Highlander's Trials of Fire: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel

by Lydia Kendall

  Yet here came Matthew, tossing all that into the wind. Jonet was unsure if this was a good or bad thing, if she could truly believe that the death of her past betrothed had all been a terrible coincidence. Though with way she was feeling, the ghost of Matthew’s lips hovering over hers, she knew there was no more use fighting it.

  Chapter 12

  It had been three days since Matthew had begun living at MacLagain Castle and it had been the three most fun days he had experienced in a while. Jonet was not only beautiful and kind—even though she had tried to be the opposite when they had first met—but she was such a carefree soul that every second with her he enjoyed. She knew how to make anything entertaining, whether they were wandering aimlessly around the Castle, relaxing in the sitting rooms, or enjoying their time outdoors.

  Matthew never thought he would enjoy himself this much when his plan had begun. It was not just Jonet either, but the Laird and his brother as well, not to mention Jonet’s charming mother, Rinalda. After he had watched a riveting match between the Laird and Dougal, which ended with the Laird as the victor, Jonet had taken him to see her mother.

  Her frailness had paled in comparison to her vibrant personality. Matthew could not decide who Jonet got her spirited attitude from—her father or her mother.

  He looked down at the paper in his hand, smelling the sweetcakes that were wrapped inside, and smiled. Early this morning, he had decided to take a trip out to the village to get Jonet sweet cakes. He had not forgotten when she told him that they were her favorite things to eat and he had suddenly possessed the urge to do something nice.

  I cannae wait to see her face when she sees I’ve brought these for her.

  The mere thought of it put a pep in his step—or rather, Temper’s. The past few days had solidified something for Matthew. This had all begun as a ploy to secure the Lairdship. He had been willing to deceive a woman, like he had done so many, to be rid of that life of a conman once and for all, butnow, he could not deny that he was falling for Jonet.

  How could he not? Any man with a lick of sense would have fallen for her too. He couldn’t understand why she had no suitors, despite the rumor about her. It simply did not make sense, but he thanked his lucky stars that he had found her first.

  Suddenly, Matthew heard a sharp twanging sound—the whip of an arrow leaving a bow. Half a second later, he caught sight of something shooting towards him and he swung his body to the side without thinking. Temper was not a fan of his sudden movement and he reared back onto his hind legs, throwing Matthew off his back. He fell with a thud, the air whooshing out of his lungs.

  For a moment, he was dazed. The world spun around him, and he dug his fingers into the earth, trying to find the cakes that had escaped his hand. Temper was neighing in anger, kicking around Matthew’s body and it forced Matthew to come back to himself quickly, not wanting to be trampled.

  “Easy, boy,” he murmured, sitting upright. He held a hand out, as if to steady the world that tilted in his vision.

  With all the effort he could muster, he pulled himself to his feet. He patted Temper on his side, making low hums to calm the horse. Thankfully, after a few moments, it worked.

  Matthew let out a breath. He looked around with a frown. An arrow? Where did that come from?

  He saw the basket lying a short distance away, the wrapped cakes lying halfway out of it. He retrieved it slowly, his eyes darting around to ensure there was no one lying in wait.

  He was nearing the Castle now, able to see it a short way ahead of him, but that was all he could see. The terrain that surrounded him was uneven enough to hide anyone that might be out there. Try as he did, he could not locate the shooter.

  He patted Temper on his side as a quiet command to stay. Matthew scoured the area around him, straining his eyes to see further ahead just in case the shooter was out of his range. He found no one.

  It must have been a hunter trying to find game. Perhaps he had misjudged Temper for another animal.

  Even as he told himself these very thoughts while he returned to Temper, he could hardly believe it. But what other reason could it be? Why would anyone try to kill him so plainly in the open?

  Matthew shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the incident yet it was to no avail. Though he repeated his reasoning in the back of his mind, the entire situation still struck him as odd.

  When he arrived at the Castle, he tucked it all away. He returned Temper to the stables, Georgie of course, rushing to his side to ask him questions about what he had purchased for Jonet. Matthew did not mind the questioning. If anything, he quite liked Georgie’s untethered curiosity. However, as he would do with Jonet, Matthew only gave him little hints, which lead to Georgie leaving him alone to figure it out on his own.

  Matthew entered the Castle and was told by one of the servants that Jonet was in the courtyard. He indeed found her there, talking with the maid he had learned was Freya.

  Freya noticed him first and she went stiff. He nodded his greeting at her, knowing she was not much of a talker and she nodded back, taking her leave.

  “Now look at what ye did,” Jonet drawled. “Ye scared away me maid.”

  “It looked as if ye were boring her anyway,” Matthew shot back with a grin. Jonet laughed. He sat next to her, letting her flowery scent settle around him before he handed her the wrapped sweet cakes. “For ye,” eh said.

  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?”

  “If there is then I will make sure to tell ye about it.” She leaned back in the bench and continued to eat her sweet cakes. “I still cannae believe ye went to the village to get these for me. That is very sweet of ye.”

  “Oh, ye think I did this because I wanted to be sweet?” he asked. “Nay, nay, I did this because ye will be doin’ somethin’ for me soon.”

  She froze, save for her mouth which chewed much slower. “Which is?”

  “Ye will be makin’ yer own sweet cakes for me.”

  Jonet’s eyes went wide. “I—what?”

  “Ye said ye would make them, didnae ye?” Matthew leaned forward. He was enjoying watching her grow flustered. They had fallen into a rhythm of easy banter, but now and again, Matthew obtained the upper hand and unnerved her.

  “I did but…”

  “Unless ye arenae as good as ye say ye are.”

  Jonet narrowed her eyes. “Stop tryin’ to taunt me. If ye want me to make ye some sweet cakes, then so be it. I’m nae afraid of makin’ anythin’.”

  “Afraid?” Matthew blinked confusedly at her. “Who said anythin’ about bein’ afraid?”

  She only punched him lightly in his arm, making him laugh.

  Talking to her like this made it easier not to think about what had happened, even though it lingered in the back of his mind. He knew it lingered in the back of hers as well, though she did well not to reveal it. He knew now that he should not have said anything. Telling her what happened only made things worse, made spiraling thoughts spring into her mind and bring her down a dark, dark hole.

  Matthew did not want her to go down that hole, even though he was slipping down it himself. He still repeated the excuse he had told himself in his head, aware that it was losing its luster. As odd as it sounded, it had to be something like that. Otherwise, that would mean that Jonet had been right all this time.

  He did not want to consider that possibility.

  Chapter 13

  Jonet had been praying all day and she did not think she would stop any time soon. Ever since Matthew had told her about his experience when returning to the Castle, she had been praying for his safety, even after he had managed to calm her down. She didn’t know how he managed to do it. Her hysteria had mounted to a place never seen before and he had managed to bring her back down to normalcy with a single kiss.

  God, I am truly beginning to like him, arenae I?

  Christal flicked the side of her head, making Jonet cry out. Jonet clutched the side of her head, looking at the cook in alarm.

  Christal only pointed to the bowl Jonet was working on. “Why do ye always do this?” was all she asked.

  Jonet looked down to see that she was already covered in flour. She gasped in surprise. She had only begun five minutes ago.

  Christal shook her head, looking very amused. “I cannae hardly believe how little ye’ve changed over the years. I would think that makin’ so many mistakes over and over again would force ye to take yer head out the clouds and focus on what ye’re doin’ but alas.”

  “Sorry,” Jonet mumbled. Suddenly aware that she had touched her head, she realized she must have flour in her hair as well. She had to look like a sorry sight.

  Thankfully, Matthew was not in the Castle. He had gone with her father, Dougal, and Jonathan to hunt for tonight’s dinner, leaving Jonet with the time to make the sweet cakes she had promised him.

  If only she could get herself together.

  Christal touched her arm, looking worriedly towards her. “Are ye all right, lass? It looks like ye have somethin’ on yer mind.”

  “I have always had somethin’ on me mind,” Jonet tried to joke, wincing a little when it fell flat.

  “Nae like this, ye daenae,” Christal complained. “Come. Sit and tell me all about it.”

  Jonet allowed her to steer her over to the stool that she would always sit on. “I may only be overthinkin’ things but…”

  “If it is botherin’ ye this much, then I daenae think it’s as much nonsense as ye claim. Now stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s gotten ye like this. Does it have to be with yer new betrothed?”

  “We’re nae betrothed,” Jonet protested. “We only happen to be courting’.”

  “Aye, courtin’ ye are, which will only lead to one thing. I daenae ken why ye insist on drawin’ a line between the two but if ye insist. Is it about the man ye are courtin’?”

  “Aye,” Jonet nodded. “This mornin’, he went to the village to get me sweet cakes because he remembered when I told him they were me favorite.”

  “How kind of him.”

  “It was,” she agreed. “But, on his way back he was attacked.”

  Christal’s jaw fell. “Attacked, ye say? By who?”

  Jonet shook her head. “I daenae ken. But he thinks it was an accident. An arrow shooting out of nowhere like, that must have come from a hunter of some sorts, he says. I just cannae believe it.”

  Christal frowned. She took Jonet’s hand, patting it gently and Jonet instantly knew what she was going to say. What they all say.

  “Daenae think about it too much. Ye weren’t there. It may very well be what he says and ye are only makin’ yer fears get the best of ye.”

  She knew as much. Christal was hardly saying anything to Jonet that she hadn’t heard before. She had thought about it nonstop since Matthew told her of the event. Jonet wanted to believe it was true with all her heart, but at the same time, she would pray in case it was not.

  “I daenae think I will be able to finish the sweet cakes today, Christal,” Jonet shook her head.

  “Well that’s all right. Ye barely started.”

  Jonet huffed a laugh. She looked down at herself, sighing. “I suppose I should go change. I should avoid Freya while I’m at it. I daenae think I can handle her judgment right now.”

  “Quite understandable,” Christal smiled. “Ye run along now
.”

  Jonet came to a stand at the dismissal and turned to take her leave. The moment she did, she spotted someone at the threshold. Her heart fell.

  “Matthew!”

  Yet he was not alone. Right behind him came her father, and Dougal, then Jonathan. They all looked at Jonet’s flour covered body and laughed, but they moved right along with the meat they carried. Only Matthew remained.

  Embarrassment colored her red. She wanted to run and hide from his sight, but her pride kept her there.