Page 49 of The Highlander's Twisted Deal
He was holding out her basket to her, smiling wryly. “Dinnae forget this, lassie.”
Moira tutted. “Oh, lassie, there was nay need to fetch all of this! One of the servants would have got it for ye. Are we running out of things in the kitchen?”
Ava flushed. Now, she looked greedy as well as nosy.
“Nay, nay. I just fancied a walk. I like to forage. And the mushrooms are for a soldier at the gates.”
Moira nodded, her expression unreadable. “Ye are a sweet lass, Ava. Very sweet. I’m glad that Callum has chosen ye. He could have done much worse, and anyone with eyes can see how he feels about ye.”
A jolt ran through Ava at that. She was sure that it was just the sort of thing people said about betrothed couples. People saw what they wanted to see, and in a betrothed couple, they expected to see love and devotion, so that was what their brains conjured.
She swallowed hard, remembering to smile at the last moment.
With her basket of goodies on one arm and Moira on the other, the two women moved slowly back through the forest, leaving Marcus behind to deal with the box. Ava knew she should stop thinking about the contents of the box, but her curiosity was like an itch that simply wouldn’t go away.
“Ye must be glad to have yer maither and friend back with ye again,” Moira said, ostensibly as an attempt to start up the conversation.
Ava smiled tightly. She didn’t much feel like talking, but then, Moira clearly didn’t feel much like silence.
“Aye, I’m glad.”
“They must be pleased to ken that ye are going to be Lady McAdair soon, eh? Although it’s a heavy weight for any young person to carry.”
Ava swallowed hard. She felt ill. Her stomach was doing somersaults. “Aye,” she responded. “It is.”
They walked on in silence for a little while longer until the entrance to the Keep came into view. It was later in the morning now, and people were starting to go in and out, yawning and stretching and going about their business. Moira and Ava joined the throng, shuffling back under the shadow of the high walls into the courtyard.
Ava looked for the soldier who’d let her out earlier that morning, to give him the mushrooms for his wife, but there was no sign of him. The sentries had been relieved, it seemed, and it suddenly felt as though her whole morning had been a ridiculous waste of time.
I might as well have stayed in bed.
Moira kept their arms looped together until they reached the bottom of the steps leading up into the Keep itself. She finally released Ava and flashed her an inquisitive smile.
“Ye dinnae seem yerself, lass. What’s wrong?”
Ava forced a smile. “I’m nae sleeping well.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Is yer bed nae to yer liking? Yer bedroom, is it too small?”
“Nay, nay! It’s fine. It’s comfortable, more comfortable than anything I’ve ever…” Ava trailed off uncomfortably, and Moira tactfully changed the subject.
“Well, ye must eat. Breakfast is all laid out if I’m nae mistaken. Come on up and eat with us. Marcus willnae be long—he never misses his breakfast, I can tell ye that!”
Ava couldn’t bring herself to smile at the joke, not even a little.
“I’m nae really hungry,” she confessed and was surprised to find that it was true.
She felt tired and shaky, and she wanted nothing more than to go to bed and curl up under the freshly shaken covers.
Moira pursed her lips. “Are ye sure, lassie?”
“Aye, quite sure. A little sleep, that’ll set me right.”
Ava turned and climbed the steps into the Keep, not daring to look back at Moira again.
Who only knew what she might see?
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