As it turned out, she couldn’t. Clyde beat her three times, but each time, she got a little better, pushing him harder. Thomas, who was mightily annoyed at being beaten by his friend, was wholly on Abi’s side, and kept needling Clyde and calling out encouragement to Abi. She found herself relaxing. Thomas and Clyde’s ceaseless banter bought a smile to her lips and her earlier apprehension evaporated in her concentration on the game.
Nevertheless, she kept glancing at Reid’s chair, wondering where he was.
It wasn’t until later when she’d finally managed to beat Clyde at a game—much to Thomas’s delight—that a hush went round the room. Abi looked up to see Reid standing in the doorway. The hounds walked in, sauntered over to the fireplace and settled down with a ‘whump’.
Reid’s ice-blue eyes swept the room, a scowl on his handsome features. His gaze found Abi and as their eyes met, she felt a little thrill go through her. He’d been gone all day and she only now realized how much she’d missed his presence.
Reid though, didn’t seem to share that sentiment. At the sight of her, his scowl only deepened. He said not a word but merely unbuckled his sword belt, strode over to the head table with its only chair, tossed his sword onto the tabletop, and threw himself into his seat.
“Woman!” he bellowed. “Come here!”
His voice held the crack of command. All eyes turned to Abi. Inside, she seethed. She considered giving him the one-fingered salute—see how he liked that! —but after their altercation this morning, she hesitated. Was this part of the act?
Thomas and Clyde gave her a sympathetic look as she pushed to her feet and walked around the edge of the hall to the head table. Reid lounged with his feet up, picking at his nails with a dagger.
Abi felt her hands ball into fists. If he grabbed her, or tried to kiss her, or did anything else he shouldn’t, she would make him regret it—and this time it wouldn’t be just a slap. A swift kick where it hurt and she was sure a medieval highlander would drop like anyone else.
“You bellowed?” she said, raising an eyebrow. Bo dragged herself to her feet and came over, wagging her tail. Abi absently stroked the dog’s head.
Reid’s gestured with the dagger. “Sit.”
Abi could feel the eyes of the men on her, watching how she reacted. She was supposed to be Reid’s lover wasn’t she? How would a medieval woman behave?
“Yes, my lord,” she said through gritted teeth. She dragged over a bench and sat by Reid’s side, crossing her arms and staring straight ahead.
“Clyde! Thomas!” Reid bellowed. “Bring me ale! Now!”
The two lads scurried to obey. Whilst the men went back to doing whatever it was they had been doing, Clyde poured Reid a tankard of ale whilst Thomas took his cloak.
“Would ye like aught else, my lord?” Thomas asked.
Reid waved them away irritably and they returned to their table and began playing chess again. Abi sat with her back ram-rod straight. She should have gone back to her room. What had possessed her to stay? And to think, she’d been missing this man!
Reid didn’t speak to her. He just picked up his ale cup and began drinking. She glanced at him but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was staring into space. The scowl on his face hadn’t changed. Bo whined and shoved her big head under her master’s hand but he barely seemed to notice. After a moment, she re-joined Whitefoot by the fireplace.
“Reid?” Abi said softly.
He blinked, took his feet from the table, and turned to look at her. “Aye?”
“Are you...are you all right?” she spoke in a low voice that wouldn’t carry to the men.
He didn’t answer her, only stared at her as though seeing her properly for the first time. And damn it, but that little thrill went through her again.
He cleared his throat. “So, ye play chess?”
The sudden change in topic caught her off guard. “I...um...I used to. I’m very rusty though. Clyde has been wiping the floor with me most of the night.”
“Would ye like to play?”
“With you? You play chess?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Does that surprise ye?”
It did, actually. Reid Campbell didn’t seem like the kind of man who would sit patiently playing chess. But it seemed that Reid Campbell was a man full of surprises.
Before she could answer, he shouted for Clyde to bring over the chessboard. The lad obeyed and in moments Reid had set the board up.
“Well? Shall we?”
