Tess and the Highlander (5 page)

He made another mumbling sound, as if he were
asleep, and turned onto his side.

Colin had been trying to imagine the different
possibilities of how someone like her might have arrived on this
island. From all accounts he could recall, the couple who lived
here before were far too old to produce someone as young as this.
So she was either brought here and abandoned, or she too had washed
ashore. But when? And who was she? And who were her people?

He contemplated letting her know that he was awake,
but the sight that moved before his half-closed eyes stopped him.
She approached the hearth and quietly placed small pieces of
driftwood on the fire.

Colin held his breath as she stood stretching the
muscles in her back. Her long hair, an unbound mass of waves and
ringlets, hung nearly to her waist. Flecks of gold reflected in her
auburn locks from the firelight crackling to life beside her. She
cast a hesitant glance in his direction, and he closed his eyes a
little more.

A moment later, he opened them again and found her
washing her face with water in a basin. From a leather pouch, she
repeatedly filled a cup—a large shell, actually—and drank the water
down. As she did, Colin’s eyes were riveted to the smooth and
beautifully shaped column of her neck.

Something about him drew her attention, for
she lowered the cup and caught him watching her. Her entire body
became tense.

“Good morning. Or is it the night?”

“Morning…nay, ’tis night falling.” She
quickly corrected herself while cautiously laying the cup
aside.

He propped himself casually on one elbow,
hopeful that she wouldn’t feel threatened. “Did you sleep
well?”

She gave a curt nod and glanced nervously
toward the door.

“You were so cold, and I was truly concerned
that you would have caught a chill or fever after spending so many
hours outside.” He sat up on the bedding. She took a nervous step
toward the door.

“Please don’t go.”

Her wary look shifted to him. From the
narrow windows, he could see that night had already spread its
thick blanket across the island. The howl of the wind through the
openings was indication enough that the brutal weather was
continuing.

“I shall go, if you like,” he said quietly.
He straightened the blankets around him and started pulling on the
boots that he’d taken off earlier in the day. They were still wet.
“This is your house. You need not spend another night out in this
storm.”

She glanced at him, then at the door, and
without another word she started for the door.

Colin was on his feet and had put himself in
her path the next instant. “You do know that there is a storm still
battering this island,” he asked shortly.

She gave a small nod and tried to go around
him. He blocked her path again.

“Don’t you think I deserve an explanation?”
He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “By St. Andrew, I must tell
you I am tired of these silly games you women enjoy playing.”

“What games?” she asked in bewilderment.

“These games of pretense—of acting coy and hard to
please.” He held up an accusing finger before she could speak. “And
don’t give me that innocent look like you don’t know what I am
talking about. By now, you know perfectly well that I can be
trusted. How many men do you think sail these waters who would not
have taken advantage of this situation?”

“What does the behavior of sailors have to do with
me going out?” She had a very expressive face, and it was showing
her perplexity.

“What is your name?”

She successfully stepped around him. “I have
to go.”

“Wait. We need to talk about this.
Considering everything, we can both stay the night here, warm and
dry, like two civilized people.” He managed to put an arm in the
doorway to block her path again. “I shan’t bother you…”

Obvious frustration creased her brow. “I
have to go outside.” She went under his arm.

“Wait!” As Colin turned to go after her,
more shells crunched under the sole of his boots. He cursed the
annoying clutter the woman lived with.

She was fast. He caught up to the stubborn
creature again halfway down the dark stairs. Before he could grab
her by the elbow, she turned sharply to him, her hands out to hold
him off.

“Do not come after me,” she snapped
impatiently. “I told you, I have to go outside.”

“But why? I have already offered…”

“Look, I was brought up with the
understanding that there are some things people must do for
themselves. Do I need to say any more?”

Suddenly, Colin felt like a complete idiot.
“Ah. You could have explained this to me before...”

She shook her head and hurried down before
he could finish what he was saying.

“You
are
coming back, aren’t
you?”

Colin noticed that in her rush she didn’t
even stop to grab her cloak from the bottom of the stairs before
going out. He didn’t move, though, wondering if this had been all a
ruse and the headstrong woman was running across the island this
very minute. Not that he would stop her forcibly if she was
determined to go…er, hide. But it would be nice to know his
honorable conduct was somehow appreciated. It wasn’t too much to
ask her to trust him until this storm was over, was it? He was
still waging this silent argument with himself when the door
opened, and she blew in amidst the wind and rain.

Her steps were much lighter. Her attitude
much less tense. She climbed up couple of steps toward him but then
stopped.

“I guess ‘twould be better if we started all
over again.”

She continued to study him as if she was
trying to make up her mind about whether it was really safe to come
up the stairs, or not.

“My name is Colin Macpherson,” he announced.
“You found me yourself yesterday on the rocks.”

He realized that her gaze was focused on the
dirk that he had once again put back in its sheath at his belt. He
understood her fear. She went down a step when his hand went to
it.

“You can have this, if it makes you feel any
better.” Even in the darkness of the stairwell, he could see her
watching his every movement as he took out the weapon and held the
handle in her direction. “I will be appreciative though, if you
promise to not use it on me.”

Colin waited patiently while she studied him
some more. “I will also be grateful if you decided to spare my
clothes, as well. I know they are not in very fine shape, but they
are all I have here and, considering the weather...”

Finally, she climbed up and hesitantly
reached for the preferred weapon.

“Will I be safe?” he pressed in a lighter
tone, hoping to ease her nervousness.

After she gave him a quick nod, Colin
started backing up the steps. He couldn’t understand it, but
somehow winning her trust really mattered.

“I see you have a very interesting
collection of
things
upstairs.”

She tucked the weapon in a pocket of the
dress and started climbing up, too.

“In case you are interested in adding my
dirk to your miscellany…” As he backed into the large chamber, the
sound of crunching shells drew a curse from his lips. “By the
devil…”

“This is better.” She was biting her lips to hide a
smile.

“
What
is better?”

“Saying what you think and feel, instead of
playing these games with words.”

“Games with words?”

She shrugged. “I know what you were trying
to do. But I am not afraid of you.”

Colin extended his hand at her. “Then can I
have my dagger back?”

“Nay, you cannot.” She went around him and
walked toward the fire.

He turned, managing to crush more shells.
“Why, in the name of St. Andrew, MUST you keep these bloody…?”

“Colin Macpherson.” She glanced over her
shoulder at him and actually smiled. “A little restraint is good,
too.”

She was even more beautiful when she smiled,
he thought. “Who are you?”

“Tess.”

“Tess,” he repeated, liking the sound of the
name. Colin tried to pay attention to where he was stepping as he
followed her. “Do you live here alone, Tess?”

“Nay…there are others.” Despite her
immediate answer, she couldn’t hide the shade of color staining her
cheeks. “My father…and my…my older brothers…”

He glanced about the room. As he’d noticed
before, everything from the sparse furnishings to the few utensils
indicated that only one person lived here.

“But they are on the mainland now,” she
blurted out, reading his thoughts. “They were out fishing when the
storm swept in. I
assume
they must be on the mainland.” She
shrugged and moved toward the hearth. “They are very good water
folk. They’ll be worrying about me out here alone. Aye, I should
think they’ll be getting back anytime.”

She was lying and Colin knew it. And she was
nervous again. He’d seen the two recently dug graves last night.
And he’d never heard any sailor speak of anyone other than the
keeper and his wife living on this island. But, of course, there
never had been any talk of Tess, either. He decided to let the
subject rest…for now.

She was attempting to stir the contents of
the cauldron. “Did I destroy your food last night by moving it from
the fire?”

“This is not food.”

“Then what is it?”

She pulled out the spoon and let the
congealed mixture drop back into the pot. “Some of the sheep have
foot rot…from the wet.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “You
didn’t try to eat this, did you?”

He swallowed hard. “Not successfully.”

She smiled, and Colin was enchanted again.
She hefted the cauldron aside and pushed herself to her feet. “So I
assume you won’t be hungry for awhile.”

“I am starving.”

“So am I.” She pulled down a piece of smoked
fish hanging from the beams overhead.

“Can I be any help to you?” The crunching
sound of shells under his boots made him wince.

“Aye. You can stop crushing my shells with
every step you take.”

Colin glanced down at the hundreds of
annoying items spread everywhere. He had managed to grind a good
many of them into dust already. “Why do you need so many, and why
can’t you pile them all in one place, so they are not
underfoot…”

“Why can’t you watch where you step?”

He took the broom that she handed him. “I
asked my question first.”

“Aye, but this is
my
place. I can do
as I wish. You asked to help. I am giving you a chance. Why don’t
you start?”

He planted his hands atop the handle of the broom
and watched her move around the room, preparing their meal. “I
thought you said you live here with your father and brothers.”

“I do.” She avoided looking at him.

“Then why did you say…
my
place?”

“I was speaking for all of us.”

“How many brothers do you have Tess?”

“Two…three.”

“And did your sister go with them too?”

“She did.”

“But you didn’t say anything about your sister
before, Tess.”

“You keep talking, and you shan’t finish your job.
And the way I was brought up, if you don’t work, you don’t
eat.”

“Tell me, Tess. Why is it that you haven’t the
accent of the folk who fish these waters?”

“That does it!” She turned sharply on him, a frown
darkening her fair features. “You are going out this instant.”

“Not so fast, lassie. You can see I’m working.” With
a smile, he started sweeping the broom across the floor. As she
returned to her own tasks, Colin also started sweeping up undamaged
seashells along with the shards of broken ones. He glanced up at
her back. “I never thanked you properly for saving my life.”

“Well, you might thank me by not getting rid of
things that I value.”

She hadn’t turned, but she’d known what he was up
to. “Are you sure you are not a faerie, lass?”

Tess turned slowly where she stood and shot him a
mysterious look. “Perhaps I am. And perhaps you should leave off
your talking and not rile my temper.”

“I see.” He contained the smile that was pulling at
his lips. “And what will you do if I don’t do as I am told?”

Tess scooped a spoonful of the hoof medicine out of
the cauldron.

“I feed you this for your supper. Any more
questions?”

The dying fire in the hearth cast an amber glow over
the chamber, sparking and crackling from time to time as a knot of
brine-soaked driftwood crumbled into the embers. Sheets of
wind-driven rain battered the stout walls, and crystalline mists
drifted into the room though the narrow windows. Sometimes, a gust
of wind would chase the acrid smelling smoke back down through the
chimney, but Tess—lying contently on her bedding—was oblivious to
all but the Highlander as he slept across the room.

Until tonight, she hadn’t realized how much she
missed the company of another human being. She had her animals, her
gardens, her weaving, her fishing…all the tasks of living that
needed to be done if one were to survive alone on an island. She
had her shell collecting to keep her busy, as well. She had only
occasionally thought about having no one to talk to, but now she
realized that she missed hearing another human voice. And even more
than that, Tess realized that even when Auld Charlotte and Garth
were alive, she’d never known what it felt like to have a companion
who was interested in her, who challenged her…and who tested her
patience every other minute.

And, to be truthful, she loved the feeling.

Garth and Charlotte had been patient and kind, but
very quiet compared to this stranger. They rarely spoke to each
other, and for the most part, they would only speak to her to
instruct. And though they had genuinely cared for her, Tess had
always felt a barrier. Once, while she was helping Garth clean some
fish they’d caught in their nets, he’d looked out across the water.
A great ship with billowing white sails was moving southward.
Without looking at her, Garth said that one day a ship would come
and take her away from them. He’d said nothing else—and it had
never come to be—but she’d realized that day that they were
protecting themselves and their feelings. They knew they could lose
her at any time.