Page 35 of Highland Guard
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BEAMING WITH PRIDEat her great escape, Naomi stopped by a stream to collect water. She felt guilty about slipping valerian into Kieran’s wine, especially since he had welcomed her offer so heartily, but by the same token it was the only way. She had planned it out meticulously. Yes, this was the safest option open to her.
Naomi had just placed her hands in the cool stream when she cried out as a large body dropped out of the tree and landed on the shore. “Well now, you’re not the only one who kens how to drop out of trees.”
“Kieran, you gave me the shock of my life. What are you doing here?”
“Ha! Drugging my wine. The oldest trick in the world. I thought better of you.”
“But how did you—”
“Come on, lass. You thought I’d fall for that? Valerian? Really? You need to do better.”
“How did you know?”
“Zala Fletcher of the MacGregor clan drugged my cider. It gave me a week of garderobe duty and I was sure never to fall for it again. Whatever you plan on doing, trust me, a MacGregor clanswoman has already tried it.”
Naomi cursed inwardly. These MacGregor women were ruining her plans for escape. “I’m sorry, but I had to lose you somehow.”
Kieran gazed at her for a long moment, drinking in the sight of her. He pretended to fall for her scheme to see what she would do, and he was touched that she had covered him with a blanket. But now, seeing her standing by the stream, with the majestic mountains in the background and fields brimming with greenery and life, Kieran was struck by how bonnie she was.
Naomi thought she would burst into flames on the spot with the way Kieran was gazing at her. She felt she needed to say something. “So, what happens now?”
Snapping out of his daydream, Kieran replied, “Now, we find out why these monks seem hell bent on killing you.”
***
THEY WERE BACK ON THEroad to the nunnery and Dermid scouted ahead whilst Kieran and Naomi rode side by side.
Naomi said, “Tell me more of these MacGregor women and their escape plans.”
“Why? So you can take notes?” Kieran replied with a smirk.
“Possibly, or maybe so I can cease wasting my time if there are things they have already done.”
Kieran snorted but felt the need to talk. He had missed their conversations these past two days, so he opened a little. Anything to distract himself from the siren riding beside him a mere arm’s length away. “The MacGregor women are stubborn like Sorcha, except Sorcha is a baby lamb in comparison.”
“I cannot imagine it.”
“Well, there’s Amelia MacGregor, though she used to be a Dunbar. I got this scar from protecting her when we assumed she was a quiet lass. We were wrong about that.” He showed her the mark on his shoulder. “Then there is Zala Fletcher, I told you about, but she used to be Orla before her kin found her. Well, she drugged me with the valerian that Amelia had given to her for that exact purpose. To make it worse, Jonet MacGregor, the most angelic motherly figure you’re ever bound to meet, was in on it as well. The blighters.”
Naomi chuckled at his expense. She liked these MacGregor women. “How strange your effect on women must be that they would conspire against you.”
“Indeed. Tis why I always sniff any drink served to me now. I dinnae even trust their wee daughters. They’re always swindling me out of my custard tarts. Ruthless wee sprites, just like their mothers.”
Naomi grinned, knowing that Kieran was just saying that. His expression told her he was a pushover with the children, and he enjoyed every minute. “Is there anything else?”
“Aye, there have been plenty more tricks played on me over the years, so nothing gets past me now.”
“MacKenzie, I’m reluctant to say this, but have you thought about doing a different role with the clan? Because you don’t seem to be a very good guardsman.”
Kieran glowered at her. “I happen to be one of the best.”
Naomi snorted. “If you’re the best, I’d hate to see what the other guards are like.”
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