They had an idea, though he wasn’t keen on giving the keep any rumors to circulate. The horses had reacted to an unseen trap they’d triggered that had been lying off the path. A single step off the path, and a net had thrown a horse to the ground. It hadn’t been one of Clan Fraser’s, but it was too early to put the blame on anyone else.
If only the bastards who set it had stuck around, I’d execute them on the spot.
“Ach, it may have been a snake,” Mrs. Rowan suggested. “All it takes is one beast to spot it, then all of them react poorly.”
“Aye, that’s a theory we’ve been discussin’,” he agreed, leaning back. “I’d also like yer report on Amelia. How has she been recoverin’?”
“Well,” Mrs. Rowan said, nodding as if pleased with herself, “I do believe she still has some bruisin’ on her ribs, but she claims it doesnae hurt any longer. Stubborn thing, that one.”
“Aye, the lass is,” he said, a smirk settling on his lips. “I’m nae surprised she’s healin’ so fast.”
His mind had been on Amelia since he’d been interrupted. Even as he dealt with the news Ewan had delivered tersely, his mind had been on the soft hitches of her breath as his hands climbed higher on her thighs. Had they been given even a bit more time…
Ach, I cannae think about this in polite company.
“She seems like the type to get restless,” Mrs. Rowan hummed after a beat.
“She’s able to explore the castle,” he said gruffly, knowing that the healer was right. “That should keep her occupied for a bit.” Then, firmly putting that subject to bed, he asked, “Do ye have a list of supplies ye need from the herbalist in the village? I will send for them today.”
As she began to list all the supplies, including measurements that didn’t quite make sense to Darragh, his thoughts drifted back to Amelia. There was a part of him that wanted to confine her to her room once more as he investigated the trap. The only thing stopping him from making the decree this second was the look Mrs. Rowan fixed him. There was certainly some argument that Amelia needed to be able to roam freely for her recovery.
I willnae allow the threat to breach the walls of the keep. Amelia will have her freedom within the safety of me castle.
Chapter Fifteen
“Miss Amelia?” Jinny said, stepping into the storage room and looking around. It took her a moment to locate Amelia, but her shoulders relaxed when she did. “I’ve been lookin’ for ye. Laird Fraser has requested ye come to his study.”
Amelia lifted her head from the ledger she’d taken to carrying with her. Today, she’d assigned herself the task of inventorying the linen stores, and she was nearly finished. She glanced between the stacks of tablecloths and napkins before returning her attention to Jinny.
“I will meet with him when I finish here,” she replied, already shifting her focus back to her work.
It was difficultnotto immediately go to him. He’d been preoccupied over the last few days, and she wondered if this was his way of reinstating the wall between them after what hadtranspired in her quarters. Perhaps the summons would give her answers.
But I daenae ken if it’s answers I want.
“I can finish for ye,” Jinny suggested. “Ye daenae have to do all of this work, ye ken?”
“Aye,” Amelia replied, counting the stack of white napkins, then jotting down the number in the ledger. “But there’s so much life in the keep. I learned to make bread just the other day. And I had nae idea how much food is consumed by a castle. I’ll be makin’ the supply list next week.”
Jinny stood next to the linen, waiting for Amelia’s nod. Then, as Amelia put the stack away, Jinny suggested, “Ye daenae have to work if ye want to see how things work here. Ye could just stop by, and the staff would be happy to show ye around.”
“It’s nae the same as helpin’,” Amelia replied. It was the only explanation she was willing to offer.
In truth, she had realized that she didn’t like being treated as a guest. If she sat idle for too long, her mind would run rampant. Isla was correct; Amelia needed a distraction. At first, she had visited the kitchens just to watch the staff. Then, they let her knead the bread, and it felt as if she were physically pushing the thoughts from her head.
It feels as if this is where I’m meant to be. Nothin’ else truly makes sense to me. I dinnae feel as if I belonged like this even in the castle where I was raised.
“I’ve never met anyone like ye,” Jinny said quietly so as not to disturb Amelia’s work. She was likely trying to hurry this along. “Ye’re free to do as ye please, yet ye’ve made work for yerself.”
“I daenae enjoy roamin’ without a purpose,” Amelia admitted. She hadn’t truly felt at ease with the freedom she’d been given until she’d begun assigning herself tasks. “Now, I have reason to roam.”
“Ach, I cannae help but wonder if ye dinnae get a taste for seein’ the inner workin’s after ye found the attic,” Jinny observed, shelving the last stack of linen.
“Perhaps,” Amelia agreed, the corner of her mouth twitching. “I’m a curious lass.”
“Ye’re curiosity is workin’ well for ye,” Jinny mused as they left the storage room. “Ye’re becomin’ part of the keep.”
The words made Amelia’s entire body go cold. She had finally accepted that Fraser Keep would be her home for the foreseeable future, but becoming a part of it? That was never something she’d considered.
