“I’ll look wherever I please, my love.” Duncan followed her, his chuckle floating back to her and Coll.
“Fiona.” Coll slanted his head at her, the fiery look in his eyes one she’d seen a time or two, one which meant a showdown was about to occur, and clearly currently between them. She could handle such though, was fully prepared for it. “In the morn, I’m taking you back to Ardan House, not Carron,” he muttered. “You’ll be safe with Duncan and Ella, because I’m certainly done with chasing you across these hills.”
“Why no’ your home?”
“Because my betrothed is due to arrive any day. We’ll be married by the end of the week.”
“If I return to Ardan with Duncan and Ella, then it willnae be for long.” Never could she remain so close to Carron if he did in fact speak vows with Elizabeth MacRae, although she wasn’t giving up the battle yet.
“And where will you go?” He snarled under his breath, the fierce sound rumbling within the darkened pull of the night.
“I certainly dinnae intend to marry a second time.” She shuddered at the thought of that. Aye, she’d considered her options often over the course of the past few months while at Carron as she’d awaited his return. Following Kyla’s marriage, she’d intended on speaking to Coll and telling him how deeply she loved him, had always loved him, and if he decided to spurn that love, then she’d thought it best for her to retire to the nunnery on the Isle of Iona. “I wish to use my empath ability to aid others, in whatever way that might be needed. My cousin has taken her vows at the abbey on Iona and she and I have always been close. I will have kin nearby if I join her there, and that is important to me. Does that arrangement suit you?” Let him see if he’d allow that.
The tic was back to pulsing in his jaw. “A nunnery is no place for you.”
“’Tis said no men are permitted within the abbey’s walls.” She would fight for him, push him however she could to get him to see reason.
“Aye, you’d forever remain beyond my reach.”
“Then are we agreed on the abbey?” She extended her hand, held it out for him to shake.
“I’d no longer be able to even speak with you.” He glared at her hand.
“Surely that sounds like a blessing, hmmm?” She raised a brow, pushed her hand out further. “Since you insist we arena soul bound and all.”
“I will never agree to you entering Iona Abbey.” Snapping his teeth together, he swept her up in his arms and tossed her over his shoulder.
Her belly thumped into his rock hard shoulder and her breath whooshed from her. “Coll MacKenzie, put me down.”
“You’ve been beyond my reach for the past sixteen months and now that you’re right here with me, you speak of entering a damn nunnery.” He clamped one hand over the backs of her legs as he stormed down the steep incline, his horse clomping behind him with naught but a short whistle issued. “You’ll stay at Ardan with Duncan and Ella, and go nowhere else. Am I understood?”
“Please, be careful. I dinnae wish for you to topple over the side of this cliff and take me with you when you do. I value my life.” She thumped his backside since it swayed within easy reach, her red hair dangling down to his knees. Oh, and what a fine looking backside he had too. So deliciously firm and when she smoothed one hand over each of his tight cheeks, she struggled to draw in a decent breath.
“Fiona.” One low growl.
“Aye, my mate.”
“There is a grave difference between knowing I cannae see you, and knowing I’ll never see you.” He stomped onward.
“I harbor the same fear when it comes to you. You intend on speaking vows with another woman and if you do, I’ll never forgive you.” Such a heavy ache throbbed in her heart. “You walked away from me sixteen months ago, left me without once looking back, and I’d honestly harbored the hope back then that you’d ride in and halt my marriage to Matthew from occurring.”
“I agreed to wed Elizabeth afore I ever knew of your widowed state.” Pain laced each of his words, his grip on her legs tightening. “And I couldnae return to you and halt your marriage to Matthew when my marriage to Kyla was all but inevitable. I couldnae forsake her.”
“Yet you’ll forsake me now, your own soul bound mate.”
“You arenae my mate.” He bounded from the trail onto the flat land, drew his horse around then slung her from his shoulder straight into his destrier’s saddle. She landed with a creak of the leather and her hair all a-tumble about her face.
Shoving it back, she glared at him. “We are mated,” she huffed. “You’ve been chasing me all day and there is only one reason for you to do so.”