Free The Highlander's Lady by Eliza Knight

want to marry ye.”
    His confession took her breath away. She took a step back, unsure of herself and the worth he thrust onto her. “Why?”
    Daniel shrugged. “Ye are fair bonny, lass. Ye’re brave and I like my women strong in mind as well as body.”
    She was flattered that he’d noticed those things about her and that he liked them. Most were turned off by how not simperish she was. Myra was no Rose. She was not likely to do what her husband told her, and she was likely to get into trouble with the gust of the wind.
    “Thank ye.”
    “No thanks required. I didna say it to flatter ye, simply stating facts.”
    How could he make the nice things he’d said sound so horrid? Myra frowned, whatever warmth she’d gained from his praise dissipating.
    He was a man after all. ’Twasn’t like she could expect much. Why was she trying to make him out to be better than the others she’d known and met along the path of her life? He was exponentially better than the vagrants, but was he up to par with some of the other nobles that had visited Foulis?
    Her frown deepened and her fingers played distractedly with a string along the wrist of her once beautiful gown. She couldn’t understand why, but she did find him better. And he was ruining it by scowling and being so matter of fact.
    Refusing to let him dampe n her mood, Myra decided she would take the higher road. “Nonetheless, I thank ye. What did ye have in mind? I’ve no parchment paper, have ye? ’Haps when we arrive at Eilean Donan, or at an inn along the way, we could write up a contract of marriage.”
    Daniel shook his head. “Nay. Must be now.”
    “Now?”
    She glanced around. They had no way of getting parchment paper anywhere near here.
    “So ye’ve something in your sporran then or in your satchel on that warhorse ?”
    Daniel snickered, and Myra narrowed her eyes.
    “I’m of a mind to handfast, lass.”
    She took a step back. “Handfast?” Now she was the one shaking her head. That was not good. Handfasting wasn’t permanent, but it could be made so. If he bed ded her and she were to become with child…
    “Then ye did plan to run.” His voice hardened sending a chill through her.
    “Nay!” Myra shook her head vehemently, keenly aware of how alone she was with this man.
    “Why would ye deny a handfast then? ’Tis the best solution to our dilemma.”
    Myra didn’t see it that way. Nay, handfasting was as good as a wedding ceremony in her eyes. Would be harder to get out of too.
    “Who are ye?”
    “I told ye, I’m Daniel.”
    “Aye, but what of your clan?”
    Daniel stepped closer, and the air around her grew warmer . She had the urge to snuggle closer, to pull some of that heat off of him and onto herself. He was distracting her from what she needed to know.
    She took a nother step back.
    Daniel followed her, his toes nearly touching her own.
    “I am a relation to Andrew Moray—William Wallace’s leader until he passed. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”
    She nodded, although it only assuaged it somewhat.
    “Then we shall handfast.”
    Her face was so hot now, she swore it was going to burst into flames. He wouldn’t take no for an answer and she was fast running out of options.
    He gripped her hand s , those large calloused fingers scraping over overs. Myra forced her fingers not to tremble which only made her knees knock together. The intent look in his eyes scared her more than when she and Rose had come to the end of the tunnel and she had to go in search of horses. This was frightening in an entirely different way, for it looked like he would kiss her and she’d never been kissed before. Worse still, she wanted him to kiss her. No, nay, she didn’t!
    Myra swallowed, trying to catch her breath as his boots nudged into her feet.
    “I would handfast with ye, Myra, if ye’re to be my wife come spring.”
    She found herself nodding in agreement. Oh, wayward neck!
    Then he did bend down, eyes slightly closed, his black hair