The Highlander's Alluring Spy by Eloise Madigan

Author:Eloise Madigan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

Nathair closed the door to Elaine and Magnolia’s room behind him, a smile on his face. Both of the new pups, which Elaine had been given naming dominion over, were curled up asleep on their respective owner’s beds.

Nathair told Elaine very seriously that he knew now he didn’t have to worry about either of them. After all, Laird Softpaws and Sir Spindrift were taking charge of nighttime protection. Magnolia had laughed at that, and it was a piece of music that sounded like sunshine.

“Oh dear, ye’ve got it just as bad as she has,” a voice startled him from his thoughts. He looked up in surprise to see Eilidh standing on the opposite side of the corridor, her arms folded as she watched him exit. “Poor wee Elaine must be on constant tenterhooks.”

“I dinnae ken what ye’re talkin’ about,” Nathair lied, though he wasn’t sure why he bothered. Eilidh had always been able to see right through everyone.

Eilidh scoffed. “As ye say. Will ye walk wi’ me?”

He nodded, and the two of them began to stride down the corridor together. They were a study in opposites to a casual onlooker, Nathair supposed. She was short and round while he was tall and muscular. She was dark where he was fair. But they were more alike than a glance would tell.

It’s the eyes, Catrina used to say. We’ve got the same fire in them. Would ye still say that now, love?

As they turned the corner towards the archway that led to the night garden, Eilidh said conversationally, “Dae ye ken that ye were my first love?”

Nathair started, turning his head to look at her. “I was?”

Eilidh laughed delightedly at his surprise as they walked out into the fresh night air. “Och, aye. But by the time I was old enough to ken what I wanted from ye, ye were already deeply in love wi’ Catrina.”

“I…had nae idea,” Nathair confessed. He felt his cheeks warming. Had he really missed all of that? How?

She led him to a bench. “Dinnae look so guilty,” she teased. “It worked out for the best anyway; I got my Michael, and ye yer Catrina and that darlin’ wee bairn.”

“Aye,” he said sadly as they sat together. “Aye. But now they’re both gone, Michael and Cat both. And none of us yet thirty.”

“They’re gone,” Eilidh agreed. “An’ we’re permitted to be as sad about it as we like. But there are upsides, as well. Life moves on, Nathair. Now I’ve got me Leonard, and ye—"

“Dinnae,” he interrupted, a little more sharply than he intended. He knew what she wanted to say, just as much as he knew he wasn’t ready to hear it. Not yet. “Just…dinnae, Eilidh.”

She shrugged. “As ye like. Ye were always more stubborn than was good for ye, even as a lad.” Eilidh glanced around the garden, then smiled. “Dae ye remember when ye and Catrina visited after Michael and I were wed?”

Nathair smiled fondly. “Aye. Aye. The two of ye were non-stop gossipin’. Michael and I were both scared out o’ our wits.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.