Page 62 of The Icy Highlander's Bride
Lana had been cold toward him all morning.
Well, cold since last night, when she pushed him away with such vitriol.
I would say I feel something like hate…
He could still feel her soft skin beneath his fingers, still taste the sweetness of her lips. Having her there, locked in his bedchamber, had made him mad with desire for her. But there were always her rules to stop them from going too far. Even after all they had been through, the lass still insisted on love.
"What do ye think?" Cameron asked.
Daniel turned to see his councilmen's eyes on him. He had gotten lost in his thoughts for a moment, but he took the time now to work through the plan his council was proposing.
As a young man, he would have spoken quickly to break the silence in the room. But today, he had no problem making his council wait.
"Anything else, Me Lady?"
Lana smiled as Mary offered more bread. She held up a hand and put another on her stomach. "I cannae eat another bite." She laughed.
She tugged on a strand of Skye's hair as the girl ran her finger over her plate, picking up crumbs.
"Daenae use yer fingers," Lana scolded gently. "'Tis nae ladylike."
"We have plenty more, lass," Mary assured. She held out the sweet bun to Skye, who looked to Lana for permission.
"Go ahead." Lana nodded.
After a day spent away from Skye, Lana was happy to be back in the girl's presence. She had missed her easy smiles and her constant questions about the world around her. She was surprised Daniel had consented to let her watch the child, but he and Cameron were needed for council business.
"Will I have to stay with Uncle Cam today?" Skye asked as she pulled apart the sticky bread, still using her fingers.
As she watched the girl's messy eating, Lana remembered Daniel's order to teach Skye to be a proper lady. She also remembered his rule that she couldn't make any decisions for Skye without consulting him. She weighed her options and decided that Skye should eat her breakfast however she wanted to.
"We will see what yer faither says," Lana said.
She glanced out the window, catching sight of a bird. She saw the blue feathers of a starling and was instantly transported to Gunn Castle, her former home. She longed for the simplicity of watching those birds flit from tree to tree in the garden. There had been such freedom in those days when she was simply the youngest child of a laird with few responsibilities.
"Are ye alright, Me Lady?"
Lana looked up to see Mary staring at her, a hint of concern on her face. She nodded and smiled at the woman. "Aye," she said. "I just dinnae sleep well."
"Maybe we can walk in the garden," Skye suggested. "We could pick flowers like we did for the wedding."
"We'll see," Lana said.
She didn't want to make promises that would get Skye's hopes up. She had a feeling they would spend much of their time in the library today, reading about adventures instead of finding them.
"We can make a bouquet," Skye continued, her voice pitched high and filled with excitement.
Lana sighed, silently summoning her patience. She loved Skye, but this morning she was struggling to remain cheerful. Most of what the little girl was asking for wouldn't be allowed, with Daniel's heightened restrictions, and Lana would hate to disappoint her.
"Guess what?" Mary asked, bending down to Skye's eye-level. The little girl raised her eyebrows, waiting for the answer. "I think that soup needs stirring. Would ye like to help?"
Lana smirked at the way Mary could make the simplest task sound exciting. But the little girl bought it, and she was suddenly bounding off her stool.
"Can I stir?" Skye asked, bouncing on her toes.
Lana nodded.
The girl rushed toward the fire, before pausing and walking carefully, just as Mary had taught her. She received the spoon like a badge of honor and began to stir the soup carefully, rhythmically.
