Shawna stared at her, stunned. She looked around to see whether Edwina might have been overheard.
Brother Damian remained in his back booth, eyes upon them. Shawna turned and was dismayed to see that Fergus Anderson had taken a seat up at the bar, and was smirking now, indeed having heard every word the woman had said.
“Did ye hear that, Evan, eh? Y’er cousin Edwina here is telling our fine Lady MacGinnis that David Douglas lives!” He fell into a gale of laughter. “Alas, Edwina, be off with you! Leave the poor lady alone. They say the pair were destined to marry, yet what horror she’d have with a burned and shriveled corpse of a man!”
“Fergus!” came a roar from the tavern’s door. Fergus cast his hand to his eyes to shield them from the sudden last streaks of golden daylight that flooded in upon them from the opening of the door.
“Why, ’tis the savage!” Fergus muttered to the man at his side.
Sabrina Connor was suddenly up, slapping Fergus across the face. “Don’t you call my brother-in-law a savage, you sodden dreg!” she snapped.
Shawna was just as quickly up beside her, coming between Sabrina and Fergus as the man leaped to his feet to do drunken battle. But it didn’t matter. Hawk Douglas had been at the door, and he now advanced among them, catching Fergus by his lapels and drawing him close. “I don’t take kindly to drunkards discussing my brother—alive or dead. You’ve had enough. Go home, Fergus.”
Fergus stood dead still, staring at Hawk. “Lairds, ladies—and savages!” he muttered. “They rule over all and think that they can take your life, your time—aye, even a man’s bairns!”
“Nothing’s been taken from you, Fergus,” Shawna said angrily. “Everything’s been done for you!”
“How’s me wee boy doing, Lady Shawna?” Fergus demanded.
“Your lad is in fine hands,” she assured him.
“Go on, Fergus, get out,” Hawk said, releasing the man.
Fergus adjusted his collar rebelliously, then left the tavern. Shawna was startled at the way Hawk’s eyes touched hers, for he seemed neither distrustful nor angry. “His lad?”
“The child nearly died in the mines the other day. He was rescued by—’’ She hesitated. “He miraculously made it out. I’ve given him work at Castle Rock. I hope you approve.”
“Immensely.”
By then, Skylar Douglas was at her husband’s side, Gawain and Aidan had arrived, and a fair amount of confusion began in greetings and explanations.
Shawna noted that Brother Damian seemed to have slipped out
And that Sabrina Connor remained an ashen shade throughout the evening, her color changing only when she happened to glance Shawna’s way.
Then her cheeks turned crimson.
Feeling exceptionallytired and eager to be alone, Shawna managed to leave the tavern ahead of the others.
Night was just falling when she rode back toward Castle Rock. Beautiful yet eerie streaks of light in shades of gold and crimson seemed to splash down upon the landscape, reflecting off the distant Druid Stones. Enchanted by the sight, Shawna drew her horse to a halt by a shadowed copse of trees and there dismounted, leaning against a tree and staring toward the hill where the Druid Stones rose.
She was there several long moments before she turned to gaze at the crest of a small hill just at the end of the copse. A man stood there. A kilted Highlander, caught in a silhouette in the strange shadows of the dying day. He seemed very tall, facing the wind, as strong as the rock upon which he stood. Then quite suddenly, he moved, and Shawna realized that he was coming toward her. She recalled in that instant that an attempt had been made on her life, and she turned swiftly in panic, determined to reach her horse and ride hard for Castle Rock and safety.
“Shawna!” she heard, and she paused, spinning around. The Highlander had come down from his hill. David walked toward her in the golden glow of the setting sun, handsome in the radiance of color in which he had been caught. She had seen him only in darkness until now, she realized. Only in shadow.
By daylight, she thought, he was as dazzling as the rays of the sun. She wanted to run to him. She wanted to throw her arms around him. She wanted to be plucked up in the strength of his arms, held tenderly against him. But suspicions and accusations remained, and only in the shadow of night could she allow herself to touch him.
He paused before her, the breeze catching his dark hair, blowing it against the strong contours of his face.
“David. In the flesh. By daylight. My laird, I am honored,” she said and curtsied, a small smile playing upon her lips.
“Honored, indeed!” he retorted, and she was suddenly where she wanted to be, lifted into his arms, held against his chest…
And hurried into the shadows of the copse.
Still, the sweet scent of the foliage surrounded them. Streaks of crimson and gold fought their way through the high-arching branches of the trees to continue to cast the colors of daylight upon them. He strode with her to a group of huge rocks that sat by a bubbling stream as if they had been cast there by the careless hand of a Titan. He seated her upon one, then set hisown booted foot upon it before crossing his arms over his chest in what seemed to be the stern mode of the Highland men who filled her life.
“What in God’s name are you doing alone?” he demanded.