“There will be pie,” Jack answered. “But what is a sandwich?”
When Jack frowned a bit, she realized her mistake. “Oh…” she gasped, and her shoulder slumped forward, “I keep forgetting where I am. I don’t think I can get used to this. What am I going to do if I can never go back?” she questioned, voicing the panicked thought as it came to mind. “I will not survive here.”
“We will find the cave ye seek in the end,” Jack told her.
Isla’s heart warmed as she lifted her gaze to his again. She hadn’t thought he would believe her story at first. If anyone had told her this would happen she would have laughed in the person’s face too.
But here she was living in a world where horses, kilts and skinning animals were the order of day. It was horrific to think of. She already missed her warm bath and scented oils.
Isla’s dresses were always made with the finest of silk and lace. Her hats too. She wore gloves to protect her nails, but here her fingers already had dirt lodged in them from the tousle with those horrible men yesterday
Her hands dropped to her sides, and she stared hard at him. Jack’s towering height was impressive, and his looks stole her breath away every time she looked at him.
The familiar sensations that made her blood pound in her veins and her jittery breath returned. His brown eyes narrowed as he looked at her, the corner of his lips quirked as he smiled, and she saw the flash of his left-cheek dimple.
Isla’s insides turned to mush as he closed the distance between them. She didn’t know if it was a dream, but a memory of her lying next to him, her hands on his chest so she felt his steady heartbeat was clear in her head.
Her lips went dry, and she had to lick them.
“The Castle is not far from us now. Once we leave here we enter Onich, and we can get ye proper clothes before we continue our journey.”
“What do you mean proper clothes?” she asked with an arched brow as she took the sack of berries from him, opened it, and tossed one into her mouth. “Mine is all right,” she added and glanced down at her dress. “It is dirty, yes, but still fine and lovely.”
She tossed another berry in her mouth and marveled at the taste as soon as the juice hit her tongue. She ate a few more before she raised her head again and found Jack staring at her.
“It is a strange color and people will wonder. The last thin’ I want is to draw more attention to ye.”
Her cheeks burned again when his eyes drifted over her face, settled on her lips for some time then moved down to her chest.
She swallowed hard.I will not get used to this feeling.She had been around gentlemen before. At balls and dinners, she danced and talked with a whole lot of them.
Charming dukes, rogues, earls, name them, Isla had once planned to meet her husband and marry him before she turned twenty-four. Her parents then died and that dream had ceased to exist.
After that incident, all she wanted to do was live freely and not care about anyone or anything but herself, and she had done just that. She had partied when she wanted, drank wine and hosted friends as she liked… she even denied many proposals too.
“What ye are wearin’ is considered strange here. We dinnae want anyone to suspect where ye are from so we need to make it seem like ye are from here, My Lady. This color is nae in existence and many willnae find it proper.”
“I see, so what’s proper? Wearing an old brown wool earasaid with a hair bonnet?” she teased and smiled when he chuckled.
“Ye can dress English if ye please. Ye just need to act like a lady in this time. For example, ye should curtsy when ye greet yer Laird.”
Isla moved back from him and curtsied. “Is this Scottish and appropriate enough?” she asked.
Jack smiled before he shook his head. “Ye need to go a little bit lower for yer curtsy.”
He put his hand on her waist and helped her curtsy again. Feeling the heat from his hands made Isla shiver inside. She felt faint, and her lips parted on their accord even though he was only just staring at her.
Isla regained her senses first and moved away from him.
“We should continue our journey,” he said as he turned away from her, and she saw him ruffle his hair before he continued toward his horse. Isla ate some more of her berries, then she joined him.
Once in the saddle again, they continued their ride. The entire time she kept wondering what it would feel like to have him closer to her, close enough to feel his lips come down on hers.
8
Jack stopped riding to show her the beautiful Loch Onich and the valleys. Isla looked awed as she stared at the waters, bent over, and put her hand in it. “This is so beautiful,” she commented as she straightened and turned to him again. “The valley’s lovely too. I have never seen any like this in my life.”
“Ye dinnae travel many times,” he stated.