Buried in her Kindle library. One more among dozens of history books she had yet to get around to reading. Would it have the answer she was looking for? She would just have to see.
“The infamous siege of Clan MacGregor in 1300,” she read out loud, smiling to herself. “Time to enjoy some spoilers.”
She pressed the chapter heading but just as it loaded she heard footsteps outside the bedroom door. Quickly switching the cellphone off again she barely had time to conceal it before the door was once again unlocked. “Is that the wine?” she asked.
It was the wine but it was not Susanne bringing it inside. It was Gavin.
“Oh,” she said, her insides churning at the sight of him. “It’s you.”
“I want to apologize,” he said, placing the goblet beside her untouched bread. “I was rude to you before.”
“Oh, that? Hadn’t given it a moment’s thought.”
“I wish to speak to you.”
“I reckon I can spare a couple of minutes.”
He closed the door behind him, crossing to the fireplace and looking down at it for a moment before turning to face her. His expression gave nothing away.
“You look frightened,” he said after a long pause.
She glanced to where the cellphone was hidden, wondering if he’d seen it. “Aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “I have nothing to fear.”
“Except the men with pointy swords outside the castle. Why do they hate you so much, exactly?”
His expression did not change. “They are outlaws. If I had my way they would all be dead or imprisoned.”
“Not fans then?”
“What would you have me do, leave them to attack innocent people?”
“I would prefer to not be inside a castle under siege. I would prefer not to have people chasing after me with swords. I would prefer not to have to watch anyone else die, especially not you.”
“Why especially not me?”
“Nothing. Never mind.”
He said nothing for some time, staring at her in silence so intensely she had to turn her eyes from his burning gaze. She looked at the fireplace, the ceiling, anything but him.
“I should not have kissed you,” he said at last. “It was foolish.”
“Yes, it was,” she replied, her lips tingling at the memory of those soft lips of his brushing hers.
“It will not happen again, you have my word.”
“Good.”
“It is just…” His words fell away. He took a step toward her. “I am not good with such things.”
“With what? Kissing? Or apologies? For the record, you’re pretty good at both.”
His eyes smiled though his face was set firm. “I like you, Heather Frazer. If this siege should end badly, I want you to know that.”
“Well, thank you.” She paused, wishing her heart would stop pounding so violently in her chest. Did he know what she was thinking? How much she wanted him to kiss her again? Could he tell? Should she just ask him? “What do you think of me, just for the record, you know?”
“I think you have come to my castle as my guest and I did not treat you as a guest should be treated. I ask your forgiveness as I neglected you in order to deal with events affecting the castle.”
