"Food, mistress!"
Bella wrapped herself in a clean arisaidh and opened the door.The aroma that wafted up made her mouth water, roasted chicken, fresh bread, cheese, and ale.
The maids removed the washbasin and left.
Bella ate standing at the window, watching Boyd in the courtyard below.He stood with his men, speaking in low tones she couldn't hear.But even from here, she could see the tension in his broad shoulders, the way he raked his hand through his hair in frustration.
What was he thinking?And why do I care?
But she did care.Heaven help her, she did.Because despite everything, some part of her still loved Boyd MacKinnon.And that was the most dangerous truth of all.
***
Chapter 8
In the courtyard below, Boyd was having a very different conversation with Thamas.
"The mistress seems well enough," Thamas observed carefully."Handled the journey better than I expected."
"She always was stronger than she looked," Boyd muttered, then cursed himself for the slip.
Thamas's eyes sharpened with interest."Ye knew her before?Before all this?"
"Leave it, Thamas."
"Just saying, laird, she doesn't seem the scheming type.Quiet, aye.Proud, certainly.But there's a sadness about her—"
"I said leave it!"Boyd snapped.
Thamas raised his hands in surrender."As ye say.Just be careful.Whatever happened between ye in the past, perhaps ye can try to make peace with it."
Boyd said nothing, but Thamas's words echoed in his head long after the man had walked away.
He'd been so certain of his anger, his righteous fury.But watching Bella these past few days and lord did he watch her, he could not keep his damned eyes off her, he could not help but admire her quiet dignity, her resilience.Most noble women he knew would not have borne the journey as well.He had come across his share of them at court who carried on like banshees at the slightest discomfort.
But not his Bella.
