Page 334 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Victoria glanced in the direction of the women who stood watching, certain they could hear every syllable of their whispered conversation. “Oh, aye, my lord,” she raised her voice. “What is there to regret? The knowledge that I remain a prisoner is sufficient, would you not agree?”

“I have been gone too long.” He stepped closer and stroked her cheek with the back of a long finger.

The action startled Victoria. He winked, causing her to blink, then he sauntered over to the hearth and made a great pretense of examining the contents of the pot boiling over the fire.

“If you do not like the way things are done in the great hall, lass, change them.”

Victoria felt an odd desire to laugh at the loud voice he had used to make the announcement.

“What in the name of the devil is cooking in this pot, Maude?”

“’Tis something special Vi—er, the lassie here taught us to make.”

It wasn’t Maude’s bumbling of words that gripped Victoria, but Iain’s eyes as his head snapped in the housekeeper’s direction. The serene smile she had plastered on her face could have fooled Saint Peter himself, but Iain’s eyes narrowed on her just the same. Victoria hurried to the hearth and looked down into the pot.

“It is a fish chowder for tomorrow’s meal. Would you care to try some?”

Iain glanced down at her, then back to Maude. Quiet laughter from the pantry drew his attention, and Victoria was sure the jest was up.

At last, he looked back at Victoria. “Nay, lass. I will wait until tomorrow.” His expression softened as he fondled the lock of hair that had fallen loose from her hair tie. “I will come to you later, sweet.”

She opened her mouth to threaten dire consequences should he come anywhere near her, but stopped at the unexpected sound of another feminine voice approaching the kitchen.

“It is her right if she chooses.” The kitchen maid Rachel’s voice was clear.

“Aye,” a voice Victoria didn’t recognize agreed, “but, fire is a dangerous thing to play with. She would do well to pray to the Holy Mother for merc— ” the two women stepped into the kitchen and stopped short.

Iain stared expectantly at them. Rachel murmured a greeting and elbowed the other girl, who stood staring.

The girl broke from her trance and said, “Laird.” The room grew quiet as they made their exit from the kitchen into the scullery.

Victoria held her breath until he faced her again. Muffled laughter emanated from the scullery and he glanced in that direction, then turned back to her.

“I missed you, lass.”

Before she could consider a response, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. The dark passion in his embrace rose greedily to the surface, and Victoria felt him stir against her abdomen. The impulse to fend him off was quelled by the embarrassment of having to do so in front of the women, who made no pretense of ignoring the fact their laird was making love to her.

“You cannot miss something you have never had,” she answered.

Iain’s laughter filled the room as he released her. He turned to go and Victoria breathed with relief, then remembered the women’s accusations that she had bedded him the morning of his departure.

“My lord, did you know a ghost walks the grounds of Fauldun Castle?” Iain halted and turned.

Victoria spared a smug glance for Maude, who stood near the sink, then said to him, “Were you aware of this?”

“Nay.”

Victoria sauntered over to Maude. “Maude saw him the day you left.”

Iain’s eyes shifted to the housekeeper, who stared at Victoria as if she’d lost her mind.

“The ghost looks very much like you,” Victoria said.

“A ghost is it, now?” Maude said in a soft voice.

Victoria looked down at where the smaller woman now leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over her stomach as if she hadn’t a care in the world. An unsettling sense that Maude was the cat and she was now the mouse gave her pause, but she looked at Iain and added, “What else could it have been? Unless that was you leaving my cottage the morning you left?”

Iain’s expression darkened and Victoria startled when Iain took three steps and stopped in front of her. “What mischief are you up to?”