Seduced by Her Highland Warrior by Michelle Willingham Page B

stronger, almost as if a fire were smouldering.
    His senses went on alert and movement caught his eye. Ahead, he saw a dark figure moving. He raised the torch and saw the gleam of Laren’s red hair. Thank God. He breathed a little easier as she approached. Her eyes were weary, as though something troubled her.
    â€˜Where were you?’ he asked. ‘When Vanora didn’t know where you were, I worried that you were hurt.’
    â€˜I’m all right,’ she said, moving past him.
    But he caught her gloved hand and forced her to stop. ‘You had a reason for coming out here alone. What was it?’
    She shivered in the darkness. ‘I was just making sure the glass was ready for our journey. I…wanted to be certain we were taking the best pieces.’
    Around her body, he caught the scent of fire smoke. And once again, he saw the faint perspiration on her skin, asthough she’d been standing near a hot fire for a long time. She seemed to sense his unease.
    â€˜Alex,’ she murmured, ‘there’s something I need to show you.’
    From the heaviness in her voice, he didn’t know what to think. She was acting nervous, almost as though she were afraid of him.
    He followed her along the edge of the loch. Before he realised it, they were standing in front of the small white stone that rested on the hill. Laren started to walk past it, but Alex trapped her hand. ‘Wait.’
    He didn’t want to pass their son’s grave without voicing a silent prayer for David’s soul. ‘I wondered if perhaps you came walking here, to be with him.’
    In the moonlight, her face had gone so white, she looked miserable. ‘I can’t look at it whenever I walk past,’ she admitted. ‘It hurts too much to think of him.’
    Though it had been almost three years since David had died, not a day went by when he didn’t imagine how their lives would have been different. This was the son he’d longed for. The boy he’d wanted to follow in his footsteps, just as he had idolised his own father Tavin.
    Laren closed her eyes, but she didn’t weep. The more he thought of it, she hadn’t wept at all when she’d held the infant’s body in her arms. Instead, she’d locked her grief deep inside, the way he had.
    Not once had he released his emotions, for he’d had to be strong for their family. And though it weighed upon his spirit, he couldn’t reveal his pain in front of the clan. It was best to let David go and not to let anyone know how deeply it had affected him.
    â€˜He’ll never be forgotten,’ he said at last.
    â€˜No.’ She lowered her face, wrapping her arms around her waist.
    Though it was dark, he could see the pain on her face. Like a haunted spirit, he sensed her fading away from him. He hadn’t meant to hurt her by bringing her here; he’d only intended to honour their son’s memory.
    â€˜Come,’ he said, leading the way. ‘You wanted to show me something.’
    Laren joined him and they walked through the sand to the entrance of Father Nolan’s cavern. He saw the light glowing from the far side and immense heat radiated within the air. From a first glimpse, the cavern appeared other-worldly, almost as if it were inhabited by fey spirits. Apprehensions took root inside him, and when he looked to Laren, her face masked any reaction.
    She stopped at the entrance and gestured for him to go inside. When he did, he saw a boy tending the fires, slightly younger than Dougal. Ramsay was his name, Alex recalled.
    The boy froze at the sight of Alex and stared down at the ground, his hands clenched with uncertainty.
    â€˜It’s all right,’ Laren murmured. She nodded toward the outside. ‘Thank you for keeping the fire going. Go and get some sleep now. You can return in the morning.’ She reached into a pouch that hung at her side and handed him some dried meat and an oat cake,