Page 20 of Highlander's Caged Rose
“Has she told you anything about her past?” he asked, frowning deeply.
Glennie shook her head. “I know as much as you do, Niall,” she answered. “But I can tell you what I think of her. To me, she seems like a good, but troubled person. She finds it very difficult to trust people, especially men. I think she deserves a chance to be trusted and loved because it doesn’t seem like her family cares for her if her father wants to marry her to a brute. I like her very much, or I would not have asked you to let her stay.” She stood up, then took his hand and led him back to the table, where she looked deeply into his eyes.
“Does she ever ask about me?” Niall asked, but this time it was he who looked embarrassed, and he dropped his gaze to his hands, which he was clenching and unclenching on the table.
Glennie put her hands on top of his to still them.
“No, she has never asked about you, Niall,” she answered. “We rarely talked about you except in passing if your name cropped up when we were discussing something else.”
All of a sudden, Niall felt a sinking sense of disappointment, and he was not quite sure why. It was deeply confusing, since his feelings for Moira were a mixture of carnal attraction, pity, occasional annoyance and distrust, but there was something else there too.
He felt protective and occasionally very tender towards her. Was this love? He had absolutely nothing to measure his emotions against. The only person in his life he could say that he loved was Glennie, and that was, of course, not the same thing at all.
She studied him for another moment, then asked, “Why are you so curious, Niall?” her tone was concerned. “Do you have feelings for her?”
Niall could have kicked himself for asking the question at all; his thoughts and emotions were probably written all over his face, and he and Glennie were so attuned that they could read each other like books.
He sighed. “I really don’t know how I feel about her, or how she feels about me,” he replied. “She irritates me with the defiance she shows, but I pity her for all she has been through, and—I probably should not say this to my sister—but I find her very attractive in a physical way.”
Glennie laughed. “Why not? You are just like every other man, Niall.” She picked up her brother’s hand and squeezed it, then smiled at him. “And if you like, I can talk to Moira and find out how she feels about you.”
Niall felt his heart swell with hope, and he smiled at his sister. “Thank you, Glennie, but please be careful she doesn’t find out what you are doing.”
“I will be as subtle as possible,” Glennie answered. “She will never know what my mission is.”
“What would I do without you?” Niall asked as he bent down to kiss Glennie’s forehead.
Glennie cast her eyes heavenwards. “I have no idea,” she answered, as they both burst out laughing.
In truth, Niall felt much better now that he had left the matter in Glennie’s capable hands, and he managed to cope with the rest of the day without any further difficulties.
That night, he had the most restful night he had experienced for a long time. He knew that his problem was not yet solved, but he felt that the solution was on its way.
9
Moira spent the next two days in her sick bed, and Glennie visited her often, staying for hours at a time, during which time they chatted about every subject under the sun. They found that they had much in common. Both shared a love of horses and books, and they both had the same dry sense of humour.
Moira found herself relaxing with Glennie as she had never done with anyone else in her life, and wished that she had a sister just like her. However, it made her feel sad that she had never been able to enjoy such companionship before.
During this time, she saw nothing of Niall, and she did not know whether to be glad or disappointed. He had become such a large part of her life since she first came to Baltyre that she missed the sheer size of his presence and personality, whether it was good or bad.
Moira had been about to ask about him many times, but something always stopped her. She knew that Glennie would tell Niall if she did, and who knew what would happen then?
On the morning of the third day, she decided that she had had enough rest and was ready to face the world again, so when Glennie came into the room she found Moira in her bath.
“Oh, excuse me!” Glennie exclaimed, turning away so that she would not embarrass Moira by looking at her while she was naked, but Moira only laughed.
“Do I have anything different from what you have?” she asked. “Or should I have three breasts? I am not embarrassed, Glennie, so please don’t turn away.”
Glennie laughed, then sat down on the bed. “You look better today,” she remarked. “More like your usual self.”
“I feel better,” Moira told her. “And it has been lovely to have you coming to see me every day, Glennie. I’m sure it has helped me recover more quickly.”
Then Moira suddenly became conscious of the livid scars that her husband had given her; most of them were quite small, but still very noticeable. Sandie had given her a salve to help the scars shrink a little, but Moira had seen no difference as yet, and the thought made her uncomfortable.
However, if Glennie noticed the scars, she made no comment, but patted Moira’s hand and smiled at her fondly. “It has been very good for me too,” she admitted. “I have very few friends, and those I do have never come here. I always have to go and visit them.”
Moira frowned. “Why is that?” she asked, puzzled.
