Highland Song Read Free

Cousins?”
    She nodded then. “Oh, yes! Quite a few of those,” she revealed, grinning winsomely. “But in a way, aren’t we are all brothers and sisters?”
    Gavin shook his head, rejecting the notion to the core of his soul. Christ, but the thoughts that were cavorting through his brain right now weren’t the least bit familial—at least not at all the sort of thoughts a brother entertained about a sister—certainly nothing he’d ever contemplated about dearest Meggie.
    The shadows in the forest lengthened with the growing twilight, and with them so did the number of blinking yellow cat eyes. Above them, the sky was the color of a ripe peach and the meadow painted lavender with blooming heather. A flock of blackbirds scattered from the trees and the wind blew softly, tousling her hair.
    Gavin resisted the urge to cross himself as he stared at her face. With the gloaming her skin was so pure it appeared almost translucent. Her green eyes seemed alight with an inner brilliance. Her hair seemed to flow with the grace of a flame—all his imagination, he realized, because clearly she was flesh and blood standing right before him.
    He sighed. “I canna help ye if ye willna allow it,” he reasoned.
    A canny smile crept into her eyes, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, and that in truth it had nothing to do with helping her find her way home. “Not every woman is a damsel in distress,” she enlightened him. “I can take care of myself quite well enough, but thank you.”
    Apparently, not well enough to keep track of her clothes, Gavin thought, but he held his tongue. In truth, nothing about this woman bespoke distress—if anything, she was distressing him!
    Behind her, the woods seem to stir, and the forest began to twinkle. Naught but bugs, he reminded himself. There was nothing magical about this moment—nor this woman.
    She was just an ordinary lass.
    With stunning emerald eyes that seemed to peer into his soul. And who came to him with no bluidy clothes and didn’t seem to care.
    Somewhere in the great distance, a hunting horn blew and the woman stiffened, her head turning like a wary doe so that she could listen more carefully. Was it his imagination... or did those ears appear elfin... small and delicate. Och, but elves and pixies didn’t exist, and even if they did, who knew what the true shape of their ears. Everything he’d heard about faeries or brownies or banshees, he’d heard from his Grandminny Fia and there was no accountin’ for any of those stories, he knew.
    Another horn blast, closer this time, and her expression turned fearful. “I must be going!” she declared, and before he could stop her, she suddenly sprinted away toward the sanctuary of the woods, her limbs moving with the speed and grace of a deer. Though she turned at the edge of the forest and waved. “Thank you kindly for the lovely dress.” she said, and added, blessing the house he was building, “Long may your lum reek!” And then she vanished without ever having shared her name.
    And he noticed that she seemed to take all the cats along with her besides. Curious, but suddenly, not a one could be seen, despite that they had been skulking about all the day long.
    Gavin stood scratching his head a long moment, staring at the place from where she’d both come and gone.
    Daft girl; didn’t she know an English tunic when she saw one? He didn’t make it a habit of running around wearing woman’s gowns.
    In all his days, he’d never met a stranger wench.
    But she was gone now, and he was no longer in the mood to work. Time to forget all about women and faeries and cats, he told himself. Mayhap, if he hurried now, he could make it home in time to sup with the family.
    He was halfway home before he realized that he was shirtless and that he’d left behind his flagon, his axe as well as the dagger his Da had given him.
    He frowned, thinking that the girl had made him good and daft.
    Best he keep the meeting to