Page 40 of Heirs and Graces at Highland Hall
‘I’m not saying that I minded, but how about you try that again when you haven’t just been through a massive trauma?’
Bex shook her head, horrified by what she had just done. ‘I’m so sorry—’ she started again, only for him to cut her off.
‘Don’t you dare apologise,’ he said. ‘I just think our first kiss shouldn’t be when you’re in bed wearing my pyjamas.’
He stood and smiled. ‘I’ll send Gordon up with a hot chocolate. Try to get some rest, all right?’
As the door closed behind him, Bex sank back into her pillow and covered her face with her hands.
How had she been so stupid? That was ridiculous. There was no chance she was going to get any sleep now.
Well. That was certainly one way to make an impression.
33
Bex had no concept of time. Gordon came up a little while after Kieron had left, with a hot chocolate and some shortbread biscuits and told her to drink as much as she could. She tried taking a couple of mouthfuls, but what she really needed was sleep.
‘I’m sorry, Gordon,’ she said as she forced another mouthful of sugar into her body. ‘I’m sorry that you had to go out there looking for me. It was stupid and selfish.’
‘Hush, lass,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You’re all good. And ye’ know I love a reason to get out a’ that study.’
She tried to laugh, grateful that he was trying to make light of things, but she struggled. It turned out being stranded in the snow was a great way to zap the energy from your body.
‘Do you think you could bring me my bag up from the office? My phone?’ she asked when she’d drunk as much as she could manage.
‘Aye. Sure thing.’
She wasn’t going to ring anyone. There was no point. It was not as if her friends and family back in England could do anything. Ringing them would just cause them to panic, whichwas unnecessary now that she was safe and warm. She just needed it there in case someone tried to get hold of her.
As it happened, though, she was already fast asleep when Gordon came back with her bag, and it was only when she opened her eyes, several hours later, to see the bedside lamp still on, that she realised the whole day had gone.
‘Ruby?’ she said as she glanced down at her feet and saw the bed was empty, though as she sat up, she discovered that not only was Ruby still in the room, with her favourite well-chewed pheasant toy between her legs, but that she had company too.
‘Duncan told us what happened,’ Lorna said, rushing over, closely followed by Eilidh. The pair scooched across the mattress so that they were sitting either side of Bex while Ruby, now aware that Bex was up and could once again give her attention, jumped back into her normal position at the foot of the bed.
‘I am such an idiot,’ Bex muttered.
‘You won’t hear any of us disagree with that,’ Lorna replied, though Eilidh shot her friend a glare.
‘It’s not the first time it’s happened around here,’ Eilidh said, a little more gently. ‘Although, yes, we did think a little better of you. How are you doing?’
Bex scoffed. It wasn’t an easy question. Completely embarrassed. Ashamed. Humiliated. Those were the words that sprang to mind, though she suspected her friends were asking about the more physical side of things.
‘Honestly? I’m feeling pretty lucky,’ she said eventually. ‘I’m knackered. It feels like my bones have been replaced with rusted steel, and my throat hurts like hell too, but I’m not sure if that’s from the cold or from all the screaming I was doing.’
‘Well, we’re just so blooming relieved that you’re okay,’ Lorna said. Only then did Bex notice the red rims of her eyes. As if she’d been crying.
‘Yeah, that makes both of us.’
Lorna pressed her lips together, hesitating before speaking again. ‘Kieron said Duncan was pretty harsh with you. He was fair boilin’.’
‘Well, that’s one way of putting it,’ Bex said, loving the Scottish turn of phrase. ‘He had a few choice words. I think it’s fair to say there’s no love lost there any more.’
‘You don’t believe that,’ Lorna said sharply. ‘He was just worried. Because he loves you. You get that, right?’
Bex wanted to believe her, but then Lorna had not heard what Duncan had said. It wasn’t just how he’d spoken, but the words he’d chosen too. Saying how it was a good job they’d called it quits. She wanted to tell her friends as much, but the words got trapped in her throat.
Instead, she let out a sigh before pulling in a slightly sharper breath and trying to sound proactive. ‘Kieron said he’s happy for me to stay here,’ she said, directing her words at Lorna. ‘But if I’m honest, I’d rather we went home to yours. If that’s okay with you?’
