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Chapter Twelve
Blair
Blair’s arm still tingled from where Aindreas held her. His tight grip had excited her, making her insides warm and her body shiver with desire. She clenched her jaw, her grip on her basket of primroses tightening with each step she took away from the garden. The door slammed behind her, making her jump. Briefly, she glanced over her shoulder, staring at it, wondering if Aindreas would come after them and explain his actions.
“Are ye alright, Miss Blair?” Daniel’s voice faintly drifted towards her.
She was hardly aware of her head moving up and down. Her gaze was focused on the door, but it remained closed. Of course he wouldn’t come, she thought while slowly turning away. Aindreas didn’t care about her. She sniffed, willing the tears away as she recalled what he said in the garden.
“I would never permit any harm to come yer way.”
Blair huffed, realizing it had been a lie. Although, she didn’t understand why Aindreas would lie to her. He didn’t have any need to. She gritted her teeth, frustrated with herself. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, whether it be his touch, the devilish look in his eye.
And how she wanted more, she thought, her skin flushing with desire.
“I’m fine,” she breathed, her gaze turning towards the corridor. She needed to get to the laird. Already, she had dawdled too long outside. Surely, the laird was calling for her, wondering where she was. “I’m just a wee tired.”
She felt Daniel’s hand slip from her shoulders. “Should I take ye to yer rooms? Would ye like to have some rest? It could help.”
She shook her head. “Nae.” She straightened her shoulders and forced a smile. Lifting her gaze to Daniel, she took a step back, making distance between them as Alisa’s words returned to her. “I’m fine, Daniel. Truly. I should see to yer uncle.”
Daniel chuckled and nodded towards her basket of primroses. “Perhaps he’d enjoy yer flowers as much as I.”
Blair nodded. “Perhaps.” She turned away from him, allowing her body to lead her to the laird’s rooms. “Ye shouldn’t concern yerself with me. I’m sure ye have plenty of duties to tend to.”
“Aye, I do,” Daniel called after her. “But yer never a duty, Miss Blair. I enjoy our time together.”
Blair’s pace quickened. She didn’t say anything, knowing she shouldn’t mislead Daniel. Already, her thoughts were filled with Alisa scolding Blair for speaking to her son when he was destined to marry a sweet lady, not the likes of her. She found it strange Alisa was so different from her son. Daniel was so sweet and kind. He didn’t care about her station or her lack of parentage, only that she was kind in turn. She wondered how Daniel came to be so tolerant compared to his mother, who looked upon Blair like she was a bug she wished to squash.
She paused in front of the laird’s door, staring at it while her hands slipped to caress the Coneflower petals in her pocket. Between Alisa and Aindreas, she had forgotten to collect more of the flowers. She counted each one, discovering she had at least ten pieces, which should be enough for a tea. Later, she would need to collect more for his afternoon tea.
Her gaze turned down the hall, wondering if she should go back to the garden to collect more quickly, but Aindreas could possibly still be there. Most likely, it was better to see the laird now rather than later, given he hadn’t been taking well enough care of himself the other day.
Blair rapped her knuckles against the door.
“Enter,” the laird called, a hint of cheerfulness in his voice unlike the day before.
She pushed the door open, pausing when she found Laird MacBean sitting at his table, stuffing a piece of bread into his mouth. His face was still quite pale, yet there was joy glimmering back at her in that gaze as if he had renewed energy.
“Good morn, Blair,” he said while gesturing towards the empty seat across from him, “sit, break yer fast with me.”
Blair gently closed the door and stepped further into the room, taking out her primroses and reaching for an empty vase lying near the windowsill. “I hope ye don’t mind, but I brought some flowers to freshen the room with. Can’t have ye breathing in yer own sweat.” She opened the window, smiling at the bright sun and the beautiful garden greeting her below. Instinct took hold, and her eyes searched the grounds, not finding Aindreas’s form standing below. Briefly, she wondered where he had wandered off to but then reminded herself she shouldn’t care. “I also brought ye something to make a tea with. It should help yer cough, like last time.”
She turned around, padding lightly towards him and grabbing a cup resting next to the chipped pitcher. The laird nodded while he ate, stuffing his mouth with dried meat. He ate vigorously, like a starving man having stumbled upon a feast.
“I know we spoke very little yesterday about yer stay,” the laird said between mouthfuls of food, “but I hope ye have been adjusting well.”
Blair smiled while pouring the water into the cup filled with the flower petals. “Ye were quite ill, my laird.”
Laird MacBean shook his head. “Ill or nae, I should have asked. It’s been a week already. More even.”
Blair nodded. “Aye, it has been. To answer yer question, aye, I have been enjoying my stay here. I enjoy Tavis’s company very much.” Her smile brightened as she thought of the elderly healer. “He’s an excellent teacher.”
The laird nodded while taking the tea, blowing on it before placing it against his lips. He took a tentative sip, slurping up the contents loudly. “And my son has been kind?”
Blair fought the need to grimace before forcing a nod. “He’s been decent, my laird. Yer nephew, Daniel, has been showing me around the castle. He has been treating me according to yer wishes.”
The laird chuckled. “Daniel is a kind soul. And Lady Alisa has been helping ye get acquainted with the maids?”
