Page 16 of The Highlander's Captured Bride
They arrived at the castle grounds as the moon was rising over the hilltops. Violet had darted into the stable and into the stall where she had hidden a sack containing a dress and a hairbrush. After changing out of the boy's clothes and yanking the wig from her head, she swiftly put on the dress and brushed her hair back into place.
Ethan had already put the horses back into their places. She came out brushing down her skirt with one hand and her hair with the other. He chuckled, “Now I’m pretty sure nothin’ will be normal with ye here.”
She shoved the sack with her boy clothes into his hand. “Take care of these, will ye? I’ve managed to smuggle these in without him kenning. I believe they’d be hidden with ye. And let’s get to the castle, I’m starving.”
He laughed and tucked the sack under his arm, “Aye, let us get ye in for yer meal and explain yer absence to yer faither.”
While she went to the great hall, Ethan took a quick trip of the stairs where she imagined he was hiding her disguise for their next jaunt. She had taken one step into the mostly empty hall when her father called out, “Violet!”
He was hurrying to her with concern edged all over his face. “Where were ye? I’d have expected to see ye before dusk, nae after it.”
“I told ye, Faither,” she said while trying to mask her nervousness, “Master MacFerson took me out for a ride, I dinnae realize how the time flew by.”
“But—”
“I must take responsibility for that, Mister O’Cain,” Ethan called from behind her. “I took her far out into the hills, and we had to inch our way back home.” He came to her side with his face penitent but his body defensive. “We’ll try to nae do it again.”
He said we…
Violet flicked a look at him from under her lashes, then did the same to her father. “But the best thing is that I’m here now and we’re safe. I am also hungry.”
The older man huffed, “I suppose I can understand that, but for the sake of me peace of mind, please be careful. A murderer is out at large and until we find him, I’d rather ye be close to home.”
His words made a solemn hollowness settle in her stomach. Her father was right, they had to be cautious. But she held onto the surety that what she was doing was going to help her father. Sharing a look with Ethan while her father’s back was turned, she asked, “Shall we sit at the high table or go to the kitchens?”
“Which are ye more comfortable with?” Ethan asked, as they began to walk. “Either way, we get food.”
“The kitchens?” she asked, thankful that it was dim. She did not want to let her eagerness to extend her time with him show.
When they reached the door, Ethan pushed it in and held it until she passed through. The kitchens were warm from the fires and the table they had used twice was empty. He pulled out her chair and before sitting himself, gestured over for a servant to come over. The warmth from the room began to settle into her skin and the aroma of the food was tantalizing her nose.
Before platters of food were being set out on the table, she leaned in and grasped his hand. It was rough and calloused against her reasonably softer one, and it felt like a proof of his strength. “Thank ye for today. I dinnae want to make things difficult of ye but we might have to figure out a way to start again on the morrow.”
“About that,” he said swiping his thumb over the back of her hand. “I have a feeling that me faither will want to talk to me then, so we might have to call off our activities for a while.”
Absurdly, Violet felt he was saying—rather politely—that he did not want to be with her or help her, and that waswithher hearing his logical reasoning. “Um, I understand.”
Her hurt was slightly mollified by the worry line she could see starting to take set in Ethan’s face. She assumed that his father was going to speak to him about taking up the lairdship—as it was now vacant— and he was worried about it. Compassion for him overshadowed her upset and she offered him the softest smile she could muster.
“Ye’ll be fine,” she comforted before breaking her hunk of bread. “If ye want to go to bed now, I’ll understand.”
“Nay,” he shook his head. “I’ll stay here with ye.”
Even with his troubles, he had decided to stay, and that elated her while they ate in comfortable silence. When they were finished, Ethan stood and offered his hand to help her up. The great hall was mostly empty, leaving only the servants who were wiping down the tables. She felt his shoulder brush with hers as they continued to the wing where her room was, and he even opened her door for her.
“Ye’re such a gentleman,” she giggled.
“And yer a surprise for a lady,” he replied. “I daenae believe I have ever come across a lady with yer bravery and perception.”
Her heart thumped even harder at the sincere look he was giving her, paired with his flattering words. “Ye’re the first person who has ever told me anything like that,” she murmured.
Ethan’s head cocked to the side and his gaze was bold, “I’m nay surprised, many might be intimidated with how strong ye are but rest assured, I’m nay. I ken ye are what we need around here,” his head dipped and his smile was small but comforting, “Good night, Violet.”
“Same to ye, Ethan,” she replied while slipping inside. She rested her back on the closed door and pressed a hand to her fluttering breast. Ethan felt solid, dependable… a fighter. In this troubling time was an uncertain time of fear and possibly one that preceded an attack. If this was a time of war and she was going into this battle, he was the knight she’d want by her side.
8
As he had suspected, just after dawn, he was summoned into his father’s study. He sat with a heaviness lodged in his throat and his stomach a tight block of ice. His father was grave faced, and the line of his knitted brows was set in worry.
