Dragon Knight's Ring (Order of the Dragon Knights Book 5) by Mary Morgan

Meggie saw deep sorrow reflected in his eyes. “And they loved ye very much.” He dropped his hand and moved away from her.
    Her fingers brushed over her chin, reveling in his simple touch. Tears blurred her vision. Try as she might, this small amount of knowledge did nothing to jog the memories locked within her mind. “Did ye know them long? Work with or for them?”
    He shook his head. “They had dealings with my brothers, but naught with me.”
    “Do your brothers live around here? Is this why you’re here?”
    “They are long dead.”
    Meggie’s heart softened a wee bit for the man standing before her. “Then we are orphans. No parents. No siblings.” Seeing his frown, she gave him a broad smile. “Are ye truly here to help me with my memories? Did Archie send for ye?”
    “Truth?” he asked as he prepared to toss out another rock.
    “Yes,” she answered with a snort. The man beguiled her.
    Adam let loose the stone, and Meggie counted seven bounces until it splashed in the water.
    “Aye. I am here to help ye get back your memories. No one sent for me. I thought ye had died moons ago.”
    Meggie thought him demented earlier, but in the short time talking with him, she found a soothing calmness—one of trust. And even though he had the appearance of a medieval man, she realized for the first time in several years, he could possibly restore her lost past.
    Ciar came trotting up beside her. She took the reins and patted him gently. “Do ye prefer to ride your great beast, instead of a vehicle?”
    “There is no other,” he replied, giving her a look of bewilderment.
    Meggie tried to probe the animal with her mind to get more information, but Ciar was as stubborn as his master. The horse only shared his name and travels, and promptly closed his mind off to her. For a brief moment, she sensed recognition from Ciar— excitement flared within the beast, but he quickly closed off any more emotions.
    And Meggie was curious.
    When she turned to look at Adam, she saw him gazing up at the sky again. Where had the man been hiding that he would not know about airplanes?
    “Are ye staying nearby?” She stroked Ciar’s mane, fearing he would take her earlier request and get on his horse and leave.
    Adam waved his hand outward. “Aye. I will take shelter in the trees.”
    A traveler or gypsy , she concluded. “Absolutely not!” She hesitated on her next decision, but decided to throw caution to the winds. “Lucas has been harping for some time about hiring a man to help out in the stables. There’s a room ye can have next to the kitchens. I cannot pay ye much, since the place belongs to Lucas and our other cousins, but I’m sure he will not mind your help.” Meggie made a sweeping gesture with her hand outward. “He wants to bring tourists here for horseback riding along the loch—believes it will add extra income to the estate.” She shielded her eyes from the sun as she glanced across the stream, envisioning people on horses as Lucas told them stories of the past.
    “Work for the MacKay?” he asked, and she could hear the bitterness in those words.
    Adam stared at her, and Meggie became increasingly uneasy under his scrutiny. She should just tell him to get lost—go back deeper into the Highlands. Awkwardly, she cleared her throat. “Nae. Ye would be working for me, since I’m in charge of the horses. In fact, all the animals at Castle Aonach.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared back at him.
    His smile was as intimate as a kiss before he nodded and turned back toward the water. “I shall do your bidding, my lady.”
    By the gods, the man’s dimples transformed a hardened look into a sensual one, and Meggie could have sworn her heart stopped beating. “Goo… good ,” she coughed, clearing her throat. “I’ll go inform Lucas.”
    However, Meggie stayed to watch Adam toss out his last stone. This time it skipped ten times. “I think I’m in trouble with you,” she whispered,