Page 51 of Bride of the Beastly Laird

And this time alone with Bairre could very well offer the best opportunity she would ever have to question him and hope that something he said would betray Emilia’s whereabouts.

She looked up from under her long lashes and treated Bairre to beguiling expression, rapt and misty-eyed as if, for all the world, she wished to hang on to his every word. Which, indeed, she did.

“Me laird, would ye care tae take some refreshments with me?”

He looked pleased at this and offered her an unpleasantly sardonic grin. “Aye, lass, that I would.”

Dahlia signaled to Beattie, who was partially concealed, stationed at the furthest end of the garden keeping a close watch on her mistress. In a trice Beattie was before her, curtsying with a willing smile on her face.

“Beattie, his Lairdship and meself wish tae partake of some refreshments to while away the afternoon. Please attend the kitchen and request two bottles of honeyed-mead, chilled if ye please.”

Beattie hurried away and Dahlia turned to Bairre who was doing his best to appear courtly and relaxed with his arm stretched along the back of the wooden bench just behind her. He toyed with the lace trimming on the back of her dress and it took every scrap of her control to hide the shudder of revulsion that went through her veins at his touch.

“This is very pleasant, me dear. I am pleased ye suggested it.”

“I believe it was yer suggestion that I should take some air.”

“Why yes,” he nodded absently, his attention focused on her nape where his fingers were stroking her soft skin, and, as far as she was concerned, lingering far too long.

She managed to hold her position, while every fiber of her being wanted to shuffle as far up the bench as was possible to avoid him.

“This must have been a most wonderful place for ye and yer brother James tae spend yer boyhood days.”

His mouth turned down at the mention of his brother and, for an instant, she was afraid it may have been a mistake to mention James, but after only a moment he smiled.

“Aye. It was pleasant enough. We spent a great deal of our time practicing in the training ring. Learning swordplay, archery and combat. And hunting. I enjoyed hunting.”

“Oh. Did ye nae have time fer games with the other children?

He huffed. “We rarely had time fer childish games. It was battle that gained our attention. I always wanted tae crack James’s skull and he felt the same about me.”

“So ye didnae have time fer the fun of shuttlecock? Hide and seek?” Dahlia was hoping that by drawing Bairre into a conversation focusing on his childhood haunts she might learn of a special hiding place or somewhere in the hills or the glen where they might have spent time as lads. If there was such ahiding place, it could well be somewhere he might think was a good place to keep Emilia locked away.

The kitchen maid appeared with two goblets and the mead Dahlia had ordered.

Bairre leaned forward eagerly and poured a full goblet for himself and a half-measure for Dahlia. He took a long, slow draw, drinking his fill. When he lowered the goblet, Dahlia refilled it without even glancing questioningly at him. He was enjoying the drink and she was determined to ply him with it in the hope of loosening his tongue, no matter how much she despised every second in his company.

“I’d love tae hear more about ye and yer brother when ye were mere lads about the castle.” She forced herself to move a little closer to him. He smelled of stale ale and she realized that the mead he’d just drunk was not his first glass of the day.

He reached a hand toward her knee and ruffled her skirt a little higher until it was almost at her knee. Again, she managed to hold still and pretend she had scarcely noticed.

“I’ve heard rumors that ye were a wild young lad, riding yer horse outside of the watchful eyes of the castle guardians.”

He laughed. “Och. Me and me braither were right tearaways. Nae one could tell us what tae dae. Sometimes we went intae the mountains, hunting or fishing, and didnae return fer days. Nae one could find us. When we returned, the servants andthe guards were in an uproar, afraid we were lost and nay one wishing tae tell our faither we were missing.”

She noted this well. Two young lads abroad in the forest would have needed a place to shelter. Perhaps there was a bothy somewhere they made their own.

“Did ye stay out in all weathers? It must have been hard and rough going up in the hills without shelter.” She poured another glass of the mead and took a sip of her own. Bairre had a faraway look in his eyes, like someone who was remembering the past. Or someone who may have had just a tiny bit too much mead to drink.

He paused with his memories and Dahlia held her breath. She had the feeling she was on the brink of a revelation that could pinpoint the whereabouts of a secret place that might lead to Emilia.

He shook his head. “Nay. Ye dinnae wish tae hear about me boyhood games.”

Her heart sank, she had to keep him talking. Now was not the time for him to veer off the topic. She clapped her hands. “Oh, but I do wish tae hear about what ye and yer braither were up tae. Such adventurous weans ye were.”

He perked up at that. “I ken. We were wild boys, adventurous. Afraid of naught.”

And cruel and thoughtless too. Caring little fer those whose task it was tae care fer ye.

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