The Passion of London [Highlander's Love #1]

Chapter 15 - Picture of Amhuinn

The sight of MacKenzie Keep was a welcome one, and all the men cheered the moment the keep loomed in sight, spirits invigorated. "Just one more night out here, lads, and we'll be back home by noon tomorrow!"

With renewed vigor, camp set up was done quickly for the day, but Hammond couldn't help but notice Connor's increasingly morose look as he meandered around the campsite. One look at Evie once again seated next to the fire with Fabian, confirmed the laird's suspicions that they were once again avoiding each other, much to his annoyance. By now, even a blind man would've been able to notice the simmering attraction between the two. Hammond had half a mind to just abandon them to sort out their problems as they rode home.

Deciding to try to help one last time, the redhead laird wandered towards his friend and commander and shoved his shoulder, laughing as Connor cursed. "Ye look like someone killed yer dog again. What happened?"

"I told her to stay. She said nae."

"Why?"

"She... said she has her responsibilities. She told me that if I were to wed her, I would have to stay in Cavalon Castle, and take up the duties of her father as the Viscount."

"And ye dinna like that? Do ye want to stay as captain your whole life then, friend? Ye know ye can be so much more. Ye were once a laird in training. Ye would be laird today, had yer clan not been disintegrated by the English."

"And ye expect me to take on the mantle of an English lord, even after ye know that?" Connor retorted hotly. Hammond raised a brow, and smacked his friend, speaking up before Connor could react in anger.

"Cavalon Castle is at the edges of the Highlands, Connor. Ye could easily come back anytime. Whoever said ye had to join their silly Parliament even if yer lord?"

Silence. Hammond took a chug of the ale he held in one hand, and passed half of it to the other.  "Here, ye look like ye could use it."

Turning on his heel, the laird was just about to head back to the campsite before Connor called out. "What about ye, laird?"

"What about?"

"Miss Amelia. I saw how ye two were back in the castle. Why did ye not bring her back with ye?"

Hammond paused, unable to help his mind hurtling back to the final day they were at Cavalon Castle, when he had stolen Amelia away for a few moments in a hallway. 

She had been beautiful that day, even dressed in her simple servant's garb of serviceable brown and her brunette curls tied up. He hadn't been able to resist her laughter as she worked in the kitchens, and had almost toppled the basin of water she was carrying when he snatched her by the waist into a darkened alcove.

The lips he savored on her however, was only his to enjoy for the briefest of moments, before Amelia had shoved his chest away, much to his surprise.

"Do ye not return my affections, Amelia? I had thought we exchanged many a conversation. I feared I was going to commit the crime of favoring my cousin when I still thought you were Evelyn Verrick."

"My Laird, I... I am honored, but I canna."

"Yer brogue comes out when ye are flustered, Amelia. I know it. Why?"

"I canna." she paused, averting her eyes from Hammond. He was dear, she knew. But she also knew she found him attractive only because of how alike he looked to her dead husband, and she knew it would be unfair to him. At the age of twenty nine, Amelia was married for all of five years before her husband was diagnosed and taken away by consumption.