Page 43 of A Virgin for the Vicious Highlander
“Someone will come to the tower ye dinnae let anyone come to?” Cecilia scoffed. “We could be waitin’ for days until someone notices that ye’re nae prowlin’ the halls like usual. Just break it down—I dinnae want to spend a moment longer with ye than I have to.”
Murdoch would not risk destroying the door and having to let workers come up to his sanctuary to replace it. Lennox would notice his absence by morning at the latest. So, whether she liked it or not, Cecilia was stuck with him until the door could be opened the ordinary way.
Unless Lennox takes me order too seriously…
He shook off the thought. Lennox would not be able to help himself if his Laird did not appear in the morning.
“Aye, well, ye’ll have to wait at least until Lennox comes,” Murdoch replied more cordially. “It willnae be later than dawn. He kens where the key is.”
She groaned, turning her back on him. “Why doyenae ken where the key is? Why do ye naehavethe key? Aye, would naelockin’the door be the perfect way to keep people out?”
“I’ve never needed to before ye arrived.” He tried the door one last time, but it remained stuck.
“Och, aye, because this is all me fault,” Cecilia grumbled.
Murdoch resisted the urge to tell her that, in essence, it was. But she did not need to hear that right now, not when she was trapped in a tower with someone who had told her so bluntly to leave. And after putting her virtue in such peril, too. She had every reason to be annoyed with him, and to want to be as far from him as possible.
I lost control again. I cannae keep lettin’ her bewitch me like that.
Taking a steadying breath, Murdoch unbuckled his belt.
“What are ye doin’?” Cecilia gasped, turning around at that inopportune moment. “Just because I’m locked in here with ye doesnae mean that I?—”
“Before ye start makin’ more accusations that’ll get ye in trouble,” Murdoch interjected, “it’s to keep ye warm. I’m always too hot in this tower, but ye’ll catch a chill.”
He took off his kilt and folded it until it resembled a woolen blanket. His léine covered him to just above the knees, so it was not as if she could accuse him of not being decent.
“To… keep me warm?” Cecilia seemed confused.
Murdoch approached her and draped the kilt around her shoulders, pulling it tight around her. “Ye should sit down. Finish yer wine.”
“Are ye commandin’ me?” she asked.
“Nay, just makin’ a suggestion. Keep pacin’ if ye like. It willnae make a difference.”
She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion and sat back down, retrieving the cup of spiced wine. She took a deep gulp before she held out the cup, not saying so much as a ‘please.’
Letting it slide, Murdoch fetched the pitcher and poured her some more. He waited until she brought the cup to her lips before asking, “What else was on yer list?”
She spluttered, almost choking on the mouthful. “Pardon?”
“Ye heard me.”
And it’s likely the only way to distract ye.
He did not need her to be fretting over a door that would not open, nor did he feel like dealing with animosity in such a small space.
A faint dusting of pink colored her cheeks as she swallowed another mouthful and then cleared her throat. “Actually, ye…accidentally fulfilled another one before.” She cleared her throat again. “It’s somethin’ I heard the… um… village lasses talk about.”
Murdoch took a sip of his own drink and leaned against his clay barrel. “That’s an interestin’ list for a nun.”
He was not certain he had seen her blush before, and though it was subtle, it had a rather pleasing effect on her face. It gave her almost the same flush as her release, stirring him to the point where he needed to keep her talking, or he would have to fight to control himself again.
“Novicenun,” she reminded him, refusing to look him in the eye. “And I’ll nae become a proper nun until I have crossed off all the items on me list.”
“Are all of the items on yer list like that?”
She glanced up at him. “Most of them.”
