Chapter 12

12

" B e sure to be back by nightfall, lass," the guard on the gate said, and Roselyn nodded.

"I won't be long. I'll be back in plenty of time. It's not… dangerous, is it?" she asked.

The guard shook his head. "Nay, lass. But keep yer wits about ye – there can be strange goings on in the forest at times," he said, and Roselyn looked at him curiously.

"I don't understand. What sort of things?" she asked, but the guard would say no more.

These were superstitious people, and Roselyn now decided she would not pay attention to such warnings. The woods held no more danger than the journey north, and on a day like today, when the sun was high in the sky and the birds were singing in the trees, Roselyn could find no cause for alarm.

She followed the path through the village, greeted by several women who were poking at a fire, over which a piece of meat was roasting, before coming to the loch side, where she made her way into the trees.

The path wound past banks of wildflowers, and a heady scent hung in the air. Roselyn paused to pick some of the blooms – purple coneflowers – some for her chambers and some for Elena, who had been unfailingly kind since Roselyn's arrival at the castle.

Perhaps I'll teach her to read, too, Roselyn thought to herself, reflecting on her lesson with the laird.

He could read, and he could write – there was no impediment there, and Roselyn felt certain he could be coaxed into speaking. Whatever barrier remained, she felt determined to overcome it, and as she walked, she thought of ways to broach the matter of the laird's past again.

He doesn't need to be held back. she said to herself, even as the fact of such a trauma surely remained with a person their whole life long.

The thought of what Braden had witnessed was terrifying, and she could only imagine what would have become if she or her sisters had experienced something similar.

Time and again, Roselyn compared her own upbringing to that of Braden, knowing there could be no comparison with the terrible things he had witnessed. In this, Roselyn felt a great sympathy for the laird, and she wanted only to help him, even as her feelings towards him were confused.

She had thought a lot about the kiss they had shared, and still felt embarrassed for having pulled away so hurriedly. It had seemed the right thing to do, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized there had been no reason to do so.

Why shouldn't I kiss him? If I want to kiss him, I can, she told herself, smiling at the pleasant thought of doing so.

This thought was foremost on her mind, when, rounding a corner of the path, she saw the laird himself, sitting by the loch side, with his back to a large rock.

His horse was there, grazing at the grassy bank, and the sound of Roselyn's footsteps caused Braden to turn. Roselyn blushed, embarrassed at the thoughts she had just been having, even as the laird smiled at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were here. Though why should I? I was just… walking," Roselyn stammered, feeling foolish in her embarrassment and the obviousness of her words.

He nodded, beckoning for her to come and sit with him at the water's edge. She had the flowers she had picked in her hand, and Braden now rose to his feet, disappeared behind the rock, and returned with a flower just the same as the ones she held in her hand. Roselyn smiled, touched, as he handed it to her with a slight bow of his head.

"For me? How kind of you. I picked these as I walked. Aren't they beautiful? The forest's so full of life, and there's such a beautiful scent in the air," Roselyn said.

The laird nodded. Roselyn wondered what he was thinking. If only she had a piece of paper and a quill. He signed something to her, but she did not understand, and he looked suddenly frustrated.

"It's all right. It doesn't matter. I think we understand one another well enough, don't you?" she said, and again, he smiled, shrugging his shoulders as he picked up a stone and skimmed it across the water.

Roselyn watched as it splashed, remembering the moment Braden had stripped to his undergarments and waded into the loch on their journey north. It made her blush to think of it, though the memory was a pleasant one. She thought, too, of the waterfall, and how Apollo had splashed her.

"Have you swum?" she asked, as though inviting him to repeat what had occurred before.

He shook his head, lying back in the sunshine and closing his eyes. Roselyn did the same, enjoying the warmth on her face, and listening to the waters lap at the side of the loch.

They did not need words to find contentment in one another's company, and the more time she spent with Braden, the more her feelings for him grew.

What a beautiful place this is. It's so peaceful, Roselyn thought, almost falling asleep next to Braden in the warmth of the sunshine.

She had nearly fallen asleep when she was startled by a tongue, wet and slobbering, licking her face. She opened her eyes with a cry, finding Apollo standing over her, his face right up close to hers. The dog barked, and Braden, too, looked up in surprise.

"Oh, Apollo, really, it's too much," Roselyn exclaimed, laughing, even as she tried to push the dog away.

Braden was shaking his head, and he made a low clicking sound, causing Apollo to sit back on his hind legs, looking up eagerly at his master, who now rose to his feet.

"Where did he come from? Has been here the whole time?" Roselyn asked, for she had not seen any sign of the dog as she emerged from the trees.

Braden shook his head, pointing back to the castle and laughing. It seemed Apollo had escaped and followed his scent to the loch in search of Braden.

Roselyn smiled, fondling the dog's ears, as Apollo barked again. She could not be angry with him. Braden threw a stick for him into the water, and Apollo leaped in with a splash, causing Roselyn to shriek as she was once again sprayed with water by the dog, who seemed intent on playing the same tricks on her as Braden.

"Oh, call him off, Braden," she cried, but as she did so, Apollo leaped out of the water, sending a shower of spray over them both.

Braden turned, putting his arm up as though to shield Roselyn from the worst of the spray, even as she fell backwards onto the bank. Braden fell, too, landing at her side, as the splash of water landed on them both.

They were both soaked, and Braden glanced at Roselyn apologetically, even as she began to laugh. There was no point in being angry, and she smiled at Braden, who was now lying at her side.

"Goodness me, he loves the water, doesn't he? I should just go in with him and save him the bother, shouldn't I?" Roselyn said, gazing into Braden's eyes, as he smiled back at her.

"I hope you won't mind me saying this, but I was sorry our lesson was cut short this morning. I enjoy the time we spend together," she said, and Braden nodded, tapping his chest, as though to say he felt the same.

They were lying next to one another on the bank, their bodies parallel, their legs touching, and Braden reached out, brushing the hair from Roselyn's cheek.

Her heart was beating fast, the memory of the kiss they had shared now foremost in her mind. She smiled at him, feeling no fear at his touch, as his fingers traced a trail to her lips. He leaned forward, kissing her gently. Roselyn sighed, closing her eyes, as their kiss became more and more desperate.

Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer still, and his travelled from her face down her arms, to reach her hips and keep her in place. A moan escaped her at the firm touch, earning her a growl from Braden. As their lips parted, he continued to leave kisses down her neck, and Roselyn was suddenly very aware of a strange ache between her legs.

Before she could pinpoint exactly what her body was asking for, they were interrupted by the barking of Apollo.

"Oh, really, Apollo, come now, enough," Roselyn exclaimed, the moment lost by the sight of the dog bearing down on them.

Braden gave an exasperated sigh, pushing Apollo away, as Roselyn rose to her feet. She knew they would get no peace, even as she glanced at Braden, who was smirking.

The kiss had not been planned, but Roselyn was not about to feel embarrassed. She had enjoyed it, and she was only too happy to think Braden had wanted to kiss her again. Apollo now leaped up at her, barking, as she reached down and threw a stick for him into the undergrowth.

"I'm sorry… he just… we'll never have any peace," Roselyn said, as Braden laughed.

He waved his hand dismissively, touching his fingers to his lips, as Roselyn blushed. She did not entirely understand the meaning of the kiss, but she had enjoyed it, nonetheless, and hoped it could be repeated, even as she did not know how Braden himself now felt.

Apollo returned with the stick, eager for the game to continue. Roselyn took the stick, following the dog, and threw it back into the undergrowth, calling for him to fetch it.

Isn't it extraordinary? She thought to herself, her lips still tingling from the memory of Braden's kiss. It had seemed entirely natural – the manner of his gesture, his touch, the way he had brushed back her hair, and then…

It was… delightful, she told herself, feeling a sense of the utmost happiness as to what had just passed between them, and the thought of what might happen next.

But a man like Braden had surely had many lovers in the past, and Roselyn knew she could well be just one of the many women whom he had sought to seduce.

Don't get caught up in over thinking the possibilities, she told herself, as Apollo came bounding back to her through the trees.

It was fine to enjoy the moment – the romance of the Scottish landscape, the passionate kiss of the laird. But it would not last, and Roselyn knew she was foolish to think of herself as anything more than a diversion for Braden, who could not even make his intentions understood.

Roselyn sighed, shaking her head, even as she knew the moment had been a pleasant one. She had now made her way deep into the undergrowth, beyond the sight of Braden, who had remained by the loch. The trees were dense here, and it was hard to see much further than her immediate surroundings.

"Apollo? Where are you? Bring back the stick. I'll throw it for you, but we must go back," Roselyn called out.

She could see no sign of the dog, and she peered through the undergrowth, struggling to determine which direction she had come from. The trees loomed over her, blocking out the sun above, and making the forest seem foreboding. Apollo had stopped barking, and Roselyn looked around her, confused as to which way to go.

"Apollo? Are you there?" she called out, but there was no reply, even as a sudden movement to her left startled her. A hand grabbed her, dragging her down to the ground as she fought desperately with her assailant. "Help," she cried out, as a wild, bearded face loomed over her…