Page 29 of Highlander's Secret Heiress
Lachlan smiled; seeing his flags always made him feel proud. He had often heard of people who travelled to other far-flungplaces and saw wondrous things, but he had never wanted to leave his little country. It was far too precious to him because here was the grave of the woman he loved.
He thought about the pendant again. At some time in the future, he was going to have to return it to his rightful owner—as soon as he plucked up the courage to do so. Lachlan felt like such a coward, but the thought of confronting the daughter of a woman whose mother had died because of him was terrifying. Yet, it had to be done, and he would do it. Someday.
Alyth too was thinking about the pendant. She had to have it back, since it was all she had left of the mother she had loved so much. Yet, she had looked everywhere she could think of with no result, but the castle was a huge place, and she could not possibly search it all. There were dozens of empty rooms, storerooms that were full of all kinds of goods, as well as the stables, a laundry, dairy, buttery, and brewery.
She lay in her bed looking at the ceiling, thinking about whether or not to give up. It seemed like such a hopeless quest now, and she was beginning to wonder why she had even started it.
Perhaps it’s time to give up, Alyth,she thought despairingly.After all, finding it will not bring Mammy back.
She thought about using her feminine guile again to get closer to the Laird, but that had caused more problems than it had solved. She still had her memories, after all, and no one could take those away from her.
No, she thought. Trying to seduce Lachlan Carrick again was not the answer, especially since she was so very confused about how she felt about him.
However, she did not have the energy to worry about him any more. Eventually, Alyth drifted off to sleep and dreamed about lying in her mother’s embrace, listening to one of her stories. She smiled in her sleep, calm and content for once.
13
Breakfast was always a merry meal in the kitchen of Leithmuir Castle, but today it was especially so, since Alison declared that she had become engaged to the son of the blacksmith in the village. Everyone congratulated her, and Alyth was happy for her, but deep inside she was jealous of the shining joy she saw in her friend’s face. If only she had been the one celebrating!
These women had come to mean so much to her; they were attentive, kind, and had a wonderful sense of humour that made them able to laugh at each other and themselves without rancour. They had welcomed her into their fellowship without question; she worked with them, and therefore she was one of them.
In a way, this also made Alyth sad because she knew that at some point she would have to leave them, and she had no wish to. After Lachlan’s confession, and Maisie’s explanation of what had gone on between the Carricks and the MacAdams she could quite happily stay there forever.
She had come to the conclusion that Lachlan was not her enemy; he was a very damaged man who wanted nothing but a quiet life, to look after his daughter and to be at peace. Thefact that a kind of peace had been negotiated between the two families showed that neither wanted to carry on a war that no one could win.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Mairi, the cook. “Who wants tae take the Laird’s breakfast tae his study?” she asked, indicating a tray loaded with food and a pitcher of ale.
She looked around, but nearly everyone was busy with some other task; when the cook caught her eye and called out to her, she groaned inwardly. She was not prepared to be confronted by Lachlan so early in the morning, but submitted, as she had no other choice.
Alyth trudged along the corridor to the room, then stood outside for a moment in order to take a deep breath to prepare herself before knocking. When she heard Lachlan’s deep voice summoning her inside, she opened the door and entered.
Lachlan looked up to thank her, then his eyes widened in surprise. Alyth put the tray on a small side table, then asked, “Is there anything else you need, M’Laird?”
Only you,he thought. He only just stopped himself from saying it aloud as he gazed at her. Even in a maid’s drab uniform, she was beautiful, and he wanted nothing more at that moment than to take her in his arms and make passionate love to her as he had before.
Without thinking, Lachlan looked over at the couch in front of the fire where they had come together for the first time. The first time? Would it be the only time, he wondered? God, he hoped not.
He looked up at Alyth, to find her gazing back at him, and for a frozen moment, they stood staring at each other. The atmosphere in the room was thick with palpable tension as teal blue eyes gazed into dark grey ones, before Lachlan regained his senses and tore his gaze away from hers.
“No, Jeannie,” he replied. “There is nothing more that I need, thank you.”
Alyth made a brief curtsey and almost sprinted out of the room, leaving Lachlan sitting staring at the door, wondering just how he was going to deal with his feelings, for he could not go on like this.
And as she strode back down to the kitchen, Alyth was wondering exactly the same thing because now she knew for certain that she cared for Lachlan Carrick. It was not just the fact that he made her body thrill with desire, or that she loved the way he was firm with his men yet infinitely gentle with his daughter.
No, she cared for him because he touched her at some level deep inside that no other man ever had or, she suspected, never would again. The feeling was indescribably wonderful and terrifying all at once, for she was helpless to act on it.
But was she? The more she thought about it, the less possible it seemed that the Carricks were to blame for their feud. They had been the ones who suggested the truce, after all, and neither side had gained anything from the fighting; in fact, they had both suffered the heaviest loss of all and were still suffering the consequences.
Alyth shuddered as she thought about the attack by the Robertsons that she and Davina had endured, and the predatory gaze of Laird Robertson himself. No one revolted her as much as he did.
Perhaps she was not so helpless after all, Alyth thought. She and Lachlan could talk together, perhaps work out some plan whereby the two families could make the current truce that existed between them into a permanent cessation of hostilities. After all, she and Lachlan had already made a good start!
Alyth laughed at the thought; could two people who had engaged in such passionate lovemaking possibly be enemies?
Yet, there was one other problem. Would Lachlan forgive the lies she had told him? Would he resent her deeply for forsaking Davina when she left? These were questions which she had asked herself time and time again, but for which she had no answer.
She had almost reached the kitchen when she saw Davina running towards her, smiling happily. “Jeannie!” she called.
