Highlander's Trials of Fire

Jonet looked pleasantly surprised. She quickly unwrapped it and gasped. “Sweet cakes!”

“I remember when ye said these were yer favorite things for ye to eat, so I thought I could get ye some.”

“Oh, these are just wonderful, Matthew. Thank ye so much.” She did not waste a moment taking a huge bite into the first one. “So that’s where ye ran off to after breakfast.”

“Why? Did ye miss me?”

“I only thought it was a little quiet around. Now I ken it’s because me faither havenae been yammerin’ off yer ear like he had been since ye came here.”

Matthew chuckled. While Jonet had taken some time to woo, the Laird and his wife had been quite easy. Matthew unabashedly enjoyed their company as well. “I’m nae complainin’. Yer father is a pretty good man.”

“I never said he wasnae,” she said. “Ye daenae have to tell me twice. Ye want one?” she offered him.

Matthew shook his head. “Nay, ye should have it all. I nearly lost me life getting’ these.”

Jonet paused. Matthew instantly regretted his choice of words. Or mentioning it at all really. “What are yet talkin’ about?” she asked.

“It’s no—”

“Please daenae say that it’s nothin’. What do ye mean ye nearly lost yer life getting’ these? Did somethin’ happen?”

“It isnae as bad as ye think,” he shook his head and realized how foolish that was considering what he would have to say next. “I was nearly hit by an arrow.”

Jonet paled, her eyes growing wide. “Ye what?”

“Trust me, Jonet, it isnae as terrible as it sounds,” he spoke quickly. He could already sense what she was thinking and that was the last thing he wanted to happen. He had been making good progress with her, slowly beginning to convince her that her insecurities were borne of a coincidence. He could see that all unraveling before his eyes.

“Then what exactly happened?” she asked slowly, as if she too was trying to keep herself calm.

“I missed an arrow on the way back to the Castle. When I looked around the area though, I couldnae find anyone around. I think it may have been a hunter who just mistook me horse for some game, that’s all.”

“A hunter wouldnae mistake a grown man on a horse for game. Especially if ye took Temper. Oh, God.” She heaved a shuddering breath. “Ye cannae stay here, Matthew. I cannae allow ye to stay here when yer in danger. Ye have to leave the Castle and never come back.”

Matthew took her hand. She was becoming hysterical, her eyes filling with tears. She did not wipe at them, only heaved out of panic and his own chest constricted at t

he sight.

“Jonet,” he spoke in as soothing a tone as possible. “Jonet, listen. I am all right. If there was someone out there who wanted to kill me, I would have been dead by now. I was out in the open, an easy shot. There was nay way the arrow wouldnae have met its mark.”

“I ken ye are tryin’ to calm me down right now but those words arenae doin’ much.” Now her hand was trembling. She was struggling to breathe. “Please, Matthew,” she begged. “For me peace of mind, just leave. Being here is nae worth havin yer life in danger.”

“Then it’s a good thing that me life isnae in danger then,” Matthew leaned forward and pecked her on her lips. That made her go still, her eyes growing wide. Her beautiful brown eyes shone like stars behind her unshed tears. “Believe me when I say, Jonet, that me life wasnae in any danger at all.”

He did not tell her that the only reason he was alive right now was because he had been quick enough to dodge the arrow. What might have happened had he not been aware of his surroundings? Matthew, during his previous line of work, had made quite a few enemies. He had learned to be aware at all times and, this time, it had saved his life.

He would say none of that to her. She would only panic even more.

He kissed her again because it had served to calm her down well the first time. She only stared at him, with her lips slightly parted. Matthew smiled. She was very smart and sociable, but whenever he came close to her, whispered to her, or kissed her, she would freeze up as a virgin. He quite enjoyed the reaction, most times, but none of them compared to how she was now. Calm.

“I will stay,” he told her, gripping her hand. “I daenae think me life is in any danger and so ye shouldnae think it has anything to do with ye. It is just an odd coincidence, is all.”

“Me life seems to be full of odd coincidences,” she murmured.

“Aye, it happens to people who are special,” he smirked.

Jonet rolled her eyes, huffing a laugh. Matthew let out a silent breath of relief. “Now isnae the time for yer smooth words.”

“Is there ever a time, Jonet?”