Page 138 of The Dawn

“Again, I regret the hand towel on the floor.”

He looked up at the ceiling, then said, “I canna sleep, let’s dress and go down tae the kitchen for some food.”

My eyes went wide. “Are we allowed to?”

“Tis my castle! Ofcoursewe are allowed tae, at least we ought tae begin as we mean tae carry on — gettin’ food at all hours.” He sat up, pulled on his boxers, pulled a t-shirt on, then dug through his suitcase for pants.

I got up and put on clean underwear and a pale blue sundress. If I was going to wander around a palace, post-coital, sneaking food from the kitchen, I was going to wear a dress, as if I were civilized.

He said, “Och, I love the color on ye, Woodshee.”

“Thank you, Liam.”

We snuck from the room. Outside the door, I asked, “Did you remember the way?”

He whispered, “Almost certain tis this way.” He led me down the hallway to a wide grand staircase.

We descended to the foyer. “I’m glad you remembered, I’m totally lost. “

He said, “Follow me,” and led me through two very grand rooms until we came to the double-swinging doors of the restaurant-sized kitchen.

Liam felt along the wall and finally flicked on the overhead lights. I was blinded for a moment. They were so bright.

Suddenly Martha stuck her head in through the door on the other side of the kitchen. She looked alarmed and like we had woken her from a deep sleep. “Sir! Did ye need something?”

“Nae, Martha, I wanted somethin’ tae eat.”

“Ye want me tae get ye something tae eat at this hour?”

“Nae, I am good with gettin’ it for m’self, ye ken, I will make some breakfast for Woodshee— I mean, Blakely, and me.”

Her eyes were wide with surprise, shaking her head as he spoke, seeming at a loss for words.

He added, “We arna allowed tae get food from the kitchen?”

“Ye hae a kitchen in yer apartment! Tis stocked with food!”

I bit my lips to keep from laughing.

He said, “Och nae, I dinna ken, tis... my apologies, Martha. I dinna realize. I am nae used tae the house yet.”

“Well, as the Laird of Taymouth, ye hae yer verra own kitchen. Tis stocked with food and drink.”

I said, “My apologies, Martha, we are sorry we woke you — jet lag, it’s... hard to think straight. I am so sorry. We will go straight to our room.”

“Tis fine, Lady Blakely, ye hae the run of the house, but yer kitchen has been stocked for ye and the Laird. Ye ought tae eat there and not allow the trouble of it tae go tae waste.”

Liam awkwardly bowed and we backed out of the room. As soon as the doors swung behind us we immediately started laughing. I whispered, “I think we got in trouble!”

“Aye, she is wonderin’ how I am a laird and yet so uncivilized.”

“I will have to put on some much better behavior. Do my hair, actually put on makeup so I look respectable.”

As we walked back along through the grand rooms to the stairs, I noticed the library. I pulled his arm and we went in. I switched on a lamp.

The walls were covered from floor to ceiling with shelves holding ancient books. There were ladders to reach the upper shelves. A big desk at one end of the room, a fireplace at the other, two fine leather chairs in front of the hearth, a footstool, lamps on end tables… I wondered who were the historic people who had sat in this library, reading.

Liam had told me about a woman named Lady Mairead who had once lived here, centuries ago, the sister of the Earl. Were some of these her books? I ran my fingers along the shiny wooden desk top. There was a plumed quill pen on the blotter. In front of it, an inkwell. The inkwell had the initials MC on them. Did that stand for Mairead Campbell?

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