Chapter 11

Dinner was an informal affair that night, with no designated seats, Connor somehow found himself at the end of the table next to his laird, eyes never wandering far from the lush figure of his desires. Evie had entered the dining hall in a vivacious ice blue dress that flared from her waist, but clung to every curve upwards. Her eyes sparkle, but no matter how much Connor tried to get to her, it seemed she was always one step away. To a point that he was beginning if she was intentionally avoiding him. Even when he tried to make his way to a seat next to her for dinner, somehow the Rothesay son was seated there already, his sister's quick to corral around them until he ended up with Hammond.

"Don't look so dour would ye, friend. You're spoiling me appetite." Hammond admonished in his ear, a voice that Connor only scowled at, and returned to picking at his roasted fish with a fork. Hearing her laughter and not knowing who or what caused it was torturous enough for him.

"If you want her so badly, why don't you just go to her father and ask?"

"She's a lady, Hammond. Or have you not realized?"

"I have. But you're a capable man. Plus, you're my captain, I think that's good enough isn't it?"

Connor wondered why and how could his laird be so impossibly optimistic, dark looks clouding his eyes as he looked up at her for the millionth time. With hair piled up in a loose chignon, free locks tumbled down, catching the light of flickering candles and illuminating her features, making her green eyes sparkle like emeralds. Her bubbly personality seemed to light up even more. Could anyone else be as enchanting as her? He was in a sorry state, but somehow Connor couldn't get rid of the rolling gut feeling inside of him that something was going to go wrong.

All throughout the main course, he strained to listen to conversation up the table, distracted by every sound, movement and action by Evie. His grip tightened however, when the viscount suddenly tapped his glass to call for everyone's attention, and Connor's stomach lurched when he saw the male he knew as Fabian look expectantly up.

"It's a very small gathering, almost family here so I think it's safe for me to make the announcement here. I'd like to announce that Fabian has-"

"No Father!"

"Evie?" Fabian's surprised and rather clueless voice came to question, catching Evie's horrified face. She had spent the evening all through the meal wracking her brain in ways she could come up with to convince Fabian to not go through with this farce of a reason to wed her. From what she's known of her best friend's brother, he was resourceful and capable, and in Evie's mind there was no need to resort to the most underhanded way to get money!

"I mean... I've grown up with Mother's stories for a very long time. I would like to be given at least one chance to visit Scotland, the Highlands, before... just once."

Fabian glanced at the bride he had picked for himself curiously. While he felt no great affection for Evie, nor as passionate as the love his parents displayed, Fabian had a strong sense of responsibility. He has taken on the mantle of saving the Avondale estates, and Evie's inheritance had given him hope. While Fabian had given up on finding love quite some time ago, assuming that the love his parents shared was something rare, he had wanted at least a friendship between him and his wife.

But was he right to do so without even asking her permission? Technically, he knew a girl deserved the right to be courted as well, and he did nothing of that sort.

As such, when she sputtered out her request, Fabian was quick to notice her rather hopeful but mildly scared look, and he turned to look at the mutinous looking Viscount, before quickly stepping in just before her father spoke. "Anyone would be a cad to deny Evie of something she had shared with her Mother. Wouldn't you think so, Father, Lord Verrick?"

"Y-yes, but-" the Verrick started sputtering his denial, only to be stopped as Fabian spoke again.

"I shall escort her to Highlands for a short reprieve. I see no harm in that. Especially when your nephew and his captain along with their men would provide strapping protection. I'm sure no harm would come to Evie, am I right Laird MacKenzie?"

"Very much so. Verrick, Evie is my cousin and I would like her to get to know her Highland roots, as I'm sure she's eager too. Me and my men would protect her with our lives, so you have naught to worry about."

All throughout the exchange, Evie had focused hopeful eyes on any who spoke, and at the end of Hammond's speech, she piped up this time, a beseeching tone directed at her father. "Please Father, please. I promise, after I return... I'll do... whatever you tell me to." Her father raised a disbelieving brow, frowning as Evie gave an eager nod.

"How long does it take to get to your keep, Laird MacKenzie?"

"If we make good time, 3 weeks on horseback, 4 with a carriage."

"3 months, Evie. Once you return after 2 months, you will do whatever I tell you to."

---

It was like a dream, almost surreal that she was actually on horseback riding with Highland warriors picking their way across rough terrain. The gentle rock of the steed she was on was hard proof enough, but as Evie laid her eyes on the rolling mountains, unidentified vegetation that looked hardier and tougher then the gentle grasses in her backyard, it seems hard to deny that she was indeed making her way to the Highlands.

Next to her, Fabian gave her a look from the corner of his eyes, and raised a brow, surprised at how enthralled she looked. If Evie was so elated at coming to the Highlands, did he have any right to bind her to London? Doubt began to creep into his heart, even as the captain called for a halt as the day grew darker.

"We'll make camp here for the night. No sense in travelling further on unfamiliar terrain for you two, since we've entered Highlands already." Hammond explained as they dismounted and handed their steeds over for a rubdown. Sounds of people setting up camp, preparing a fire and cooking utensils caught Evie's attention, her eyes turning to observe the setting up of camp before asking, "Is there anything I can do to help, Hammond? I don't want to be a deadweight."

Surprise was evident in the laird's eyes. Never had he imagined a Lady would offer to help set up camp. But in a way, the Highland laird should've guessed rather then be surprised. From his father's stories, Mailie MacKenzie had been a spitfire who was tamed by her husband. Was it any surprise that her spirit had passed on to her daughter?

"Don't fuss over it, Evie. I'll help them, you take a seat alright?" Fabian seemed to think otherwise however, as he pushed her towards a blanket that had been set out, disregarding Evie's mutinous features and pushing her down before stalking towards the campsite.

Disgruntled, the girl folded her legs under her serviceable green kirtle but did her share of observation. The more she watched however, the more her fingers and legs twitched, itching to move and help. As busy as the men were in making sure all was up before sundown however, Connor was the only one who noticed the fidgeting that Evie was doing. Although really, it wasn't a surprise, since the Highland captain had barely been able to keep his eyes off her.

Was he actually bringing her to his home? It didn't help that her green eyes fairly sparkled with life the more they ventured into the Highlands. It had been a week since they had left Cavalon Castle, and today was the first night they were to spend on the grounds of his beloved homeland. He knew she had noticed the change in terrain, vegetation, air in general, for her cheeks were fairly flushed with excitement. The soft breathless gasps she gave each time she spied something knew hit like a punch in Connor's gut, coiling the heat on the pit of his belly tighter until he was sure he was about to burst at the mere sight of her.

Yet try as he may, Connor was incapable of tearing his gaze from her, mesmerized as he was by every gasp, every strand of her hair. Deciding that if he didn't do something soon, the seams of her kirtle was going to be shredded, the Highlander male stalked over in his kilt and shirt, and held out a bow and an arrow. "Care you to learn how to shoot? You'll be surprised to find oot that our women can shoot as well as they can sew. Since you'll be here for a bit, you can start."

"Can I truly?" Evie exclaimed, casting a surreptitious look at Hammond and Fabian. Connor scowled, disliking the fact that she actually thought she needed permission from anyone else since he was the one who had asked her. What was that weak livered duke's son doing here anyway? He wouldn't survive a week in the Highlands.

He had especially disliked how Fabian had practically stuck to Evie's side the whole time since they had left her home, and his streak of rebelliousness made him grab her hand and pull her up. "Come with me. We'll need some meat for our dinner, so we better start."

Relishing the feel of her heat under his fingers where he grasped her wrist, his grip tightened around her waist to lift her on a waiting horse, lingering a split second longer then it should, before he too got on behind her.

Suddenly realizing her whole body was flushed and pressed against Connor's and she sat nestled in between his thighs, the porcelain skin of Evie Verrick flushed hotly, averting her eyes much to the captain's amusement as he picked up the reins and kicked the steed moving. "Have you never rode this way before, Lady Evelyn?"

"N-no. We usually ride side-saddle yes, but usually alone."

"This is a first. I thought my bacail was a warrior. Is she blushing now?"

"No! I'm not!" Evie immediately protested hotly, mortified at being seen blushing. Instead she focused on where the horse was headed, intentionally changing the subject to ask, "What game do we hunt around here? Back in England, we release foxes for hunt, but that's about it."

"You guys release game to hunt?" Connor echoed, aghast. Evie almost giggled when she heard him mutter something along the lines of "Crazy English, don't know what have they turned themselves into. Dandies and fops, psh.", and nodded. "We usually do it at house parties. Never  like this."

He rolled his eyes, pulling the horse to stop from the slow canter it had kept up with, getting off and helping Evie off before replying. "We hunt for food. Not often, but as and when we need. Usually deer, rabbit, the occasional boar. Depends on what we can get. Around here... usually rabbit. Have you used one of these before, Lady Evelyn?"

"No. And why do you insist on calling me Lady Evelyn? You've called me Evie before." she scowled, disliking the call of her status. She had grown to like the way her name rolled off his tongue.

Connor met her scowl with an amused smile, raising a brow. "I thought it was only proper for me to address you as such?"

"To hell with proper, we're not home. I barely go into society anyway, purely because I hate their propriety."

"Evie then." he replied in a smooth murmur, an undertone that made Evie almost blush again. She would've too, had he not pressed the bow in her hand, making sure her fingers curled around the well-wrought bow, catching the other hand to place them on the string. "Feel the tauntness? How tight it is? That's so the arrow can fly far and fast to find it's mark."

Shifting to stand behind her, Evie felt the warmth engulf her again when he framed her small body with his, arm over hers to pull the string. "You need to work on your strength, bacail. It's needed if you want to be a sharp marksmen. Feel this? I'm pulling it for you now."

"I-I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for? English do not teach their young ladies to do this. But you like this, do you not?" He was speaking, almost whispering into her ear now. Every syllable came with his hot breath brushing like feathers across her sensitive earlobe, making Evie's spine shiver as he pulled an arrow and docked it in. "Look over there, see?"

Following his directives, Evie's green eyes swung over to see a pair of lop ears, sniffling nose and gray pelt, unmistakably a rabbit which was at least 30 paces away. "Careful now, pull."

His voice was like a trance to her, putting her in to a dream like state as she did as was told under his guidance. God's truth, at the rate she was going, Connor's timbre voice could probably direct her to rob a house and she'd do it. Without even realizing it, Connor had released the arrow, the force of which made Evie stumble backwards against Connor's chest. She would've fallen had his arms not come quickly around her, pulling her against his chest at the same time as a loud 'thunk' was heard.

"You found your mark." he murmured when she found her footing, and looked up to thank him. When green eyes met midnight irises, Evie's voice suddenly was lost within her throat. His voice was dreamy, and the cool Highland air lent a sense of mystical wonder around them. Evie felt as if she was in a dream like trance, a trance she never wanted to wake up from, as Connor's lips descended lower, arms a vise grip keeping her tight against his chest as his lips captured hers.