Page 80 of Defy the Highlander

Lilia nodded solemnly. “I will be very cautious,” she said, moving for the stable door. “I’ll see ye soon.”

He nodded, blowing her a kiss as she slipped from the stable and out into the cold winter’s day. He wisely waited a nominal amount of time before departing himself, taking an entirely different path and heading for the foyer of Hawkhill where his big trunk awaited. Locked and solid, no one could steal the contents.

Laird Currie was soon to be in for a surprise.

*

Colly could see that Lady Currie was in a snit.

She’d known the woman her entire life, so when Lady Currie’s mood shifted, Colly was alert to it. Moreover, it hadn’t taken a genius to figure out that the woman was upset because she’d heard her screaming, like everyone else at Hawkhill, in a manner that suggested she’d been grossly displeased or insulted.

Or both.

Colly poked her head out of Lady Currie’s bower in time to catch a glimpse of the big warrior making his way down the stairs, leaving Lady Currie so angry that she was kicking the table in Colly’s chamber.

Colly, of course, had no idea why Lady Currie was in her chamber, only that she was. Timidly, she entered, watching Lady Currie kick the table until the leg buckled. Even then, she kicked some more, growling and bellowing.

Colly stood by the door in fear.

“M’lady?” she said hesitantly. “Can I help with anything?”

Lady Currie wasn’t finished with her tantrum. She kicked the buckled leg until it broke from the table, which fell forward and clipped her foot. Howling, she hobbled over to the bed and sat heavily, rubbing her injured toes.

“I purchased his contract for Hawkhill,” she said angrily. “I am the Lady of Hawkhill, am I not?”

“Ye are, lamb.”

“And everyone here must obey me.”

“That is true.”

“Even the soldiers.”

“Aye, they must.” Colly came into the chamber and quietly shut the door so they’d have more privacy. “What happened with yer new warrior, lamb? What did he say tae make ye so angry?”

Lady Currie looked at her. “He did not say anything,” she said. “But he refused to… he refused everything I asked of him.”

Colly frowned. “He canna do that,” she said. “Ye’re the lady of the house.”

“He says he only answers to my husband because it was my husband’s money that purchased his contract. Have you ever heard anything so outrageous?”

“Nay, lamb.”

“He says he has a wife and he must be faithful to her. What rubbish!”

She was shouting by the time she was finished. Colly had a feeling that was why Lady Currie was so angry, this warrior she seemed to be obsessed with who saw no attraction in her.

But Colly was sly and conniving. That was something inherent to her. So was the desire to ease Lady Currie in any given situation. When the woman was hungry, she fed her. When she was angry, she soothed her. She had an idea of how to soothe her and force the new warrior to Lady Currie’s will all in the same breath.

Grasping a stool, she pulled it up to the bed and sat down next to Lady Currie as the woman rubbed her foot.

“I think I know why he willna bend tae yer will, lamb,” she said quietly.

Lady Currie snorted. “That is no secret,” she said. “I already told you that it was because of his wife.”

“I think I know who the wife is.”

Lady Currie glanced at her in disbelief. “How would you know who his wife is? You’ve not been to the Ludus Caledonia with me.”