Page 36 of Highland Sky

“I dinna need to,” Kellina answered. “I think the fact that he wouldna touch me on our weddin’ night answers that!”

“Tell me, what was his reasonin’ for no’ touchin’ ye?”

“What do ye mean? It was because he didna find me attractive or desirable.”

“I canna believe that. Is that what he said?”

“Well . . . nay. No’ exactly,” said Kellina, thinking back on what had really transpired in the wedding bed. “He said he had never forced himself on a lassie who didna want him, and that he wouldna do it to me, even if I was his wife.”

“And that doesna sound honorable and respectful to ye?” she asked.

“I suppose it does.”

“It sounds to me that he cares for ye and yer wishes too much to make ye do somethin’ ye didna want to do.”

“I didna want to marry him, and yet I had to do it.”

“That was yer uncle’s choice, but was it Nash’s as well?”

“I . . . guess no’,” Kellina answered, starting to think about this more. “I dinna believe he wanted to marry me either.”

“Ye are bein’ selfish, Kellina. Think about how Nash feels, too. Before ye dismiss him as yer husband, get to ken him a little. Find out exactly what is in his heart.”

“I – I suppose I could do that,” she said, starting to almost feel bad for Nash now. She’d been so angry with him that she didn’t take the time to think that he was in this situation, too, and feeling the same way.

“Ye have the people around ye that ye need, as much as they need ye. Ye are too blind to see it, and I’m afraid I canna do anythin’ to change that. I’ll stay until the mornin’, but only to help yer clan hunt for food. I’ll be headin’ back to Clan Gordon at first light.”

“But it’s too late to hunt now,” Kellina told her, hoping to find an excuse to talk with Spring some more, and to keep her from leaving. “It’s already gettin’ dark. We’ll never be able to catch a thing until first light. Mayhap we should try then instead.”

“Have faith,” said Spring with a smile. She pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and nocked it. Then she spun on her heel and let the arrow fly. “Let’s go see what we caught, shall we?” She headed away and Kellina followed.

“Ye couldna have possibly caught anythin’. It is nearly dark and –”

“Here, take this,” said Spring, picking up a dead rabbit, retrieving her arrow, and handing the animal by the ears to Kellina.

“That’s amazin’,” said Kellina in awe, holding the rabbit, inspecting Spring’s clean kill. “How did ye –” She stopped in midsentence when Spring released another arrow, and a bird fell from the sky to the ground at their feet.

“Is that a . . . grouse?” Kellina asked in amazement, bending down to see it clearly. “Ye just shot a grouse out of the darkening sky that I didna even ken was there.”

“Shhh,” said Spring, cocking her ear and listening. She turned her head and looked over the hill to a small cluster of brush. “There is a red deer over there that must have gotten separated from the others. I will hunt that next. It willna be hard to take it down. Deliver the kills back to camp and in five minutes, send a few of the men over to help me carry the deer carcass.”

“Ye are amazin’,” said Kellina, smiling from ear to ear. “Our clan will eat well tonight because of ye.”

“I used to be the hunter of the Gunn Clan,” explained Spring. “Since I married Shaw, he likes to do most of the huntin’ so I enjoy havin’ this chance once again.”

“Thank ye,” said Kellina, picking up the grouse in her free hand, watching Spring dash away. The woman was so brave, so skilled, and so strong. If she could marry her enemy and end up being in love with the man, then mayhap Kellina could do the same.

Kellina turned and headed down the hill, wondering what it would be like to actually make love with Nash. Or, at this point, even just to couple.