Margaret's tone was sharp.
Sabrina blinked. "Ian." Indeed, who else could she have meant?
Margaret did not look pleased. "Nay," she said shortly.
Sabrina's lips parted. "Never?" she whispered.
"Such things should be done only between husband and wife. And we are not yet
husband and wife."
Margaret's voice rapped out; she was obviously affronted by such audacity.
"Why do you ask such a thing?"
Why, indeed… Because she had wanted to know what it was like to be kissed by
Ian… because she'd thought he was going to kiss her, and she'd wondered what it
would be like if he had… because she had kissed Jamie and she wanted to know if
it was the same…
Oh, but her mind was all amuddle! And all at once she was deeply ashamed that
she had kissed Jamie, for Margaret made it sound so—so wrong. But was it wrong?
She and Jamie would someday be husband and wife…
"I- I don't know," she stammered. Gathering herself well in hand, she
summoned a smile. "It’s just me, Margaret, being silly and fanciful again. Now
go and have your game of chess with Alasdair."
Margaret cast her a glance that proclaimed she'd surely lost her mind—and
mayhap she had. But already Margaret was gliding toward the door.
"Good night, Sabrina," was all she said.
"Good night, Margaret."
It was a long, long time before Sabrina slipped into the arms of slumber.
Before she did, she prayed she might dream of her beloved… of Jamie.
Dream she did… but not of Jamie. Nay, it was Ian’s strong features who
flitted through the darkest realm of her mind.
Little did she realize it was much the same in the chamber down the hall.
For Ian, too, sought to fill his mind with visions of the beauty he would
soon wed…
Instead he dreamed of Sabrina.
It was early the next afternoon when Edna sought out Sabrina where she was
checking stores in the larder.
"My lady," she whispered, then beckoned to her.
Sabrina quickly stowed her keys in the pouch fastened to her gown and hurried
to where the maid lurked in the doorway.
"What is it, Edna?"
"Your Jamie wishes to meet you at the pond, my lady,” the maid told her. "As
soon as you are able."
Sabrina bit her lip. She hated the doubt that crowded her mind, but she was
all at once reminded how Edna had revealed to Ian what she would have preferred
remain secret.
"Tell no one of this, Edna." Her tone was unusually stern. Within her eyes
was a silent warning. "Do you understand?"
Edna's gaze flitted away. "Aye, mum," she said in a tiny voice.
Sabrina squeezed the girl's shoulder to soften the sting. She could not find
it in her heart to be angry with her. "You are a dear, Edna," she said softly.
"Should anyone ask, you know not where I am."
Edna nodded. Sabrina's steps carried her quickly away. She departed the keep
from a little-used entrance next to the stables.
The day was warm and bright, alive with the scents and sounds of late summer.
Slivers of sunlight streaked through the treetops high above. The air vibrated
with the hum of insects. Birds shrieked to one another, heedless of the visitor
below.
At last the pond came into view. Sabrina halted.
The sweep of her gaze scanned the clearing. Where, she wondered, was he…
?
A tall figure stepped out from behind a stand of trees, tall and handsome,
clad in rough linen shirt and leggings.
"Jamie!"
With a cry, Sabrina picked up her skirts. Her heartbeat quickened as she
hurtled toward him. He caught her close. She clung to him and buried her face
against his chest, craving the security only his presence could bring .. needing
desperately to drive away the haunting dreams of a dark-visaged face with eyes
that glimmered like steel.
Jamie's low voice, grainy-rough with an edge of laughter, rushed past her
ear. "With a welcome like this, I do believe I should stay away more often."
A wisp of a smile curled her lips. Suddenly she felt rather foolish indeed.
"I missed you."
One thick golden brow hiked upward. "So I
Sabrina blinked. "Ian." Indeed, who else could she have meant?
Margaret did not look pleased. "Nay," she said shortly.
Sabrina's lips parted. "Never?" she whispered.
"Such things should be done only between husband and wife. And we are not yet
husband and wife."
Margaret's voice rapped out; she was obviously affronted by such audacity.
"Why do you ask such a thing?"
Why, indeed… Because she had wanted to know what it was like to be kissed by
Ian… because she'd thought he was going to kiss her, and she'd wondered what it
would be like if he had… because she had kissed Jamie and she wanted to know if
it was the same…
Oh, but her mind was all amuddle! And all at once she was deeply ashamed that
she had kissed Jamie, for Margaret made it sound so—so wrong. But was it wrong?
She and Jamie would someday be husband and wife…
"I- I don't know," she stammered. Gathering herself well in hand, she
summoned a smile. "It’s just me, Margaret, being silly and fanciful again. Now
go and have your game of chess with Alasdair."
Margaret cast her a glance that proclaimed she'd surely lost her mind—and
mayhap she had. But already Margaret was gliding toward the door.
"Good night, Sabrina," was all she said.
"Good night, Margaret."
It was a long, long time before Sabrina slipped into the arms of slumber.
Before she did, she prayed she might dream of her beloved… of Jamie.
Dream she did… but not of Jamie. Nay, it was Ian’s strong features who
flitted through the darkest realm of her mind.
Little did she realize it was much the same in the chamber down the hall.
For Ian, too, sought to fill his mind with visions of the beauty he would
soon wed…
Instead he dreamed of Sabrina.
It was early the next afternoon when Edna sought out Sabrina where she was
checking stores in the larder.
"My lady," she whispered, then beckoned to her.
Sabrina quickly stowed her keys in the pouch fastened to her gown and hurried
to where the maid lurked in the doorway.
"What is it, Edna?"
"Your Jamie wishes to meet you at the pond, my lady,” the maid told her. "As
soon as you are able."
Sabrina bit her lip. She hated the doubt that crowded her mind, but she was
all at once reminded how Edna had revealed to Ian what she would have preferred
remain secret.
"Tell no one of this, Edna." Her tone was unusually stern. Within her eyes
was a silent warning. "Do you understand?"
Edna's gaze flitted away. "Aye, mum," she said in a tiny voice.
Sabrina squeezed the girl's shoulder to soften the sting. She could not find
it in her heart to be angry with her. "You are a dear, Edna," she said softly.
"Should anyone ask, you know not where I am."
Edna nodded. Sabrina's steps carried her quickly away. She departed the keep
from a little-used entrance next to the stables.
The day was warm and bright, alive with the scents and sounds of late summer.
Slivers of sunlight streaked through the treetops high above. The air vibrated
with the hum of insects. Birds shrieked to one another, heedless of the visitor
below.
At last the pond came into view. Sabrina halted.
The sweep of her gaze scanned the clearing. Where, she wondered, was he…
?
A tall figure stepped out from behind a stand of trees, tall and handsome,
clad in rough linen shirt and leggings.
"Jamie!"
With a cry, Sabrina picked up her skirts. Her heartbeat quickened as she
hurtled toward him. He caught her close. She clung to him and buried her face
against his chest, craving the security only his presence could bring .. needing
desperately to drive away the haunting dreams of a dark-visaged face with eyes
that glimmered like steel.
Jamie's low voice, grainy-rough with an edge of laughter, rushed past her
ear. "With a welcome like this, I do believe I should stay away more often."
A wisp of a smile curled her lips. Suddenly she felt rather foolish indeed.
"I missed you."
One thick golden brow hiked upward. "So I
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