"There be more, but I cannae show ye until…"
"Until what?"
This time he had really gone too far and was not at all certain how to get out of it. "Come look at the view, 'twill take yer breath away." She wanted him to take her in his arms again, but when she came closer he moved out of the way.
The light shining through the opening made the side of her hair shine and he watched her smile widen as she looked out across the loch and the land beyond.
"'Tis beautiful."
"Indeed it is." He meant her and when she suspected and looked at him, he looked away. "I cannae teach ye how to swim up here, now can I?"
She sighed and looked out the window once more. "Oh, look."
He moved to stand behind her and tried to see what she was talking about. "What?" To his surprise, she leaned against him and when she did, he put his arms around her from behind.
"We have changed." she whispered.
"Aye, we have."
She covered his arms with hers and closed her eyes. "Is this what love feels like?"
"I hope so, 'tis a feeling like no other." He tightened his arms a little and put his cheek against hers.
"Will we be very happy, do ye suppose?"
"I am not a laird, but I will do as best I can to make ye happy."
"And will ye love me?"
"More than I do now? 'Tis not possible."
"How long have ye loved me?"
"All my life."
She giggled and turned in his arms. "Say the truth o' it."
"If ye must know, I was not certain until the Vikings came to get me. I could not leave ye that day…or any other day."
"I dinna know I loved ye until just now. How can that be?"
He did not answer. Instead he lightly kissed her again. Then she put her arms around his neck and he kissed her the way he had wanted to for months. He felt her cling to him, tightened his arms around her a little bit more and wanted to hold her forever. But something made him glance out the window and his heart stopped. Looking at him from the other side of the loch was the black stallion.
He lightly kissed her again and then grabbed her hand. He did not want to frighten her, but his foreboding was back and it was stronger than ever. "We best go afore ye cast yer spell on me and I cannae leave."
She didn't understand what he meant, but she giggled and was happy to be leaving the dust and the spooky castle behind. Soon they were out the door and hurrying through the trees. "Is it the black stallion that makes ye run?"