A Fierce Archer (Clan Ross Book 6) by Hildie McQueen (great novels TXT) 📕

Catriona’s breath caught. “Do not toy with me.”

“I would not tease ye in such a manner.” Ewan reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. The entire time, Catriona dared not move. Too afraid of her reaction to his touch, she held her breath.

It came out hard when she could no longer hold it. “Ye should not think about me in any other way than just a friend.”

“Whose blood is that?”

“What? Oh,” she said, realizing again how stained her dress was. “A man was attacked by boars. I assisted the healer. The man will recover. His wife is with him now.”

“Ye should sit,” she said, changing the subject. “Eileen wants to know if ye wish for yer meal to be brought to yer bedchamber. I will inform her that ye will be eating in the great room.”

His gaze locked to hers. “Ye know what I wish for right now?”

Catriona shook her head. “No.”

When he leaned forward, Catriona closed her eyes, but dread sent her senses reeling and she opened them just as his lips touched hers. It was a soft kiss, the kind of kiss a woman dreams of. Lingering and with just the right amount of pressure.

When he pulled back she stared up at him. “Ewan, I...”

He placed his hand on her shoulder and studied her with a strained expression. “I am sorry. I should never have done that. Are ye upset?”

It was as if warm heated water was poured over her and Catriona reached for Ewan. “Ye make me feel safe. When I am near ye, all my fears disappear. I feel relieved, actually.”

“That is not exactly what I wish for a lass to say after I kiss her...”

Catriona lifted to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Thank ye.”

The look of astonishment on his face made Catriona smile. “I best go and change before last meal. Do ye need help getting to the great room?”

Ewan shook his head. “I am allowed to go then?” His lips curved. “I will be fine.”

Still not believing what she’d done, Catriona hurried out and through the great room to a corridor on the opposite side of the keep. Just then, a man walked out from behind the stairwell and they practically bumped. He held out his hands to steady her and Catriona jerked away.

Shaking from head to toe, she ran to her bedroom and slammed the door closed. The trembling became so hard, she could hear her teeth chattering.

It was no use. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, any kind of normal relationship with Ewan was impossible.

There was a knock on the door. “Catriona,” Flora called out. “It’s me.”

Flora walked in to find her sitting on a chair, arms around her waist and head bent.

“I’m fine, just startled,” Catriona said before Flora could ask.

Knowing better than to touch her, Flora sat on the bed. “The man ye ran into is Laird Chisholm, here to see Laird Fraser.”

“Oh, no! I hope I didn’t offend him,” Catriona exclaimed, but still refused to look at Flora. “I hate this.”

“Ye did not. He asked that someone ensure ye were not hurt.”

Catriona let out a breath and opened her eyes. “I will eat here. Would ye mind bringing my meal here whenever ye finish yer own meal?”

How she hated the pitying look on her friend’s face. Catriona couldn’t think of what to say at the moment. So, she stood and went to the window. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, but rays of varying colors of amber, yellow and orange painted the sky. It was beautiful, and yet the only thing Catriona could think was that, at the moment, she was to be a spectator and not a participant when it came to life.

“I will fetch our meal and eat here with ye.”

When Flora left, Catriona remained at the window determined to see every color until darkness fell.

Chapter Five

It had been two weeks since his attack and Ewan felt well enough to ride. Needing to test his endurance, he’d mounted and rode his steed short distances without much discomfort. Upon returning to the stables, his men had already gathered and waited for his instructions.

Until the threat from the Mackenzie was over, the Ross had agreed to keep fifty warriors at Fraser Keep to protect the keep in case of attack for the foreseeable future.

“I hope everyone is well rested,” Ewan said, earning snickers as many of the men had stayed up late the night before drinking around a bonfire.

Ewan waited for the men to quiet. “In three days, I will return to Ross lands. The rest of ye have another sennight before yer time is up. There are some things to discuss...”

He stopped talking when he spotted Keithen walking toward them. “Perhaps he has something to say on this matter,” Ewan finished.

Keithen Fraser walked to them, his gaze taking everyone in before settling on Ewan. “How many are leaving with ye?”

“We have not actually come to that question,” Ewan replied. “Replacements will have to be sent back.”

Unsure what his cousin’s reaction would be, Ewan considered that not too much time was left between the exchange of guardsmen. He turned to face the men. “Who wishes to return to Dun Airgid?” he asked, referring to Ross Keep. He continued, “Remember that once we arrive, others will be sent to replace ye.”

Less than half the men lifted their hands. Many of the single men had already made it known that they planned to remain there for as long as needed. The warriors were settled in new and spacious rooms. The guards’ quarters back at Dun Airgid paled in comparison.

“Very well,” Keithen called out. “On behalf of Laird Fraser, we thank ye for yer assistance. Please come