Page 47 of A Wife for the Highland Villain
Lily lingeredby the window long after Alasdair had left her chamber. His words echoed in her mind, low and steady, as though he had meant them. She pressed her hand against the windowpane, unsure of what to think.
Perhaps it was only a ploy, his way of trying to soften her and put himself back into her good graces. He had always been clever with words, careful with the weight they carried. Still, there was something in his voice that she had not heard before. Something honest. Something she almost believed.
Well, a string of words wouldn’t undo ten years of damage.
She shook her head, as if to rid herself of the thought. She would not be duped so easily.
The door opened, and Daisy stepped back inside, carrying a pile of fresh bedsheets.
“Me Lady,” she asked with a smile, “shall I help ye get ready?”
“Aye,” Lily said, stepping away from the window. “We have a busy morning.”
Daisy set the bedsheets on the chair and walked to the wardrobe. “Which will ye wear?” she asked, sorting through the gowns.
Lily pointed to the deep green dress draped across the chest at the foot of the bed. “That one. Bring it here.”
Daisy paused, her lips pressing together. A sigh escaped her before she caught it.
Lily arched an eyebrow. “Do ye have a problem with it?”
The maid’s eyes darted up and down. “Nay, me Lady. Nae at all.”
Lily let out a laugh, soft but edged. “Daisy, I have only been here for two days, but I have ken ye long enough. If ye wish to scold me for the dresses, do it outright.”
“I wouldnae dare,” Daisy muttered as she lifted the gown.
“Then keep yer sighs to yerself,” Lily said, her voice still light, almost on the edge of laughter.
She took off her shift and raised her arms so Daisy could help her step into the dress. The cool fabric slid against her skin, the green darker than the forest outside.
As Daisy tied the laces, Lily’s gaze strayed to the wardrobe. The moonlight-blue gown caught her eye again, shining softly under the weak morning sun, and her heart clenched.
She tilted her head toward Daisy and let the words fall before she could stop them. “What do ye think of that one?”
Daisy turned her head. “The blue gown?”
“Aye. Would it suit me?”
The maid’s eyes softened, her hands pausing on the laces. “It would more than suit ye. It would be spectacular. Truly, me Lady. Would ye like me to fetch it?”
Lily’s eyes drifted back to the gown, then away again. Her chest warmed, then cooled all at once. She knew if she wore it, she would be yielding to him. She would be giving him a small victory.
But she would not.
Not now. Not ever.
“Nay,” she responded quickly. “Hell will freeze over before I wear what he picks.”
Daisy’s mouth twitched, but she said nothing in response. She finished tying the last lace and smoothed the skirt. “There. Ye are ready.”
Lily drew a breath. “Good. Let us be off.”
They left the chamber together and made their way to the hall. The storm clouds hung low again, shadows lying thick across the ground. The men were quieter than yesterday, more orderly as they rose to greet her. Lily walked among them, her smile light, her voice steady.
She bent over one cot where a young man stirred. “How are ye this morning?” she asked.
Sorcha answered from the far side of the hall, “The men are stronger today, me Lady. A few of them left in the middle of the night to be with their families, so more beds are emptying each day.”
