Chapter 7

There was a sound in the room, one that Billie almost ignored in her sleep. It had taken her a while before she had managed to finally fall asleep, fretting over what would happen between her and Domnhall, and so she was still disoriented when she opened her eyes, trying to locate the source of the sound. It didn’t take long before fear set in, though, digging its talons into her stomach.

She reached for something, anything with which she could defend herself. The room was dark, the only light coming from the fire that had died to embers by that point and from the moonlight that streamed in through the window, faint and pale. All she could see was the vague shape of a shadow coming closer and closer to her, and in a panic, she grabbed the first thing she found near her.

She had her slipper in her hand and raised it over her head, ready to attack, when the clouds drifted past the moon and it illuminated Domnhall’s face.

With a sigh, she let her hand fall by her side, her other hand coming up to clutch at her chest. Her heart beat so fast, she was certain it was audible in the quiet of the night.

“What are ye doin’ here in the middle o’ the night?” she asked, stumbling back to the bed to sit down and try to calm herself. Though she knew she was in no real danger, her panic wouldn’t fade. Her hands trembled with it, and so did her voice, no matter how much she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had scared her.

But who wouldnae be terrified tae find someone in their chambers at night?

The chuckle Domnhall gave her was infuriating. He seemed entirely unfazed by her reaction. If anything, he was pleased with himself.

When she caught a glimpse of his gaze in the dark, lingering over her breasts, she quickly reached for the blanket and covered herself as best as she could, suddenly remembering that she was in her night clothes. She certainly hoped he hadn’t come to her chambers in search of sexual gratification. If he thought she was going to please him for the night, he was sorely mistaken.

“How much damage did ye think ye could dae with a slipper?” Domnhall asked, and Billie could hear the smirk in his voice. “Did ye think a slipper would scare me, lass?”

Gritting her teeth, Billie had to force herself to keep looking at Domnhall, embarrassed as she was for her weapon of choice. In her panic, it had been the only thing she could find, and even if a candelabra or a vase would have made for a better weapon, it wasn’t as though she had had the time or the clear head needed to grab one of those things.

“In case ye havenae noticed, I dinnae have a sword near me,” Billie said. Of course, even if she did have a sword, she wouldn’t know how to use it. “Tell me why ye’re here.”

“I came tae take ye on a ride,” Domnhall said. “I have prepared the horses fer us. We leave soon, so get dressed.”

It was the last thing Billie expected to hear. For a moment, she looked at Domnhall dubiously, wondering just what he was planning for her. Could it be that he had decided she was more trouble than she was worth and was now looking for a way to get rid of her without anyone knowing? There would be no better way to kill her than take her for a ride and then return alone, claiming she had fallen down a cliff and there had been nothing he could do to save her.

Even if Abigail suspected him, there would be nothing she could do either.

“Are ye tryin’ tae murder me?” Billie asked, though she doubted he would tell her the truth if that were the case.

Seconds passed with Domnhall saying nothing. Then he laughed, the kind of full-bodied, delighted laugh she wasn’t expecting from him.

“Dae ye think I would tell ye if I wanted tae murder ye?” he asked, and though his tone was teasing, it didn’t quite reassure Billie.

“Perhaps ye are dimmer than ye look, me laird,” Billie said, just because Domnhall was starting to irritate her more than she could handle. “I thought I may as well ask.”

Her sudden rudeness took Domnhall by surprise, and he was once more rendered speechless. As retaliation, he grabbed the pile of clothes she had left on the chair and threw them right to her face, startling her. It puddled around her waist and feet, cascading down the bed as she tried in vain to catch as much of it as she could.

“Get dressed,” he said, and this time, it didn’t sound like a request.

“Why must we go so early?” Billie asked, refusing to do as she was told without at least a fight first. If Domnhall thought he would win so easily, he was mistaken. “The sun hasnae even risen yet.”

“Because I say so,” Domnhall said with a finality that allowed no further arguments.

With her eyes narrowed into a glare, Billie gathered her clothes as best as she could, while at the same time covering her body with the bundle of fabric as she waddled over to the screen where she could change without Domnhall seeing her body. Her laborious walk seemed to amuse him, and he hid his chuckle behind his hand, but naturally it wasn’t enough to conceal the sound.

“Dae ye think this is funny?” Billie demanded. “Ye come intae me chambers in the middle o’ the night an’ demand tae go on a ride with me, an’ now ye’re jestin’.”

“It’s naething I havenae seen before, lass,” Domnhall reminded her. “If anythin’, ye’ve shown me more. An’ if yer goin’ tae marry me, I will see everythin’ regardless.”

Billie didn’t respond, not only because she didn’t want to give Domnhall the satisfaction, but also because she could feel herself blushing, the blood rushing to her face, and she was desperate to hide it.

Thus, she rushed behind the screen and did her best to dress as quickly as she could, eager to put an end to her misery. At least Domnhall wanted them to do something she enjoyed. It would have been much worse if he had suggested something different, especially so early in the morning.

Once she was done dressing, she followed him silently to the stables. It was going to be a nice day, she could tell, the sky clear and full of stars, but with the sun still hidden, it was cold. Billie bundled herself up as best as she could and fell into step next to Domnhall, never once looking at him until he spoke.

“The Lady o’ the Clan must ken how tae ride,” he said. Billie frowned, searching his face for any hints that this was a trap.

It must have been, she thought. There was no real reason for him to think riding was a prerequisite to becoming the lady of any clan, but Billie went along with it. No matter what challenge he had prepared for her, he wouldn’t succeed in embarrassing her this time.

“I thought perhaps I should show ye how it’s done,” Domnhall added and it was then that Billie realized he was under the impression she was a novice rider, if she knew how to ride at all. Domnhall perhaps imagined she had spent her entire life travelling in a carriage instead of on horseback, soft and used to the comforts her father was willing to provide for his precious daughter.

He was sorely mistaken, but now it was Billie’s turn to toy with him, to show him he was wrong about her.

When they reached the stables, Billie walked inside to find two horses ready for them. They were beautiful and well-bred, clearly cared for, and that put a smile to her face, at least. The horse Domnhall gave her was a grey mare, strong and young, and Billie ran her hand over her side to let the horse get acquainted with her. She was a calm creature, as if Domnhall feared to give her a difficult horse, and Billie supposed that was a small mercy.

Smirking to herself, Billie took a few moments to school her expression into something neutral before she turned to Domnhall. “Could ye help me up?”

The look Domnhall gave her was one of badly-suppressed triumph. “O’ course,” he said, taking her hand and helping her onto the saddle. “Will ye be alright?”

“Ach, I hope so,” Billie said, taking the reins in her hands and holding them gingerly. “Ye’ll be there, right? So ye can help me if it becomes too hard.”

“O’ course,” Domnhall said once again, and then he jumped onto his own horse with a practiced ease and a smugness Billie couldn’t wait to wipe off his face.

The two of them rode out of the stables and made their way slowly to the main gates. The guards let them out of the castle walls, and they pulled their horses down the path. The sky was only just starting to turn the first shades of cold blue, soft light illuminating their way even though the sun wasn’t out yet. Though the terrain was unfamiliar, it was nothing Billie hadn’t managed just fine before, even in relative darkness.

For a while, they rode in silence, slowly making their way through the woods. It was only when the path widened and Billie knew Domnhall wouldn’t have too much trouble following her that she turned to look at him with a grin. All she saw before she urged her mare to gallop fast down the path was his confused frown at the sudden change in her behavior. Then she was gone, leaving him far behind as she sped past the forest.

Domnhall watched in shock as Billie sped ahead, leaving him behind with little hope to catch up. He was a good rider, but between his surprise and the fact that her horse was faster than the one he had picked for himself—thinking that the horse he always rode would be too fast for her to keep up with him—the only way he could reach her was if she allowed it.

He would have never guessed Billie was such a good rider. This wasn’t the confidence of someone who simply knew how to ride in order to get from one place to another. She had the skill of someone who rode often, who had grown up on a horse.

It was a surprise, though not an unpleasant one. It was true that he wanted to tease her, to toy with her and berate her for being unable to ride well, but seeing her like this impressed him. Not only was she bold and fearless, speaking to him in the same—admittedly rude—manner he had spoken to her, but she was also capable in ways he would have never imagined.

It didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t the kind of woman he wanted to marry, no matter what Hugo said. How could he ever believe she would be loyal to him? How could he ever trust her?

She was out of sight as Domnhall made his way through the forest, and for a while, he thought she had gone too far, perhaps in an attempt to escape him. But when he took a turn in the path, she was there, waiting patiently for him. Her gaze was glued to the horizon, where the first light of the sun appeared, painting the sky in pinks and oranges.

“Ye’re fast,” he said. “Though the mare is fast, too.”

Billie only smiled smugly at him, not commenting on his insistence to credit the animal for the impressive feat. “If ye wished tae embarrass me, ye should have chosen somethin’ else. I’ve been ridin’ horses ever since I was a bairn.”

“I didnae ken that,” Domnhall said. It hadn’t even occurred to him that perhaps he would have to work a little harder to find one of Billie’s weaknesses. He knew she was a good healer, as well as a good rider, but there was certainly something she couldn’t do. If anyone knew what that was, it would be Abigail, Domnhall thought. If he wanted to toy with her like Hugo had suggested, then he needed to go to the one person in the castle who knew her best.

It was easier said than done, of course. Billie would surely inform her sister of the ploy he had tried to set in motion that morning, and he doubted it would be easy to fool Abigail into telling him anything that could be useful. Still, if there was one thing he was good at, it was being charming to women.

“Shall we continue down the path or are ye finished with me fer the day?” Billie asked, prompting Domnhall to roll his eyes. For a moment, he considered telling her they should go back to the castle, but he supposed it would be a shame to bring the horses back so soon.

“There is a loch nae far from here,” he said. “Nae matter what is happenin’ between us, ye will be the Lady o’ the Clan soon, so ye should ken the lay o’ the land. I’ll show ye.”

Billie gave him a small, curious smile as he led the way to the lake. With some of the tension having dissipated between them, it was easier to ride next to her in silence. Domnhall didn’t have such a strong urge anymore to glance at her, to try and peek into her thoughts from the little she gave away in her expression. It was almost comfortable, travelling down the path like this, with Billie next to him. For a short while, at least, he could pretend things were normal between the two of them.

Domnhall had never given much thought to the kind of wife he would one day have, but Billie certainly wasn’t what he would have imagined. But with some luck—and some effort—perhaps he would manage to scare her away.