Page 27 of Highlander's Runaway Seductress
They stood from the bed, and after a warm hug, Amelie left for her room. She gathered her bags and arranged her bed, even though she did not have to. Amelie was considering the state of her clothes when Damien came through the door with a bucket of warm water.
“Ye can clean up,” he smiled. “Meet us downstairs for the meal.”
“Thank ye,” Amelie replied.
When the door closed behind him, Amelie locked the latch and disrobed to bathe as best as she could. The warm water was very welcome on her chilled skin. Soon she dressed in a thick shift with a warm woolen dress over it. Grabbing her pack, she left for downstairs and found Damien and Benjamin at a table, eating porridge with a round of bread between them.
She rested her pack under the table and greeted them. “Good mornin’, hope ye slept well.”
Ben nodded. “Best bed I’ve had for a while. T’was so soft I hated to get up this morn. Could have slept all day if I had the right to.”
Over his head, Amelie caught Damien’s eyes, shifted her gaze to Ben then back to Damien, asking him if Ben knew anything about him and her. When he shook his head quickly, the tenseness in her chest lessened and she smiled.
“What kind of porridge is this?” she asked.
“Oats,” Damien replied while sliding the bread to her. “Start eatin’ I’ll get yer bowl for ye.”
He stood and moved away while Amelie broke a hunk of bread and began nibbling. Ben looked at Damien’s back and then to her.
“Seems to me the boy is warmin’ up to ye. That’s a good thing, lass. I daenae ken how ye got him to start trustin’ ye, but I’m glad ye did.”
Amelie tamped down on her blush and hid what she could by eating the lump of bread. She managed to get her reaction under control before Ben went back to his food and Damien returned with her pewter bowl.
“It’s all right,” Damien assured her. “Saw Morgana ladle it out.”
Unable to do anything but trust him, Amelie ate her breakfast. “Do ye have a plan for when we get to Dolberry?”
Finishing his bowl, Damien said, “I feel it’s best for ye to go wait in the village for a time while Ben and I find out what ye will need to do to gain an audience from the Laird.”
“Ye make it sound as though I will be on trial?” Amelie asked, nervously.
“To prove who ye are, aye, it will be a trial that ye will be under,” Damien sighed. “I daenae see what more we can do to prove ye are who ye say ye are. And for the hefty sum he will be payin’,two thousand sterlin’s,I’d imagine it might take more than a look at yer eyes to prove it.”
“Aye,” Ben said while mopping the last of his porridge with his bread. “I’d imagine the good man has seen all sort of imposters, and hoodwinkers and is very wary of more contestants, which will be ye. When ye do get to see him, make sure to carry yer pendant and try to tell him what ye remember.”
A twinge of apprehension tightened Amelie’s stomach at the thought of meeting the Laird of Dolberry, who could possibly be her father. And the thought of meeting someone who could be her father, made that tightening in her stomach grow to a sickening wrench.
She swallowed over the last lump of bread and rubbed the back of her neck.
“Are ye sure that is the best way?”
“It might nae be the best, but I imagine it is the smartest way,” Damien replied. “Who can tell if the Laird has made some changes in who can see him? I daenae think goin’ right to his gate and askin’ for admittance will be the best thing.”
Nodding, Amelie agreed, “I suppose.”
A flicker at the corner of her eye had Amelie turning to her left to see the tails of a dress flicker out of sight. She wondered if Miss Binney had overheard them and pressed her lips tight in displeasure.
“I think we should discuss this when we have some privacy.”
A confused look crossed Damien’s face as he looked pointedly around the room—theemptyroom. “Lass?”
“Can we leave now?” Amelie said.
“I—”
“Please,” she said while standing and grabbing her pack. She knew Damien should not have carried them there, but it was already done so she could not get upset about it. “I daenae feel comfortable here anymore.”
Damien made to speak but stopped himself and nodded. “Sure, if ye’ll wait outside, I’ll have the cart hooked up and say our farewells.”
