Free The Accidental Highland Hero by Terry Spear

it all the more easy to feign interest. She moved like an angel, gliding down the steps, her narrow hips swaying slightly, the movement of her skirt rustling, her hand feather light on his arm.  She had the bearing of a fine lady and would give Catriona a good deal of competition. Except that he had no knowledge of who Eilis truly was, and he would exercise no true interest in her, except to attempt this pretense.
    He recalled the look on her face, flushed with embarrassment when he had overheard her comment in the guest chamber.
    Then this shall be an interesting game. I have nay interest in His Lairdship, and he has none in me.
    Yet, he did not believe she was uninterested in him. Not the way she had challenged him earlier with her entrancing eyes. Although for now, she avoided looking at him and seemed much more demure. Had the fever, mayhap being delirious, emboldened her?  And now that the fever had passed, she was like so many of the other women he had considered in marriage, afraid of him, unable to measure up?
    He sighed deeply. ‘Twould not be soon enough before Catriona arrived.
    His mother and Eanruig watched from the first floor of the keep, as if he was leading his bride to the feast after the celebration. He was only taking a walk with the lass, naught more. He wished his people wouldn’t insinuate further than that.
    They walked outside into the inner bailey where the blacksmith pounded a sword on an anvil, sending sparks flying and stone masons worked on the south wall, heaving the heavy stones in place. But everyone stopped what they were doing to watch His Lairdship walking with the lady, an unusual sight for him to be sure, but they need not be so obvious about it.
    Eilis seemed mortified, staring straight ahead, looking at no one, as if terrified to see what they thought. Was it so bad to be seen with him?
    Aye, she said she had no interest in him, yet, he had observed the way she looked at him with those sea green eyes of hers. He intrigued her, even if she tried to deny it. Unless, she was truly a Dunbarton and was afraid he would discover the truth.
    He took a deep breath. If she did not quit acting so afraid of him, the ruse would not be a success when Catriona arrived. “Have you regained any of your memories, Eilis?”
    “Nay.”
    Her answer was not what he wished to hear. Walking her into the herb gardens, he asked, “Have you found everything to your liking here?”
    “Aye.”
    Och, if she did not help with the conversation at all, he could not suffer another moment with her.
    “Does it truly distress you to be putting on this charade, lass?”
    “I…”  She looked up at him, her eyes misty with tears. “I…I have never been courted before…I do not think.”
    For a moment, he stared at her in surprise then he couldn’t help smiling. “Ah, that is the only difficulty.” He had to remind himself she might still be wed, or that men might have courted her, but that she couldn’t remember. Still, the notion he might be the first filled him with a sense of intrigue.
    Her innocence was refreshing—since ladies oft made their interest in him known, although for many he had no intention of dallying with the likes of them—but she did not push herself on him like the others did. She neither batted her eyelashes nor gave him winsome smiles designed to solicit his interest. That was what intrigued him most about her, he thought.
    “Mayhap I can help your memories return.” He motioned to the variety of flowers blooming in the garden. “Which, if any of these, is your favorite?”
    She pulled away from him, knelt beside creeping ladies tresses, and touched the creamy white petals. Her golden red hair swept the flowers, and she looked as pretty as any of the varieties blooming there. “The sweet scent of the blossoms and the way the flowers look like ladies’ braided hair is why I like these the best.” She waved at purple heather planted nearby. “And the flowers of the heather