Page 73 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
“You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish!”
As Merida burst into laughter once more, Fawkes turned deliberately—incredulously, even—to peer down at her. His smile slowly bloomed—dimple!—as he shook his head.
“Ye are a remarkable lassie, ye ken that?”
“I do! Ellie tells me all the time!”
His smile softened. “Well,remarkable lassie,settle down afore ye burn yerself, and ye can have the first one.”
Thank goodness Ellie was already sitting down, or that entire exchange would’ve made her knees weaker. Who would’ve guessed Fawkes would know exactly what to say to Merida? She’d opened right up to him, and loved being here, playing with the dog.
Are you just going to skip past the part where he would have named his dog after you, were he a she?
Well, naming a dog Lady was not exactly an admission Fawkes chose it because ofher.
The silky brown hair? The dark eyes? The regal bearing?
Perhaps he was speaking of the queen. Or his mother. Or another lady.
You know he was not, however. He definitely would have named the bitch after you.
Yay?
Still not certain that was a compliment.
Fawkes’s attention might appear to be on the pancakes—and fending off Merida’s offers of help—but when he set the food on the table, he asked Ellie again: “How are ye feeling, lass?”
Good heavens, just the sound of that soft brogue calling herlasswas enough to make her blush.Or perhaps it is because he is asking about intimate details of your body.
“I am well!” she blurted.
When he straightened and raised a brow in disbelief, she flushed even darker, dropping her gaze to the table before her. “I mean…I am better. Truly. I feel much better. We can be out of your space soon.”
The man just hummed as he turned away. “Merida, come help me set the table.”
“Set the table? Like with forks? I don’t know how to do that!”
“Aye, lassie,” he rumbled, tweaking her nose. “That’s because ye’re spoiled. Grab these plates.”
His tone was kind and patient as he explained to Merida how to set the breakfast table, but he didn’t allow her to finish until everything was set to his satisfaction. And Ellie noticed the girl beamed when she stepped back to eye the table.
“Look, Ellie! I did that! I set the table!”
“Yes, dear,” she managed, despite the lump in her throat. “I am very proud of you.”
“Do you think Papa would be proud of me?” Merida asked, pulling out a seat for herself and scrambling up.
Ellie had to answer truthfully. “I…am not certain he would have noticed, my love.” If Fawkes thought the girl spoiled, Rufus would’ve been doubly so. “ButInoticed, and I think you did a remarkable job.”
Merida was serving herself apple pancakes. “Well, I’m proud of myself too. I helped Fawkes! How’d you learn to make pancakes, Fawkes? And set the table?”
He’d been eyeing Ellie, but the girl’s questions drew his attention. “I’mno’spoiled,” he teased.
“I don’twantto be spoiled! Teach me everything!”
Fawkes shrugged, even as he reached across to serve Ellie some of the pancakes. “I grew up in a modest home. No’ a hovel, but no’ as nice as yers. Only me and my mother.”
“Tell me all about her!” Merida demanded, a three-inch piece of pancake on her fork. “Everything!”
