J
onet chuckled.

  “Oh, yer Faither is too busy competing with his brother to worry about what I’m doin’. As I said, ye should bring yer young man by whenever ye two have the chance.”

  “Ma,” Jonet blushed. “He is nae me ‘young man’.”

  “Aye, aye, whatever ye say.” Rinalda’s eyes twinkled knowingly, urging Jonet’s cheeks to warm.

  She truly did not think this would happen. She had been so determined mere days ago to be rid of him that now these feelings were bombarding her, she could not handle them. Her beliefs had been clear as day. Her wishes to remain alone, free from the guilt from having another man’s death on her hands, set in stone.