Page 21 of A Heart Worth Loving

Chapter Seven

Kyla walked along the path, her step a little lighter than it had been yesterday. Ewan Fraser had noticed her and not her sister Margaret. She had been courted by a few men, but she’d sometimes wondered if those men had chosen her only because Margaret hadn’t chosen them. That wasn’t wholly fair. She didn’t have proof that her few admirers had used her to get to Margaret, but some did change in her beautiful sister’s presence. Not Ewan.

Might she be fortunate enough for his sheep to become lost again? She couldn’t remember having enjoyed a day more. True, the kiss had a great deal to do with her good mood, but she wouldn’t have enjoyed that kiss half as much had she not liked the man. Had he lain awake last night, as she had, remembering that kiss…and wondering what other pleasant things might lay in store for them? Did men ponder on such things?

She recalled how her breasts felt when they pressed his hard chest. That, she hadn’t expected. He was so…solid, so strangely wonderful against her softer self.

To her surprise, her nipples tightened with the memory and she wished mightily that he was there for her to press against again. The juncture between her thighs tightened as it had yesterday when they’d kissed. Oh, how she wanted to have that ache soothed.

Kyla emerged from the trees and the abbey came into view across the field. She quickened her step and, by the time she reached the road, had convinced herself that Ewan would be pleased to see her. Four men stepped into view beyond the buildings on the west side of the abbey. She slowed upon recognizing Ewan. She halted. Was that Constable Hamilton walking between him and another man who limped? Her heart began to race. Kyla whirled and started at a fast walk across the field back toward home. Had they discovered the smuggled goods’ hiding place? Kyla’s boot toe hit something. She stumbled and caught herself.

“For God’s sake, pull yourself together,” she ordered. “You have no idea what has happened.”

The constable could be there for any number of reasons. But what if Mister Mallatratt had been apprehended? How was that possible? They had removed everything from the cellar the night before last. Hadn’t they? What if Mister Mallatratt had overlooked a crate or barrel in the cellar? Surely, he hadn’t been foolish enough to ignore her warning when she told him the abbey was no longer vacant? Yesterday, when he’d waylaid her on the path, he’d said nothing about leaving any of the goods in the abbey. But then, he wouldn’t.

Fifteen minutes later, Kyla walked up the drive to her home with no idea what to do. Should she sit home and hope their house wasn’t the constable’s next stop? By now, Mister Mallatratt should have sold the stolen goods in Inverness, and returned to his ship, bound for, well, wherever he was to go next. She hadn’t asked; didn’t want to know. If all went as planned, he wouldn’t return for two weeks. Her father was sure to arrive before then, wasn’t he? His note had said he would be home soon. Surely, ‘soon’ meant before a fortnight?

She had been so consumed with thoughts of Ewan that she had given no consideration to her conversation yesterday with Mister Mallatratt. He’d informed her that when he returned, he planned to store their stolen goods at the abbey as they had been doing for the last two years. If he returned before her father did, he would not listen to reason.

Short of the constable catching Mister Mallatratt, he had no way to connect the smuggling to her. Except, she realized with horror, if Lord Ewan Kilbreck mentioned he’d seen her at the abbey in the middle of the night. Had Constable Hamilton accused the soldiers of running the smuggling ring?

Oh, where was her father? He might be a smuggler, but he was a very good smuggler. He would know what to do. If they were caught now, Margaret’s wedding would be called off and the scandal would follow them through all of Scotland. Through all of Great Britain. If they were caught after the wedding, Margaret’s husband would divorce her. That was simply too terrible to contemplate.

Ewan would never speak to her again, Kyla realized with a start. Tears pricked. She wouldn’t be able to blame him. What man of honor would want a woman who was a thief?

Kyla reached the house, hurried inside, and reached her room without being seen. She clicked the door shut and turned the lock. With a sigh, she leaned her forehead against the wood. At best, she might be able to talk Ewan into remaining quiet for Margaret’s sake. Margaret didn’t deserve to end up a spinster like Kyla.

“Kyla.”

Kyla cried out and whirled. Her father stood beside the large wardrobe located on the right wall.

“Papa.” She raced toward him, flung herself into his open arms, and let the tears flow.

“Shh, my love. What is this? Surely, you did not miss me this badly.”

Kyla shook her head, but couldn’t speak through the sobs.

“You are alarming me,” he said with his usual carefree manner, but she discerned real concern in his voice.

“I-I am sorry, Papa, it is just that—”

That what? That Margaret might lose the man she loved? Or that Kyla had already lost the man she loved? Loved? She couldn’t possibly love Ewan Fraser. She didn’t know the man. Was she so desperate for a man’s attention that one kiss—two kisses—could addle her senseless? Was she so desperate for a normal life that she would latch onto the first man who extended even a small tenderness?

Her father led her to the bed and eased her onto the mattress. He pulled a handkerchief from the inner pocket of his coat and gently dried her tears. “Now, tell me first, where is your mother? I do not wish to see her just yet.”

“I do not know,” she blubbered.

“Nevermind, then,” he soothed. “What has you so upset? Is everything well with Margaret’s upcoming wedding?”

“Nothing has gone awry—yet,” she said through a hiccup. “But it might. I saw Constable Hamilton at Blackstone Abbey just twenty minutes ago.”

Her father’s expression sobered. “Mallatratt moved the goods the night before last, did he not?”

She nodded. “Aye—at least I hope he did.”

“What do you mean?”

Kyla grasped his hand. “I met Mister Mallatratt at the abbey the night before last as you said. But, Papa, he has not been quite the same of late. He has been forward with me, and he is planning on storing the next cargo of contraband at the abbey.” Her father opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off. “Nae, you do not understand. The abbey is no longer empty. Four army soldiers purchased the abbey and now live there.”