Theo strode through the corridor, his boots scuffing quietly against the worn floor as he made his way toward the hall. His stomach growled, but his thoughts were on Lavina.
He hadn’t seen her since midday. Or Amber. Or Maisie. And that unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
Pausing near the main staircase, he glanced toward the corridors branching off the Great Hall. He strained his ears, hoping to catch any sign or sound of Lavina.
With no sign of them, his brow creased.
“Stephen,” he called the second he spotted his man-at-arms moving to the dining hall.
“Me Laird,” Stephen replied, bowing. “It is me pleasure to serve ye.”
Theo narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the man’s pompousness. “Have ye seen Lavina or Maisie?”
Stephen scratched the back of his head. “Nae since earlier when they were tryin’ to coax a word out of the lass.”
Theo arched an eyebrow as he caught sight of the lass lurking in the shadow of the staircase. He wondered what mischief Stephen was up to.
A giggle sounded, causing Stephen to purse his lips.
“What are ye doin’?” Theo asked, folding his arms over his chest and studying him closely.
“Just showin’ the lass around,” Stephen replied with a wink. “She wanted to see me blade.”
“I’m sure she did,” Theo said with a shake of his head. “Just keep yer eyes peeled, will ye? And if ye manage to find them before me, send word. It’s almost as if they’re playin’ hide and seek with me.”
“Sounds to me like the lasses are growin’ on ye?” Stephen teased, a twinkle in his eyes.
Theo shrugged as he moved closer to the staircase. “Perhaps a wee bit,” he answered, glancing at the shadows and the girl.
The eagerness in her gaze stirred the jealousy within him. Oh, how he wished for that sort of love and affection.
He had to turn away and leave them as his mind filled with images of Lavina showing him such affection.
He let out a heavy sigh when he caught a movement in the corridor that led to the gardens. His chest tightened at the sight of skirts fluttering away.
Stepping closer to the window, he peered out of the dirty glass. And his heart leaped into his throat.
There she was.
In the fading light, Lavina kneeled beside a bed of half-blooming roses. Her hair was braided and fell over her left shoulder. Beside her, Amber clutched a small stick and shoved it into the moist soil near the plant.
It was the expression on Amber’s face that caused Theo to press his nose to the glass. She was smiling, and her smile beamed even brighter than Lavina’s.
It may not have been wide or obnoxious, but it was real and undeniably genuine.
Maisie was kneeling next to Lavina, her fingers spreading the soil meticulously.
The very sight of them was overwhelming. Something deep within stirred, and his ears rang with the sound of Amber’s giggle as Maisie jumped when a bug sprang out of the bush.
His chest tightened. For a moment, he felt as if he were spying on something he had no business looking at.
“Well now, isnae that a fine sight to behold,” Stephen drawled, coming up behind him.
Theo nodded slowly, his arms crossed over his chest.
It was a fine sight. But it was also painful.
There, in the garden, they looked like a family. Despite how different they looked, they fit perfectly together. A strange, mismatched little family of wounded hearts finding their place in the world.
