A great warrior who had raised his clan to be a formidable force. But as a person, he seemed dissatisfied and even worried at times. Jane wished she could read his mind and understand his thoughts.
“The horse, my laird.”
He turned sharply at her, and Jane noticed how his free hand curled into a tight fist at his side.
“I'd rather not talk about it,” he said in cold, clipped tones.
She gasped in shock as Darach promptly led the horses out one after the other towards the fields outside.
Darach barely said anything to her as they walked. He only looked at her for a moment before motioning for her to hold the harness for her own horse. Lorna joined them a moment later, much to her relief. Shewas a ray of sunshine in the face of Darach's new gruff, indistinguishable face.
“Jane, ye look fascinating. That riding gear fits ye much better than it does for me.”
Jane's cheeks warmed. In truth, she felt wrinkled, rumpled, and worn through. But the sincerity in Lorna's smile bolstered her flagging spirits. She gathered Jane's hands in hers as if to offer further encouragement.
“Oh, yer hands are like ice!” Lorna exclaimed. “‘Tis my fault. I did so want to be here earlier for our ride, but the housekeeper accosted me with some kitchen problems. I hope ye’ll accept my regrets.”
“Of course,” Jane said with a genuine smile.
She nodded in return and turned toward Darach. “And how is my dear brother fairing this day?”
“Well enough, dear sister. I have the horses prepared; are we going tae ride before the full strength of the sun hits the sky?”
An amused grin spread across Lorna’s gaze. “Oh! A little irritated this morning, are we?”
“I need tae help ye ontae the horses, ladies.”
Lorna turned to Jane and rolled her eyes. “Come, we'd better mount our steeds.”
Darach helped his sister mount the mare first and then walked toward Jane.
“I can mount—”
His massive arms seized her arms at her sides and lifted her up as if she weighed nothing. Jane's legs hung off the side of the gelding before she could finish her sentence, and her hands were unceremoniously wrapped around the bridle. He gave her a single look, his narrowed gaze devouring her with dark intent. She shivered and opened her mouth to speak, but he turned and walked away.
Jane swallowed, a cuss at the tip of her tongue. She loved and hated his strength at the same time. She hated how he could control her, throw her around at will and make her feel things she knew she should not.
Lorna broke the reverie by walking her horse to her side. “Come on Jane, we shouldnae let his foul mood ruin our ride.”
Darach ignored her and put his foot into the stirrup before flipping up, impressively mounting the black stallion and grabbing the reins before he stared back at his sister with an eyebrow raised.
Jane was annoyed that no regardless of how hard she looked at Darach, he refused to meet her eyes and instead nodded to his sister.
She clenched her teeth and scolded herself.
Lorna moved her horse next to hers and described the landscape and how she used to spend her days playing in it as they rode quickly, and the sound of horse hooves striking the earth filled the air.
Jane noticed they were not far from the main roads as they pranced the animals through the woods. She raised her eyes to the glimpses of sky she could see as the branches passed overhead. From the east, the rising sun was beginning to cast a brilliant light on the sky.
Darach remained in the lead, his mount leading them through. She'd acted like a docile nitwit enough around him. In reality, she was unsure how to deal with him. Darach terrified her, excited her, and infuriatedher. No man had ever made her feel like this before. Nobody had ever been able to intimidate her.
Darach Robertson scared her witless, from the prophecy preceding him to the man himself. Jane was glad he rode in front, hoping to enjoy the brief reprieve she would have with Lorna. But she wasn’t so fortunate because he soon pulled his huge steed to a slow prancing, letting them catch up until he was next to her by the left, his mount so close that she could feel his leg pressed to the whole of her thigh at intervals. Deciding it would be rude—and obvious—were she to slide toward Lorna on her left, she decided instead to ignore him.
“Ye truly do know how tae get a horse around, my lady,” he said in a soft voice.
“Aye, but like I was told, the horse is one of the most surefooted horses in the whole of Scotland,” Jane replied.
“Horses for courses,” he said. “And it takes the rider’s sure hands tae guide the horses' sure hooves. I apologize for my discourtesy, my lady.”