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“Well, you’ll never be believing this…” Agnes rocked a little on her seat as she leaned over me to beam at Lachlan. “You know that beastly man who keeps trying to collect rent?”
“Aye, I do. David Goodwin, I believe,” Lachlan said, nodding to Graham as he appeared with a pint of Guinness for Lachlan.
“That’s the one. Stupid shite. I bet he’s got a wee…” Agnes held her fingers an inch apart, and I laughed.
“Och, now, Agnes. Not every man who is nasty to you is not well-endowed. Why are women so quick to go there?” Graham crossed his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels.
“Sounds like you’re worried.” Agnes tilted her head at Graham, a considering look in her face. “Best not to be mean to any of your lovers then, darling. Women talk, you know…”
“I’m confident that my lovers are well satisfied with what I bring to the table.” Graham lowered his voice, his husky tone heating even my cheeks.
“If you say so…” Agnes shrugged. “Men always tend to think they satisfy their women but rarely bother to ask.”
“I’m more than happy to demonstrate, darling.” Graham leaned forward, a sultry smile on his lips. “I’m a hands-on man, as I’m sure you’ve heard.”
Agnes snorted. “Your hand is all you’re getting these days from what I hear.”
“Keeping tabs on my dating life, are ye then? I knew I’d woo you eventually,” Graham said, giving Agnes a cheerful smile.
“I’m too happy to let you get to me this night, Graham. I’ll not be taking the bait.” Agnes turned to us again and clapped her hands. “I had a call from a lovely solicitor named Harold. It seems he’s heard of our troubles and is giving everyone a year of free rent, along with a cushion for any upgrades if any of the properties need sprucing up. For a new boiler or windows and the like. Isn’t that fabulous? I was starting to worry I’d have to pack up my shop, but now we’ve been given a grace period.”
“Is that right?” Lachlan’s voice caused me to glance over and find him regarding me with a calculating look. “How unusually generous.”
“It is. That’s wonderful news, Agnes,” I said. I hoped that Lachlan wouldn’t figure out that I was behind the windfall for the people of the town. I wanted to avoid putting myself in the position of anyone using me for money ever again. Chad had been the last straw in a long line of people who had tried to date or befriend me based on my wealthy family and being here felt like a way for me to shed that. In Loren Brae, I was the Knight. A woman who could help save the town. Money had no stake in why people admired me. I wanted to keep it that way.
“I can’t say that it’s not a bit odd, but I’ll take the reprieve myself,” Graham admitted, leaning onto the bar. “While business has been steady, it’s much slower than usual this time of year, and I need to save what I earn in the spring and summer to tide me over for the lean winter months.”
“I don’t care the how or the why of it. I just know that for the first time in months, I can sleep easy tonight without feeling like a beast is breathing at my doorstep.” Agnes held her pint up. “To happy windfalls!”
The rest of the pub raised their glasses and shouted their cheers, and a lively song broke out across the room. Soon, Agnes had dragged me from my chair to perform some sort of Scottish swing-dancing and the night disappeared into one of joy and celebration.
It made my heart happy, and I knew that Uncle Arthur would have been proud of my decision to help. While he’d been a pragmatic businessman, he’d also had a heart of gold. Silently, I sent up a little thank-you to him, glad I’d been able to ease some of the tension that clung to Loren Brae.
Now, if I could just master this whole Knight thing, maybe I could send the Kelpies home and bring the town back to its bustling level of tourism that it had once enjoyed.
One thing at a time, I supposed, as I was swept once more into a complicated dance that I was sure I butchered. Letting my cares go for the night, I ordered another pint and smiled at Lachlan easily when he came and looped an arm around my waist.
“The rain has stopped for the moment. Now’s our chance to make a break for the castle,” Lachlan said. His arm felt too comfortable around my waist, and nerves skittered through me. I wanted a taste of him again.
And I needed to keep him at arm’s length.
Love had never been something that came easily to me. It didn’t take an expensive therapist for me to know that it stemmed from my parents’ abandonment and my difficulty with feeling worthy of love. Nevertheless, I’d gone my whole life without having my heart broken, and I’d like to continue with that streak. Looking up at Lachlan, his handsome face warm with affection and something else I wasn’t ready to decipher, I came to a startling realization.
This man could break my heart.
Easing out of his grasp, I pasted a bland smile on my face.
“I could stay for another pint. I don’t want to catch my death in the freezing rain, either. But I’m happy to wait and see if Graham can drive me home too, if you’re leaving.”
There, I’d given him an easy out and put some distance between us. Lachlan’s face clouded as he glanced between me and where Graham smiled lazily at a pretty brunette.
“I’ll be seeing you home,” Lachlan said, hooking an arm through mine. Annoyed at his high-handedness, I pulled my arm loose and glared at him.
“I don’t need anyone to see me home. I’m a grown woman who has somehow managed to find her way to and from places without the assistance of some overbearing male for years now.” I glared at Lachlan.
“You tell him, Sophie! We women are tougher than we look.” Agnes raised her pint to me from where she rocked lightly on her stool.
“Och, and you’ve been dealing with the Kelpies your whole life then too?” Lachlan lowered his voice on the last bit, but his words sent a shiver across my skin. I’d forgotten for a moment about the Kelpies, and now that the night had gone dark, I realized that having Lachlan by my side on the cold walk past the loch might be smart.
