Saving Sabine

Chapter 3 - Photo of Connor

Chapter Three

Sabine’s muscles were aching when she awoke the next morning. Sleeping on a stone surface was not what she was used to. Squinting her eyes out into the bright sunlight at the entrance of the cave, she saw that the storm had indeed stopped. She the air smelled fresh with rain and the birds were chirping as morning dawned.

Connor was sleeping upright against the wall of the cave. His eyes were still closed, and he looked very uncomfortable. His arms were folded against his chest and his lips were pursed shut. His hair was every curlier as it had dried. There was almost little ringlets that curled around his face.

Sabine liked him like this. He wasn’t talking, and he looked innocent.

The fire had died down and was now just glowing embers. She stood up as quietly as possible and crept out of the cave. Kneeling down, she collected several handfuls of soil and held them in the skirt of her dress. She carried them back inside and was relieved that Connor’s eyes were still shut. If they’d opened he would have seen her undergarments.

Kneeling back down at the fire, she poured the soil over the embers to extinguish them. She brushed the remaining soil off of her dress and wiped her hands on her hips, not caring about the mess.

“Perhaps ye know more about the woods then I thought,” Connor chuckled with his eyes still closed.

“How long have you been awake?” Sabine demanded, wanting to know if he’d seen anything indecent.

“I never fell asleep. Someone had to make sure that no wild animals ate ye in ye sleep. I don’ think I’d get my next pay if I returned ye in pieces,” he shrugged, opening his brown eyes. His crooked smile appeared when he saw how annoyed Sabine had gotten with him.

Sabine huffed impatiently. “Did you see anything?” she asked awkwardly.

“No,” he promised. “I dinna see your undergarments at all. My eyes were closed the entire time.” He was stirring her, and completely enjoying it.

Sabine glared at him. “Get up,” she demanded. “Take me home this instant.”

He stretched his arms before rising to his feet. He went over to the horses that were still standing idly on the opposite side of the cave. He stroked their faces and then proceeded to check each one of their shoes for stones. “Who’s a good girl?” he asked Puissant as she calmly let him check her shoes.

Sabine felt a little jealous that Puissant seemed to be so comfortable with someone that was not her. She took her mind off of it by rehearsing what she had to say to both her parents when she returned home. She had to apologise to her mother first and foremost for blowing up at her. She then had to apologise to them both for running away. She couldn’t apologise for the storm, she hadn’t realised it was coming until the thunder hit. She also had to apologise to someone else.

“Mr McKenzie,” she said in a timid voice.

“I’ve been ‘Connor’ my whole life, lass. I don’ like formalities,” he replied as he began saddling the horses for the ride home.

Sabine didn’t know how she felt about addressing him with his Christian name but she couldn’t exactly ignore his wishes. “Connor,” she breathed. “I just wanted to apologise for bringing you out into the storm. It was very irresponsible of me.”

He looked up at her and grinned deviously. “How did it make ye feel?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“How did what make me feel?”

“Being irresponsible,” he said simply.

Sabine laughed lightly. “Not that great,” she admitted. “Next time I’ll be sure to make sure there is no rain coming before I ride off alone.”