Page 20 of The Curse of McMillan Castle
“Good morning. It’s so nice to see you. Do you need my help with something?”
“Aye. If ye doona mind, I thought ye could drop this basket of food off for Duncan on yer way back to the castle. The silly lad refuses to enter the castle while working, and he willna stop and come back here for food. By the time he arrives at the inn at nightfall, he is ready to eat me out of house and home. I doona mind walking it to him meself if ye shall be a while. I only thought I would see if ye would be headed back that direction soon.”
I’d been basically finished with my daily tasks for Henry for well over an hour. I’d simply been stalling to allow him time to have his fill of conversation.
“I’ll be heading back that way in just a few minutes. I’m happy to bring it.”
“Thank ye, lass. I’ll set this just inside.”
Stepping around me, Isobel directed her attention to Henry.
“Henry, I havena seen ye in far too long. Are ye well?”
After placing the basket next to the pile of linens I was nearly done folding, I watched as Isobel made her way over to Henry and reached to give his hand a hearty squeeze.
“I am better for seeing ye, lass. Ye and Gregor are well past due for a visit. The two of ye should come for dinner sometime soon.”
“We would be happy to. I’ll talk to Gregor about it as soon as I get back to the inn.”
They visited for a few minutes more, and by the time I was finished folding, Isobel was ready to leave as well. I walked her back to the inn as it was along the path back to the castle.
Isobel said little on the short walk back, but just as we neared the door of her home spoke up beside me. “Ye do ken that Duncan is quite taken with ye, aye?”
Heat rushed to my face. “I know no such thing. He doesn’t know me.”
Isobel chuckled softly and pointed to my reddened cheeks. “And ye doona ken him either, but that hasna stopped yer cheeks from flushing in excitement at the thought. He asks Cooper about ye all the time.”
I glanced down at the basket of food in my hands and then back at Isobel.
“Is this a setup, Isobel?”
She feigned shock. “O’course no’, lass. I doona have it in me to be so conniving. Though there is enough food in that wee basket for two should ye find yerself hungry enough to eat by the time ye reach him.”
She gave me a wink before disappearing inside the inn.
As if cued by Isobel’s words, my stomach growled so loudly that I blushed all over again.
* * *
Duncan’s back was toward me as I approached them, and I reveled in the opportunity to watch him interact with Cooper. As usual, Cooper was yammering on about something at a million miles a minute, but Duncan was patient as he continued to guide Cooper through how to set the stones in the section they worked on. I couldn’t help but think it a shame that Duncan had no children. I could tell by the way Cooper had taken to him that he would’ve made a good father.
Cooper spotted me first. Taking note of the large hunk of bread extending past the edge of the basket, he leapt up from his crouched position and bounded toward me.
“Lunch!”
So much for the picnic for two Isobel had tried to arrange.
I smiled at him and reluctantly allowed him to take the basket. “Yes, courtesy of Isobel. She knew I would be headed back to the castle soon and thought you two would be hungry.”
“Aye, we are. Thank ye, lass.”
Duncan faced me and smiled, and I found myself thankful that once red, my skin tended to stay that way for a while. It meant that it was unlikely he was able to see just how hot I’d suddenly become.
Nervous and fidgety, I started to panic.
“All right. Well, there you go then. I hope you both enjoy it. Looks like the work is coming along well. See you two later.”
I spun away from them, but was stopped by a sudden hand on my arm.
