Page 38 of The Highlander's Twisted Deal
“She is, aye.”
“Don’t blame her. She worked hard last night. I fear I have to go up to one of the huts on the farthest side of the village this morning to bring an old lady a tincture, but if I leave before she wakes, tell her that she is a fine healer. The best, I reckon. Without her, we’d have lost Brigit and the babe.”
Tammy shuddered at the mention of losing his wife and child.
Callum swallowed hard, feeling dizzy and out of place. “Of course, I’ll tell her,” he responded lightly. “She is a fine healer.”
Arthur watched him closely, out of dark, shrewd eyes, unreadable yet incisive. Callum had known Arthur for decades, and he’d never been able to pull the wool over the Englishman’s eyes.
“Yes, a fine lady,” Arthur said thoughtfully. “You are a lucky man, My Laird. But then, I’m sure you know that.”
Callum smiled tightly. “Aye, I ken that.”
The sound of a door creaking open saved him from any further interrogation. Turning, he saw Ava, heavy-eyed and rumpled, standing at the doorway to Arthur’s hut.
“Morning,” she said, her gaze finding him immediately. “I wondered where ye had gone.”
He avoided meeting her eyes. “Aye, I got up earlier. I’ll get the horse and cart ready. We should head home as soon as we can.”
Turning his back, Callum strode away, heading to the paddock, where the horse waited for him.
It wasn’t much of a surprise to hear running footsteps coming after him. Biting back a curse, he forced himself not to turn around, concentrating on pulling the cart forward.
“I was surprised to wake up and find ye gone,” Ava said, the end of the sentence lilting up just enough to make it sound like a question. “What was the matter?”
“I just wanted to get up,” Callum replied shortly.
Take the hint, please, please. Dinnae make me explain.
Looking back, it felt as though he’d been drunk. Too stupid and clumsy to stop and think about what he’d been doing, about the consequences of it all. And now, look at what he’d done. He’d opened a door that couldn’t be easily closed again. Resisting her in the future was going to be even harder.
He could hear Ava standing behind him, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. He was braced for anger, for the realization, for the misunderstanding. And he would take it all. He deserved it.
“Did I do something wrong?” Ava asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He hadn’t expected that. Before he could think twice, he turned sharply around. “What? Nay. Of course nae.”
Ava watched him carefully. He could see flashes of hurt on her face and growing understanding.
I’m sorry.I’m so sorry.
“It’s just that ye seemed a wee bit terse with me this morning,” she said carefully. “And ye all but threw yerself out of bed when ye woke up, desperate not to wake me.”
Callum’s cheeks reddened. “Ye were already awake then?”
“Aye, I was. It doesnae matter.”
He nodded, drawing in a breath. “Ava, listen. Last night never happened. Last night was a mistake, do ye nae agree? It would be best for us both to pretend it never happened and just concentrate on what’s important.”
He saw the hurt flash across her face, and it made his heart ache.
Stay strong, Callum. It’s for the best. Best for both of us.
“What’s important?” she echoed.
Here comes the anger.
“Ye mean,” she continued, “like fooling yer nice, kind uncle and aunt into thinking that ye are getting married to shut them up? Concocting an elaborate ploy to fool all of yer councilors, whose advice ye are so studiously ignoring? Oh, aye, very well done, Callum. I cannae believe I was taken in by ye.”
