Lily (The Highland Clan Book 3) (6 page)

“May I? My thanks.” She could not help herself. She tugged out a few pink ribbons and yellow ones to see which she liked best. Why, the pink would look lovely on Sun…Tilly’s mane. She could braid it in while she was out here. She glanced at her horse, but the mare was grazing in the field, content, so she put the ribbons back for later.

She reminded herself of her purpose. It was time for her to learn how to hit a target right in the middle. Kyle’s muscled bottom came to mind, and she smiled, but then frowned at the image of her arrow bouncing off his tight muscle. Hmmm…she’d have to take a peek at his breeches under his plaid the next time she saw him. She could not recall if he was muscular there or not.

Then she recalled how her cousin Jennie had first met the man she married by hitting him in the arse with her arrow. Apparently, Jennie couldn’t shoot her bow any better than Lily did. Mayhap this could be a good plan. She stared into the sky imagining Kyle’s reaction to Lily hitting his arse with her arrow. Just the thought of it sent her into a fit of giggles.

“Who is the lad you’re dreaming of?” Sorcha asked, elbowing Lily from the side.

“Cousin, I know not of what you speak. I was doing no such thing. Why, if I were to dream of any lad, it would be of hitting them in the arse with an arrow.”

“Lily!” Maggie barked. “I’ve never heard you speak in such a way.”

Molly giggled and said, “But I like the new you.”

The four cousins laughed together while Gwyneth set up three targets in a row. Once she was finished, she gave each of them a bow and lined them up, starting with her daughters, before moving on to Lily. “All right, Lily. Show me what you recall from your last lesson.”

Trying to remember all she’d been taught, Lily lined herself up with the target, nocked her arrow, and let it loose. She heard a large thwack and hopped up and down. “I hit something, I did it, Aunt Gwyneth, I actually hit the target!”

Sorcha laughed so hard she was holding her middle, her finger extended and pointing toward the targets. Molly and Maggie glanced at the targets and covered their giggles the best they could. Glowering at them, Lily asked, “Why are you laughing so hard?”

Gwyneth took her niece’s chin and forced her to look at the targets. Lily’s face fell.

“You hit Sorcha’s target, not yours.” Gwyneth rubbed her shoulder to comfort her.

Lily laughed along with others, but she felt crushed on the inside. Why could she never measure up? Gwyneth’s daughters were so talented in everything they did. She was useless at so many things.

“Och, Lily, I swear you’re our favorite cousin. We always laugh when you’re with us, and you never fail to brighten our day,” Molly said.

Lily knew Molly was trying to cheer her up, so she decided to forget about her mistake and move on. “Aunt Gwyneth, I believe I need to brush up on your teachings. Would you mind showing me again?”

Gwyneth winked at her and said, “I’d love to show you again.”

Gwyneth worked with her for more than an hour. While she did improve, most of her arrows still flew way out of range. Her shoulders slumped, so Gwyneth said, “Why do you not take a rest for a moment? Your arms are probably fatigued. You can try again in a few minutes.”

Thrilled for the reprieve, Lily grabbed the water skin. Once she had refreshed herself, she noticed Gwyneth was now working with Molly, so she decided to stay out of their way. She wandered over to the chest to peek at the ribbons again.

As soon as she opened the top and her gaze fell on all the beautiful colors, her soul thrummed a new song. She had a wonderful idea, so she set herself to her task, weaving and tying the ribbons together until she was pleased with her finished product. That aim accomplished, she stood up and held her face up to the sky, feeling the light breeze against her cheeks, smiling as she noticed her horse trotting toward her. “Why, Tilly? I do believe ‘tis the most perfect day.”

Enthralled in her new project, she was oblivious to everything except her horse and her ribbons. She’d tied them together and attached them to the end of a long stick, and when she lifted it up, they flowed all the way to the ground and beyond. “Let me know how it looks behind me, Tilly. I’m sure you will love it. This reminds me of your beautiful braids.” She hugged her horse and set off across the field.

Her face tipped toward the sun, she launched in the opposite direction of the archery fields, weaving different paths through the meadow, waving the ribbons behind her as she gallivanted about.

“Oh my, Tilly. Look how high the ribbons float behind me. Do you not love these colors?” She hummed for a while before she began to put words to her song, singing about the rain and the animals in the meadows, the mist in the Highlands, and the songs always in her heart. Eventually, she began to twirl and wave the ribbons about. “Look, Tilly,” she yelled. “See how the ribbons twirl about me!”

She sang her favorite song, one she’d made up as a wee lass.

Ramsay land is bonny land,

‘twill be in my heart forever.

‘Tis the land of mountains, glens, and lochs,

And thistles, bluebells, and heather.

She leaped this way and that, giggling between verses as the ribbons floated around her. How magical it felt!

As she completed different turns and leaps, the ribbons drifted about her, sometimes draping over her shoulders, sometimes entwining in her long curls, and sometimes floating through the air as she leaped as high as she could before landing and completing a pirouette.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her cousins had stopped to watch her and were applauding her special leaps. She thought they spoke to her, but she was so enraptured with her song that she couldn’t hear them. Spinning and spinning, she laughed until her belly hurt, not paying attention to anyone around her until she saw a cloud of dust headed her way.

Chapter Six

Kyle stared out of his mother’s doorway, unable to believe the sight in front of him. The wee minx would be the death of him yet. Lily was with her aunt Gwyneth, a fierce warrior, so she should be safe, but Gwyneth was tending to the archery field while her daughters watched Lily frolic in a far-off meadow.

Kyle’s gut clenched as he watched several villagers approach the field, coming in groups to watch Lily sing, sway, and leap through the meadow. True, she was a beautiful sight, her golden waves loosened from her plait and flowing down behind her, her arm lifting a branch high so the ribbons she’d connected to it waved in the wind behind her, but had they no sense?

Lily running free could invite any stranger from the nearby woods to attack her. Had she forgotten about the man who’d followed her before, declaring his love to her? What if he were nearby? She was so far from him that Kyle would never be able to catch up if the stranger hoisted her onto his horse.

The decision was so obvious, it did not even feel like a decision. Kyle raced for his horse and mounted in a second, flicking the reins and spurring his horse straight toward Lily. The more he saw her twirl, the more frightened he became. Plenty of people stood on the edges of the field now, applauding her, encouraging her to continue, but Kyle thought he’d die ten deaths until he got her out of there.

He bellowed the Ramsay whoop to advise the others to clear the way for him. He could tell Lily was still oblivious to him, and he hoped she didn’t hit him with that stick, but he had to get to her before anyone else could. Naught would stop him from protecting his Lily.

Kyle rode past his clanspeople, heading to one side of the dancing lass so he could scoop her up with his arm and settle her on the horse with him. He knew he took a chance, but Quade had forced his men to practice such a maneuver in case they ever needed to rescue women or children from danger.

Only in the last few seconds did she finally whirl around to stare at him, dropping her stick with the ribbons in fright as he drew up beside her, reached down to grab her by the waist, and settled her in front of him.

“Kyle Maule,” she ground out before he knocked the wind from her. Once she was able to speak again, she said, “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? What are you doing? Have you no sense? Do you not recall the man who attempted to kidnap you? By running through the middle of the meadow, you’ve given him an open target. You’ll be the death of me yet, lassie. How can I possibly protect the chief’s sister when she does not think about her actions?” Hellfire, but his heart had been in his throat until she landed safely in his lap.

“Put me down, Kyle. I was enjoying myself. For once, I managed to forget about this foolish world around me. You’ve ruined my fun.” Her wee fists pummeled his chest. She’d landed facing him, and her sweet aroma was torturing him. She smelled like flowers and sunshine and the Highlands. What better aroma could there be?

But it was more and he knew it. Lily, the scent that greeted him was his Lily. He’d recognize it anywhere. Just as he was about to answer her, an arrow flew past them, hitting the tree just beyond them. He slowed his horse and turned around in time to see Gwyneth and Logan rushing toward him.

“Where are you taking her, Maule? Unhand my niece.” Logan’s bellow was fierce enough to stop him in his tracks. His horse danced a little as Lily tried her best to turn around and face forward.

“He ruined my fun. I was just trying to forget all my troubles, and he had to come along and ruin everything. Just like he always does. I hate you, Kyle Maule.”

Kyle was stunned by her declaration, and not a little fearful of Logan Ramsay. “What have I done wrong? I was just protecting the chieftain’s sister as I’ve been charged to do.”

Gwyneth brought her horse up close to him. “Aye, but you acted rashly. Logan and I were within an arrow’s distance from her. We are capable of taking care of her.”

“I did not see Logan. Forgive me.” Kyle’s head spun with all the ramifications he might face for having acted so carelessly. He could not help himself—Lily made him daft sometimes.

Logan said, “Aye, I know you had good intentions, but a trained warrior checks the situation carefully before he acts. Your concern for Lily was not wrong, but you acted with no concern for anyone else in the area. You flew through a crowd full of women and bairns with no caution, lad.”

Logan was absolutely correct. Kyle’s focus had been on Lily and Lily alone. “Forgive me, my lord. My error.”

“I know you mean well, Kyle,” Gwyneth added, “but do not ever think to crush her spirit. My niece’s spirit is a treasure to me and many others. We delight in it because ‘tis a boon to our souls.”

Lily jumped down from the horse almost in tears. Sniffling, she ran over to her horse, calling out, “Tilly, come here, Tilly.”

As soon as she mounted and headed back toward the keep, Kyle glanced at Logan and Gwyneth. “Tilly? Is that not Sunshine?”

“Not any longer,” Gwyneth said. “She felt the need to change her name from Sunshine to Tilly.” She pursed her lips and glowered at him. “I’d like you to think on why that could be.” With that, Gwyneth turned her horse around and headed back to Molly, Maggie, and Sorcha, who were already mounted and following Lily back to the keep.

Logan quirked a brow at him before he followed Gwyneth. “She changed the name today, lad.”

Hellfire, he could do naught right when it came to the lass he loved. He needed to speak with her and apologize. The last time he’d rescued her, she’d clung to him sobbing in fright.

This time, she had run from him in tears.

***

Lily could hardly see because of the tears blurring her vision. What was wrong with that lad? Why, he had acted like he hated her.

Mayhap it was because her father had tried to talk Kyle into a betrothal he did not want. She didn’t know who to be angry with, Kyle or her sire. She rubbed Tilly’s mane, hoping to calm her from all the chaos surrounding them. Once at the stable, she moved to dismount, but a warm pair of hands reached up and grasped her around the waist, setting her down on the ground in front of him.

Kyle. She wished to argue with him, but it was no longer in her. Resigned to her fate of being an unlikeable lass, she pushed him aside and headed back toward the keep.

“Och, nay. You’ll not dismiss me so easily, Lily. I need to speak with you.” He tugged her arm, pulling her back toward him.

“Leave me be, Kyle. You’ve hurt me enough for one day.”

“Lily, forgive me for being so rash. I should not have stopped you, but I was afraid your attacker would return. Wait. How have I hurt you? I never meant to hurt you. Did I twist your arm or something when I lifted you onto my horse?” He looked at each of her hands in turn.

By now, she noticed they had a small audience because Gwyneth, Logan, and her cousins had also returned to the stables, along with a few of the villagers. Logan was trying to send the villagers on their way, but they were hanging back to catch their conversation. She did not care. She would speak her mind, with or without the audience.

“How did you hurt me? As if you did not know. Well, I suppose you do not know that
I
know.”

“What?” He dropped his hands from her.

Lily could see the confusion on his face, so she made a bold decision. She would no longer hide the fact that she had eavesdropped and knew all. “I know what transpired.”

“Lily, what are you talking about?” His hands settled on his hips.

Lily stared up at the man to whom she’d given her heart to long ago, his dark hair wild from the wind, his blue eyes locked on hers and full of pain. Pain? He truly did look hurt about something. Well, it could not have anything to do with her, so she continued. “I know, Kyle. I
know
.” She did all she could to keep the tears at bay, vowing not to let him see how upset she was.

“Know what?”

She could almost see a veil of fear descend over his eyes. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I overheard someone talking about you. I know my father asked you if you would accept a betrothal to me.”

His eyes widened and his mouth fell open, but he said naught. She heard a gasp from behind that indicated her cousins taking in their conversation.

Her voice caught in the middle of her next sentence. “I know you refused me. I suppose I am not good enough for you. I’m heir to naught, so you do not want me. If ‘tis the way you want it, then so be it, but please keep your hands away from me. Never touch me again.” She fought her tears and finally became angry instead. What had this man done to her?

“You have it all wrong, Lily. ‘Tis not why I said nay.”

She ignored him. “I think ‘tis probably just as well. I’ve never been as angry and upset as you’ve made me. ‘Tis best for you to be out of my life. I’m going straight to my brother to request that you no longer be assigned to protect me. I know ‘tis a job you’ve hated, so you are now relieved of it.”

Kyle stood rooted to his place, unable to speak. Finally, he understood. She glanced over his shoulder to see the sympathetic look in her cousins’ eyes and the shock on her aunt’s face. Aunt Gwyneth had probably just now realized she’d overheard her private discussion in the stables. It did not matter anymore.

She spun around and headed toward the keep, hoping to locate her brother quickly.

Once inside the great hall, she made her way over to the solar and rapped on the door.

“Enter.” Recognizing her sire’s voice, she opened the door. Her sire and Torrian were the only two in the room, sitting at their desks. Uncle Logan, Aunt Gwyneth, and Kyle were trailing behind her, but they stopped outside of the solar.

Uncle Logan stuck his head in the door and said, “I believe ‘twould help you if you let us all come inside.”

Lily did not care, as long as this ended her connection with Kyle.

Lily’s brother motioned to her. “Lily, is this acceptable to you?”

She nodded, her arms crossed in front of her, though she had to swipe at her tears every so often. Hell, but why did that lad make her soul ache? She wished to dig a hole into the floor and climb in, never to talk to another person.

Moving deeper into the room, she came to a stop in front of her brother. Her arms were still crossed in front of her, but now she flexed her fingers as she thought of slapping Kyle silly.

“My lairds,” Kyle began.

Torrian shook his head and held his arm out to Kyle, indicating that he was not ready to listen to him yet.

“Lily?”

She leaned her head back, trying to control her tears, and began. “I would like to request that Kyle be removed as my protector. You are the laird, I am your sister, so he continuously feels the need to protect me. I want it ended.” Her chin lifted a notch when she finished.

Her sire said, “Your brother’s second does indeed have the job to protect our family. That includes you, Lily. ‘Tis not something that can be ended.”

“Is there also something written in our traditions, Papa, about what to do when the chieftain’s second refuses a betrothal to the chieftain’s sister? Because if there is naught about how to handle such a situation, there needs to be.”

Her father asked, “How did you…”

“Does it matter, Papa? I know. I know Kyle refused the offer, so I respectfully request that he no longer be considered one of my guards.”

Quade stared at Logan. “What do you know of this?”

Logan replied. “I know not how she found out, but Kyle is a bit rash when it comes to protecting Lily.”

“Papa,” she interrupted. “It does not matter how I know. I know. Either consider my request or I’ll find someone willing to escort me to Uncle Alex’s. I’m sure my cousins would welcome me at Clan Grant. I can no longer tolerate Kyle Maule’s presence.” She’d never experienced such rage before, so she knew not how to deal with it. What could she do? Her entire clan would know that Kyle had refused her. She wished to punch him and scratch him and kick him, all at once. How could someone she loved hurt her so badly?

“I’ll go to the Grants.” That was the last statement she had to add to the discussion.

All five faces turned to stare at her as if they could read her thoughts. She knew she had threatened the one thing they could not argue. Ever since she was young, she’d been a favorite of Uncle Alex’s. He would never turn her down. She quirked her brow at her brother and said, “Well? What is your decision? I’ll not be changing my mind.”