AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Aye, ye would,” he said with a playful wink. “If only to see my reaction, nay?”
Chapter 13
Conner’s heart pounded relentlessly in his ears as the room filled with Olivia’s laughter. Listening to her was like being surrounded by a choir of angels. He wanted nothing more than to draw her closer to him to ensure every facet of his being touched her. Yet, as the sound of her giggles faded, all his insecurities came crashing around him.
“Well, I’m pleased to hear ye had such a fine day,” he said as he pushed his plate from him. Dabbing the corners of his lips with his napkin, he scanned the dining room. The servant in the corner rushed to his side in a flash to clear the dishes from the table.
“It was alright,” she said. “Although, I did notice ye looked a bit distraught leavin’ this mornin’.”
She caught that, did she? Oh I dae hope she doesnae think it had anythin’ to dae wit’ her. But what am I to tell her? I cannae love ye because of what others may dae to ye if they ever found out?
“I ken I may nae be all that ye desire in a wife, but I will try to be.” The way her lips turned down caused his heart to splinter. A small jagged edge from his broken heart seemed to rip into his lungs, making it even more difficult to breathe. All Conner wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her close.
“It’s like I said before, there was an issue that needed my attention,” he said rather coldly.
“Aye,” Olivia drew her eyes to meet his and he found her gaze direct and stunning. It was as if she had the power of the cosmos under her thumb the way she peered into his very soul. “Ye mentioned that. Perhaps it is somethin’ I can help wit’?”
Conner watched as Olivia’s hand drifted across the table. He sucked in a quick breath the moment her fingertips grazed over his hand. The tightness of her grip felt as if she were the only thing in this world he could be assured of.
“I think I’ll go for a walk,” Conner said as his gaze lingered on her hand. The curves of her knuckles reminded him of the curves of her hips under the blankets. There was nothing that he could do about the fantasies that plagued his thoughts. The vision of her with her legs wrapped around him excited him too much.
Quickly, he pulled his hand out of hers and cleared his throat. Pushing away from the table, he rose and tugged on his vest to flatten the wrinkles. There was no hiding the rejection on Olivia’s face. She wore her emotions like a book wore a cover. Everything was right there, out in the open for all to see.
“Would ye care to join me?” The words spilled from his lips like water flowing over a parched land. The sadness in Olivia’s face melted as she looked at him with a huge smile.
“I’d love to,” she said, pushing herself away from the table. Conner’s heart raced as he took her hand and led her to the side door. He pulled in a long deep breath. Her scent flowed around him and for a moment he wondered if he had stepped out into a garden in spring. She smelled like wildflowers and honey. The very scent of her teased him in ways he did not expect.
“I thought ye wanted to be alone,” she mumbled as Conner opened the door for her and waited for her to pass. His eyes lingered on her hips as she stepped over the threshold. Everything about her lured him to her. She was like one of those sirens of ancient mythology calling for sailors to come to her. No matter what he did, he found himself inching closer. His skin ached to touch hers once more.
“Aye, well,” he mumbled as he closed the door behind them. “I didnae dae ye justice this mornin’, I figured I’d try to make up for it now.”
“Tis’ understandable. Yer the laird after all. I’m certain there is a great many things that require yer attention. Daenae fret about little ole me, though. I find redecoratin’ to be quite the distraction.”
Conner’s lips twitched as his right eyebrow rose. He could only imagine all the things she had planned to do to the castle. But at least she was occupied with a hobby.
“And tell me, how is that goin’ for ye?” he asked as she scooped her arm into his.
“Well, I must say, there is a great many things that need a good scrubbin’. Did ye ken that the dust on the shelves of the library was this thick?” Olivia lifted her hand up with her finger and her thumb separated by the length of an ink bottle. Conner couldn’t help but wonder if she were exaggerating just a bit, but it made him happy just to have her at his side.
“This is nice,” she mumbled as her eyes shifted to the midnight blue sky. A gentle breeze filled the courtyard with the hint of heather, a fragrance that always seemed to put him at ease.
“It is,” he agreed as they strolled along the pebbled pathway. The stars twinkled above them like fireflies dancing around the shadows of the forest. But it was the crickets singing their haunting melody that made Conner’s heart flutter.
“And how was yer day?” she asked as they paused at the bench in the center of the garden. Conner swallowed hard as he stared at the bench. Memories of his mother sitting there flashed before his eyes and stung his heart. Watching Olivia sit there rattled his nerves.
Swallowing the lump of dread, he took his place beside her as his shoulders dropped and his heart sank into his stomach.
“Are ye alright?” Olivia asked as Conner’s back went rigid.
“Aye,” he answered, trying desperately to push aside the memories that plagued his mind. “I’m well.”
“Ye daenae look that way,” she said, shifting her body to face him.
“I daenae think I’ve sat here, in this spot, in a very long time,” he answered. His voice cracked as he spoke. Olivia’s hand flew to his and gave him a tight squeeze.
“We can move,” she offered as her eyes bore into him. He couldn’t help but wonder what she saw, but he knew by the way her lips turned down, it wasn’t anything good. “Or if ye like, we can go back inside. I dae believe I saw a chessboard in the library, if ye’d prefer to play a game?”
“Nay,” Conner said, shaking his head. “This is fine. Truly. It’s just, this was my maither’s favorite place to go in the evenings.”
