Page 34 of Defy the Highlander

“Yer da was a sick man,” he said, though he didn’t seem to be pleased with the change in focus. He looked at her pointedly. “When ye came tae work off his debt, I was pleased with the honor ye would show yer father, but now I know it was a bad thing. Ye should have never come here, Lilia. I know what happens tae ye. I hear things. I heard ye were attacked by that cow who tends my wife. I heard she locked ye in a chamber.”

Lilia’s cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze. “It was nothing, m’laird.”

“It dinna sound like nothing tae me. What happened?”

“Colly and I dunna get on,” she said. “But I dinna provoke her if that’s what ye mean. I try tae behave myself, but that woman is…”

He cut her off with a snort. “I know what she is,” he said. “She’s a devil who tries tae rule my home. I’d like tae send ye home but my wife likes tae have ye here. She likes the garments ye make for her.”

Lilia’s heart was in her throat with what he’d said. I’d like tae send ye home. God, how she wished he would!

“I dunna mean tae be bold, m’laird, but when do ye think ye can send me home?” she asked. “What I mean tae ask is when my da’s debt will be paid?”

The old lord looked at her. “Soon, I should think. Where will ye go?”

Lilia was vague in her reply. “I’m not sure,” she said. “I have an aunt who lives in SelBrody. Mayhap I’ll return tae her, though it will seem strange not seeing my da in her home. That was the only home he ever knew next to Hawkhill.”

Laird Currie nodded, somewhat sadly. “Yer da was a great help tae me when he was here,” he said. “He was my friend. Not many men say that about a servant, but I do. Colm Galston was a good friend. I miss him.”

Lilia smiled. “As do I, m’laird.”

She was still holding the bowl with the women painted on it and Laird Currie moved to her, carefully taking the bowl from her. His movements were slow, pensive.

“I’ll bring it up tae my wife about sending ye home,” he said after a moment. “Mayhap after ye make her Roman dress for her. No promises that she’ll agree, but I’ll ask.”

Lilia felt more relief than she could express. Was it really possible that the end of her servitude was in sight? “Thank ye, m’laird,” she said. “But… but if I’m able tae pay off the debt myself, could I do that?”

“Do ye have the money?”

“I dunna know. How much would it be?”

He cocked his head thoughtfully. “Yer da cost me a good deal when he was ill,” he said. “Truthfully, I wouldna consider it a debt, but my wife does. That’s why we took ye in payment – because she said I should. I would say two pounds should satisfy the debt. But if my wife wishes tae keep ye on, it may be more difficult than that.”

Lilia knew that and she tried not to get her hopes up. “I dunna wish tae be a servant the rest of my life, m’laird,” she said. “I have dreams, too.”

“What dreams?”

“Tae become a seamstress and sew for fine ladies. And… and mayhap tae marry.”

His old eyes crinkled. “Do ye have a lad picked out?”

She was coy, fighting off a grin. “’Tis possible, m’laird.”

Laird Currie chuckled at her girlish charm, something that was so different from his own wife. She didn’t have charm – what she had was purely opportunistic seduction. Perhaps if he’d been wiser when he’d met her…

But no.

He could not look back. He’d done that too much as it was.

“Off with ye, lass,” he finally said. “We’ll speak on this another time.”

Lilia rushed off, but not before she caught a glimpse of Laird Currie as he sat at his fine table, cluttered with books and more rats and a writing kit, and rubbed at his forehead as if greatly troubled.

Of course he was troubled. With a wife who only wanted to dress for her studs at the Ludus Caledonia, he had a great deal to be troubled over. He may have been the lord of the manse, but he had no say in what went on there and Lilia felt a good deal of pity for him. He was a nice man, after all.

And he’d spoken of her freedom.

Struggling to keep optimism from consuming her, she headed back up to the small, neat sewing room to sketch out an example of the dress she wanted to make for Lady Currie.