Read Online Jack: A Scottish Outlaw (Highland Outlaws Book 1) by Lily Baldwin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lily Baldwin
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she said, still not daring to meet his gaze. Then to her relief, one of the littlest girls scrambled onto Jack’s lap.
He wrapped his arm around her. “Have ye met Florie?”
Isabella reached out and tapped Florie’s nose, earning a giggle in response. “I have. We were just breaking our fast together.”
He rested his chin on the little girl’s mop of blond curls. “I am glad ye’re feelin’ better.”
Isabella cleared her throat and straightened her back before she dared to meet his midnight eyes. He wore a plain linen tunic over simple brown hose. Black curls grazed his shoulders and fell across his eyes. He flashed a smile that forced her gaze to drop yet again. He was gorgeous, so raw and masculine and so very strong. She chewed her lip while she studied his hands. They were large and calloused. It was no wonder none of the men at court had been able to set her heart to race when there were men such as Jack in the world.
A breeze swept the glen, lifting her unbound hair from her shoulders. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the new sensation. Normally, if she were to venture outside, her hair and neck would have been confined by a fitted wimple. Only her face would have been exposed to the sun and wind. She laughed outright when the breeze quickened. “This is lovely,” she said.
“’Tis a beautiful stretch of earth,” Jack said.
“Indeed it is,” she said, quickly. “But I was speaking of the wind. You know what I am accustomed to wearing. Feeling the wind on my skin is a rare pleasure. It feels like freedom.”
A sad smile curved his lips. “Freedom? I see little freedom surroundin’ us. We’re all exiles, and ye’re a lady bound by convention.” He lifted Florie from his lap and turned her toward the other girls who were throwing rocks into the river with Ian. Then he stood and reached out a hand to help her up. “Freedom is an illusion—all anyone has are moments in time.” He smiled and winked at her. “And more often than not, those moments must be stolen.”
She smiled, feeling the power of his words. “Freedom is stolen moments.” She took a deep breath, reveling in the ease of her clothing. “Look how easily I’ve become a thief.” Then she put her hand in his. He pulled her up and stepped close.
“Would ye care to steal another moment?” he said.
Her heart fluttered as she met his gaze. She nodded.
“Join me for a walk along the river, Princess?
Isabella looked down at her homespun dress. “I do not look the part of princess anymore.”
His appreciative gaze traveled the length of her figure. “Nay,” he breathed. “Ye do not.”
“Call me Bella,” she blushed and looked away embarrassed by her boldness.
He stepped closer still and crooked his thumb beneath her chin, forcing her gaze. “Shall we…Bella?” Her name he said in a whisper.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
They walked for some time while Jack pointed out which herbs were best to flavor a stew and which had healing properties. She listened, savoring the sound of his deep voice. The sun slanted through the trees. Bird song filled the air, mingling with the distant laughter of Jack’s family. Long had it been since she experienced such easy joy, and it filled her heart to the brim. They had walked in silence for some minutes when she looked at him sidelong. “I learned a little about you this morning.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Och, Rose is a good one for conversation.”
“We may speak freely, may we not?”
Again he laughed. “Aye, that we may.”
“You are not truly a thief, are you?”
“I most certainly am. There are many who have stared down the length of my sword and handed over a bag of coin on fear of death.”
She arched her brow at him. “I do not believe you would actually make good on your threat.”
He winked at her and the simple gesture made her breath catch. “Ye’re right,” he said. “But they don’t know that.”
Now it was her turn
He wrapped his arm around her. “Have ye met Florie?”
Isabella reached out and tapped Florie’s nose, earning a giggle in response. “I have. We were just breaking our fast together.”
He rested his chin on the little girl’s mop of blond curls. “I am glad ye’re feelin’ better.”
Isabella cleared her throat and straightened her back before she dared to meet his midnight eyes. He wore a plain linen tunic over simple brown hose. Black curls grazed his shoulders and fell across his eyes. He flashed a smile that forced her gaze to drop yet again. He was gorgeous, so raw and masculine and so very strong. She chewed her lip while she studied his hands. They were large and calloused. It was no wonder none of the men at court had been able to set her heart to race when there were men such as Jack in the world.
A breeze swept the glen, lifting her unbound hair from her shoulders. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the new sensation. Normally, if she were to venture outside, her hair and neck would have been confined by a fitted wimple. Only her face would have been exposed to the sun and wind. She laughed outright when the breeze quickened. “This is lovely,” she said.
“’Tis a beautiful stretch of earth,” Jack said.
“Indeed it is,” she said, quickly. “But I was speaking of the wind. You know what I am accustomed to wearing. Feeling the wind on my skin is a rare pleasure. It feels like freedom.”
A sad smile curved his lips. “Freedom? I see little freedom surroundin’ us. We’re all exiles, and ye’re a lady bound by convention.” He lifted Florie from his lap and turned her toward the other girls who were throwing rocks into the river with Ian. Then he stood and reached out a hand to help her up. “Freedom is an illusion—all anyone has are moments in time.” He smiled and winked at her. “And more often than not, those moments must be stolen.”
She smiled, feeling the power of his words. “Freedom is stolen moments.” She took a deep breath, reveling in the ease of her clothing. “Look how easily I’ve become a thief.” Then she put her hand in his. He pulled her up and stepped close.
“Would ye care to steal another moment?” he said.
Her heart fluttered as she met his gaze. She nodded.
“Join me for a walk along the river, Princess?
Isabella looked down at her homespun dress. “I do not look the part of princess anymore.”
His appreciative gaze traveled the length of her figure. “Nay,” he breathed. “Ye do not.”
“Call me Bella,” she blushed and looked away embarrassed by her boldness.
He stepped closer still and crooked his thumb beneath her chin, forcing her gaze. “Shall we…Bella?” Her name he said in a whisper.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
They walked for some time while Jack pointed out which herbs were best to flavor a stew and which had healing properties. She listened, savoring the sound of his deep voice. The sun slanted through the trees. Bird song filled the air, mingling with the distant laughter of Jack’s family. Long had it been since she experienced such easy joy, and it filled her heart to the brim. They had walked in silence for some minutes when she looked at him sidelong. “I learned a little about you this morning.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Och, Rose is a good one for conversation.”
“We may speak freely, may we not?”
Again he laughed. “Aye, that we may.”
“You are not truly a thief, are you?”
“I most certainly am. There are many who have stared down the length of my sword and handed over a bag of coin on fear of death.”
She arched her brow at him. “I do not believe you would actually make good on your threat.”
He winked at her and the simple gesture made her breath catch. “Ye’re right,” he said. “But they don’t know that.”
Now it was her turn
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