At the Laird's bidding - completed

Chapter Four

Mockingly Ana placed her hands on her waist. "Don't get any ideas lassie, Ross only marries a Campbell, its tradition," she mimicked Mary. "You'll only a Stewart of inferior bloodlines." Malcolm shook his head. Ana moaned. "He's behind me, isn't he?" she mouthed. "Of course I love to go riding with you Malcolm, if you don't mind been seen with a Stewart?" she asked sweetly.

"Nice try Stewart," Andrew growled behind her to have her swing around with wide green eyes.

"Oh, you startled me Laird, you really shouldn't sneak up on a girl like that," she said innocently.

"I see the truce is over," he growled walking passed her and out the front door. Deflated she stared at the closed door.

"That didn't last long." She turned to Malcolm pleadingly to be nodded at. She made her escape back to her room where she changed into old jeans. Pulled on a thick cable jumper of blue, wrapped a Stewart scarf around her neck, pulled on a large coat. Kicking off her shoes she pulled on walking boots. Grabbed a cap to pull on her head and headed out, leaving the castle behind to follow one of the tracks that lead down to the loch. Sharp barking had her look around to have Jock running after her on his little legs tag wagging. "Come on then wee laddie."

Digging her hands into the pockets of the jacket to keep out the cold she rambled down the long windy rough trail, Jock at her side. To finally come to the loch and wide open spaces. She looked behind her to the castle in the hills looking down upon them in all its grandeur. Her heart swelled. To be honest she loved the place and all it hidden treasures that she enjoyed discovering on her own. Jock ran ahead his little legs covering ground heading towards the waters. "Jock!" she called to have him stop and bent down to pat her knees to have the dog to run back to her and lifted up into her arms to cuddle. "Don't go near the water. I don't know the lay of the land and there could be bogs and we don't want to lose you. What's another black mark against my name, hmm?"

"He does, let him down Ana," she was advised to place down the dog."Go for your run Jock," Andrew indicated with his head to have the dog run off again barking. Clutching at her arms she turned around to face the man who was behind her. "I thought you were going for a ride with my brother, then I saw you walking off by yourself that was foolish and stupid. Did you tell anyone?" She shook her head to have hair blown across her face by a sudden gush of cold wind to pull back with a hand. He shook his dark head to close the distance between them. "You can't do that Ana, what if something happened to you, no-one would know where to look for you. Always let someone know where you're going."

"Sorry." Properly put in her place she started to head back to have a hand clamp on her upper arm to look up into intense blue eyes.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to stay in my room," she stated indifferent. What was the point?

"Then why come here?"

"Just to get some fresh air, all done." Still he refused to let her go, instead guiding her closer to his frame to drop his hand to place on her waist inside under her jacket.

"And dragging Jock along?" She looked across to the dog that was frolicking along the muddy edge a once white dog now a wet dirty brown half way up his tiny body.

"He's enjoying himself," she noted. His gaze followed hers.

"Aye that he is and you can give him a bath." He turned his head to place his lips near her temple. "I'm not a man of tradition and would marry whoever I want."

"Oh," she sighed. "I think others have different ideas on that Laird."

"Stop calling me that," he hissed. His breath warm against her skin.