Page 43 of Sinbound to the Highlander
Freya had seen this reaction before, and she expected Elspeth to leave. She did not excuse herself from the meal, but her mother did. Lady Grace reached over and pressed her palm to Elspeth’s forehead, then frowned and turned to Evan.
She whispered something in his ear, and he, in turn, looked over to Elspeth, then nodded. With another whispered word to her husband, the Laird and the three stood before Elspeth was whisked away. Whipping her head to the left and right, Freya stood and shot Evan a smile, before hurrying to follow them.
She followed them to their rooms and lingered at the door when Elspeth was being catered to. She gave her good wishes and good nights then went to her room, closing the door behind her. Perched on the bed, she removed her slippers and stuck her hand into her pocket, to look for the book, and it was gone.
“Oh, no,” she exclaimed. “I must have dropped it.”
Frantic that she had lost the Laird’s possession, Freya hurried out from the room and down the hallway. The door to Elspeth’s chamber was closed, but she heard Lady Grace’s voice inside. Swiftly, she retraced her footsteps, down to the Great Hall, but did not find it anywhere along the way.
At the entrance of the hall, where people were still feasting, Freya slipped inside, and up to the dais. The people were deep into their wine and drunken chatter to hardly give her a second look as she knelt and searched between the chair’s legs. It wasn’t there.
Truly terrified, Freya was about to stand, when a pair of familiar boots were in her eyeline. Now her heart was pounding in fear for admitting that she had lost the master of the house’s property to the master of the house. She stood and grasped her skirts and was about to speak, when a thin leather book was waved in her face.
“Dropped somethin’, did ye?” Evan smiled.
“Aye. I was terrified,” relieved, Freya reached out for it, but Evan tugged it away.
“Take a walk with me?” he asked.
Slightly conflicted, as Freya knew it would be best for her to return to her chambers, she nodded. “Aye.”
They walked close enough that their arms brushed, and when Evan pushed on the door to the outside, he took her hand and laced their fingers
together. It was chilly, but the thick cloth of her dress blocked most of the frost from sinking in. Evan led her to a path that was lit by torches that led them to a pagoda.
Its walls were curved, but the windows let in the light from the torches. One handed, Evan tugged the book open and to a slightly crinkled page. “Ye read,To a Young Lady?”
She met his gaze briefly, “I did, but after the first few lines, I…got lost. I dinnae understand what it meant.”
“Which part?” Evan asked.
Placing her finger at the part, she said, “Here,he blasts the beauteous features of the soul, with various conflicts rends the destin’d breast.What does that mean?”
“Before I explain,” Evan said, nudging her shoulder, “What do ye ken it means?”
She nibbled her lip in indecision, “I wasnae sure if it meant the person she loves rejecting her, or the devil taunting her.”
“It is the spirit of indecision and distress that comes from unsuccessful love, bottled up in the young lady’s heart,” Evan said, “But here,Oh, beauteous friend, a better fate be thine, still may their star with mildest influence shine,and here,may love approach thee in the finest dress, and court thee to domestic happiness.The writer wishes the best for such a young lady who has caught herself in such distress.”
“So, she finds happiness in the end?” Freya’s voice slipped to wistful.
“Nae entirely, but that is the impression,” Evan said, folding the book. “The issue with poetry is the words can be interpreted ten-score ways.”
“Did ye leave those books in me room for me?” Freya dared to ask.
“I did,” Evan said. “I remembered yer desire to learn more, I ken its nay all that academic, but it still stimulates the mind.” Placing the book on his lap, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Resting on the flat of his palm was a long hairpin that had an array of tiny milky stones formed in a flower. “When me Maither told me how well yer salve worked, I wanted to give a cask of gold, or me precious diamonds, but what use would they have for ye?”
He turned and slid the pin into her hair, clasping the bangs from falling into her face, “Ye do have stubborn hair, after all.”
Reaching up, Freya touched it, “It's beautiful, I’ll never part from it.”
The air was charged, with the mist swirling in ghostly tendrils as over the dark land, but while it grew cold, Evan’s closeness was affecting her, and an unnatural heat was building inside her. He had not pulled away and so close, she could only see his eyes. With the flickering light over his eyes, they changed from amber to warm, liquid honey.
“E…Evan?”
His hand slipped from her hair to cradle her face, tilting it just so that his thumb could pass over her cheekbone. “Evan, what. . .do you want?"
Evan smile was slight, “Somethin’ that has forced me to doubt meself a hundred times. May I kiss a stunnin’ lady?”
