She wanted to laugh at his happy grin. Foolish man. Why would such a thing make him so happy? She didn’t mind. She liked it when he smiled. There was nothing hidden in it. It stemmed from within and bloomed into something so beautifully male, it tempted her to always smile back, to forgive him.
“Mr. Cameron?”
“Aye?”
“Why are ye so kind to me? Have ye not had resentment towards me all these years fer the condition of yer arm?” If he had—and how could he not, she wanted to know how he had let it all go. Could she? Considering it was enough to make her feel like a traitorous retch.
“Miss Woodburn, nothin’ that happened that night was yer fault. How could I have any resentment toward ye?”
“But what happened that night was my fault. Everyone died without one of Dunley’s guards lifting an eyelid.”
“Aye, the lads spoke aboot no’ havin’ to fight because all of Dunley’s men had already been felled by someone else,” he said, and she remembered that he had been passed out cold. He had no idea of the condition of the guards.
“They must have,” she said, knowing with a sinking feeling in her belly that she had said too much.
He was quiet for a moment, and Elspeth hoped he wasn’t thinking about it. “’Tis the truth,” he finally said. “How else did my kin manage to save me and leave withoot any resistance?”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She was thankful that the light was so dim. Still, she didn’t risk speaking, her sorrow cracking her voice. She didn’t want to think about what she’d done for the man who was now her master.
Everyone at Dunley died because of her.
“I think I am sleepy enough now. Let us walk back.” She turned on her heel without waiting for him. She wanted to be away from him now. She didn’t want to think about that night anymore. She wanted to forget it. She’d tried to forget it.
He walked her back to her room in his house. When they reached the door, she disappeared behind it without a word. She felt remorseful for being rude, but she didn’t trust her “goodnight” not to turn into more.
She climbed into bed and wondered if Mr. Cameron, the kindest man she’d ever met, was her punishment for spiking the guards’ drinks six years ago.
She closed her eyes and wondered how Helen found sleeping in his bed. She was glad she’d washed his linens this morning. She didn’t like the thought of another lass curled up in his scent. She should have taken his bed when he’d given it up, but she hadn’t thought it wise. She still didn’t.
But coming in from the night air, with his scent clinging to her, she remembered laying with him, feeling freer than ever before in her life, breathing in the scents of the Highlands on his clothes, his skin.
His skin…
Her heart beat so hard she was afraid it would wake Helen down the hall. It was a mistake asking him to stay. It went beyond not wanting to be alone. She didn’t want to be without him. Och, what was she to do?
She lay awake for another hour thinking of the smile he offered so freely, his large, soulful dark eyes that were always on her, whether she had hair or not. His words that he swiped over her wounds like the finest healing balm.
She finally slept, but there were still stars in her eyes and they brought dreams to her of processions of handsome Highlanders. One among them was a charming prince with a wide, easy smile, luminous, meaningful eyes, and decadent, luscious lips.
He is the one who holds my heart, Papa,she leaned in and whispered to her father as the procession went on.
Her papa wasn’t happy though. In fact, when he turned to look at her, his eyes were red with anger.How could ye, Elspeth? How could ye? He is a Royalist! Are ye trying to kill yer poor mother?His eyes opened wider as if something just occurred to him.Yearetrying to kill her, are ye not? That’s why ye helped that Royalist!
Nae! Nae!
But her father had gotten out of his chair and laid on the floor. Elspeth rushed to him and held him to her while she wept. Papa! But he didn’t answer. She looked around the hall, but everyone was gone. She was alone.
It was all his fault. Logan Cameron. She would never forget.
She woke hours later to sunlight spilling into her room and onto her. She forgot everything and snuggled deeper into her pillow and purred like a lazy cat.
She opened her eyes fully an instant later but didn’t want to get out of bed yet. She hadn’t loitered in her bed for years. She doubted Mr. Cameron would punish her for not hurrying out of bed to get on with her daily chores. And what daily chores had he assigned her to? None! She laundered because she wanted to—just like everything else she did. She doubted he would get angry if she laid in bed all day!
She smiled before she could stop herself. When she could stop herself, she did and rose from her bed.
She heard a lass’s laughter from the Main Hall. Was Helen up and about and smiling at Mr. Cameron like a milkmaid in need of a tumble?
Dressing swiftly, Elspeth made her way out of her room, still not fully in her shoes.
