A thrashing sound behind us drew Jamie’s attention. Looking over my head, he dropped his hand from my face, his posture alert.
I turned to see a fawn, its liquid eyes wide and unblinking, a cluster of leaves forgotten in its mouth. Half expecting it to trot over to us like an animal in a fairy tale, I held very still.
“’Tis but a wee babe,” Jamie whispered close to my ear. “When I was a lad, I tried to keep one as a pet.”
In a blink, the fawn whipped around, showing us the cottony underside of its tail as it leapt back into the forest.
Turning, I asked, “What happened with your deer?”
He grinned, and I could see him as a little blond boy, dirt smudged on his dimpled cheeks.
“I lured it into the castle with a trail of raspberries. But my ma wouldna have any of it. Said deer droppings were not an appropriate addition to the castle motif.”
I burst out laughing at the image of the spoiled princeling thwarted by his mother, the pragmatic queen.
“Come. We’re almost there.” He tugged my hand and we set off together up the path.
The rocky trail opened onto a plateau, surrounded by forest and guarded on three sides by soaring mountains.
“Oh.” It was an inadequate response, but the beauty of the glen that lay before us stole my breath—and apparently my ability to form words.
Jamie squeezed my hand in understanding. “Worth the hike, eh?”
“Absolutely.”
Hand in hand, we stepped off the path and into a rainbow of prairie grass and wildflowers, our movement releasing a fusion of bright, sweet perfume that I wished I could bottle and save for a rainy day.
“I’ve taken the liberty of selectin’ a spot for us on the far side o’ the glade. Are you hungry?”
I tore my gaze away from the deep-red poppies, golden buttercups, and delicate bluebells brushing my skirt to glance at the impossibly gorgeous guy gazing down at me, and felt a little faint. Whatever happened in the future, I had to stop analyzing Jamie’s every move and seize this moment. Taste it, touch it, smell it, feel it—etch the memory forever in my heart.
A smile burst from deep inside me. “Yes, ravenous, and thirsty too.”
With an amused grin, he hefted the basket in his hand like a dumbbell. “Well, ye’re in luck then. By the weight of this thing, I’d say Fiona packed us a right feast!”
Down a short hill and across a gurgling stream, we found Jamie’s perfect spot and spread out a tartan blanket under the trees.
I stepped onto the fluttering plaid cloth and sat with my legs crossed under my skirt. “So, how did you find this place?”
“As lads, Duncan and I made it our life’s goal to explore every inch of Doon.”
Jamie moved to the opposite side of the blanket, lowered himself to one knee, and began unpacking our lunch. “As large as Doon is, it is finite, and what adventure is to be found …” He glanced up, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Well, two lads such as m’ brother and I were determined to find it.”
“Did you accomplish your goal then? Have you seen every inch of the kingdom?” I asked before popping a grape into my mouth.
A cloud passed over his eyes as he looked at me. “Aye. Every glade, forest glen, and mountain peak.”
As he spread out the amazing selection of food, the tension in his shoulders lessened, but he remained pensive. I wanted to say something cute to distract him, but nothing came to mind, so I busied myself filling my plate with cheeses, fresh rye bread, fruit, and a variety of salads. A feast fit for a king, I thought as a tense giggle slipped from my lips.
“Lemonade?”
“Yes, please.” I punctuated the two words by another giggle. Now that we’d stopped moving, my nerves were catching up to me.