Page 23 of The Highlander's Virgin Widow
“Aye. Apparently, he had been beating her.”
Keira’s face fell. “What?”
“He’s been doing it for the past few months, and she didnae say anything. She said Samuel wouldnae come home until the moon was out. He would spend the nights and all his money in the tavern, sleeping with the barmaids and racking up debts by paying for others.”
Keira listened attentively, each word sending a ripple of shock through her.
“People saw the scars on her face,” Lesley continued. “They asked her what happened, but she refused to say anything. Only that she fell while cleaning the stables. Everyone kenned it was a lie, of course, because yer face simply doesnae turn black after falling into the horse muck. Then, one day, her husband left to visit his braither, and she bought a baby goat and brought it home the day after. He hasnae returned since he left months ago, and now everyone thinks she replaced her husband with the goat.”
Keira’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
“Aye. They think she went to the cave by the waterfall and asked the witches there to turn her husband into a goat. Of course, she didnae deny it. She told me she had never been more at peace since people started to suspect that she was a witch. She gets food at low prices in the market, and people come to offer her clothing for free,” Lesley snorted.
Keira laughed. If that was not a woman who knew her worth, she didn’t know what.
“She better take advantage of her new reputation as much as she can, then.”
“Och, she will.” Lesley giggled.
Keira’s eyes flicked to the baby goat, Lesley’s story ringing in her ears. Like a moonbeam through a window, her eyes slowly widened, and the most excited smile spread across her face.
Lesley noticed it immediately and arched an eyebrow at her. “Keira?”
“Aye.”
“Are ye all right?” she asked, her voice laced with a mix of concern and confusion.
Keira nodded. “I am quite well. I just had the most brilliant idea, and I ken just how to execute it.”
“Idea of what?” Lesley asked, concern still evident in her voice.
“How to get the Laird to leave,” Keira responded, her eyes never leaving the baby goat the whole time.
9
Evander stepped into the Laird’s quarters, the faint smell of fresh wood and water filling his nostrils.
A maid had informed him that Lady Blythe had fully vacated the room and he could now properly occupy it when he was ready. A mildly surprised expression had crossed his face at the thought.
“I thought she refused to come down for breakfast because she didnae want to give it up. What changed her mind?” he had asked the maid.
“I am afraid I cannae answer that, M’Laird. I dinnae ken either.”
He nodded. Whatever it was, at least he had the room now and could use it however he pleased.
After he had finished eating his lunch, he retired to his room, ready to take a bath after riding in the sun most of the morning. Now that he was in his room, he could appreciate it even more.
It was empty, cleaned out, and pristine. The question he couldn’t exactly answer was whether this room was better than the one in his previous castle because, with each passing day, the memory of his former quarters kept fading from his mind.
He relaxed into the comfort and let himself get carried away by the new freedom. Except he couldn’t enjoy it fully, because a cold shudder ran down his back at the mere thought of sleeping alone in the room.
Why couldn’t a small part of him stop wishing that Lady Blythe was sleeping in his bed, waiting for him just like he had done the previous night?
He took a deep breath and paced around the room, slowly taking it in. The last time he was in the room, he had been so tired that he didn’t have the time to study the furniture and decor before falling asleep. Now that he could, he felt a new appreciation for it.
He turned to the maid, who was lingering by the door, watching him with a mix of nervousness and intrigue.
“Inform me man-at-arms that I need to see him as soon as possible. I need some of me things in here. The room is too empty.”
