"His… his study?" Anna asked, glancing between the two women. Her heart hammered as she tried to find a reason why she was being summoned. "I… Have I done something wrong?"
"Nay, ye havenae," Eilidh said fondly, placing her hand kindly on Anna's back. "He probably just wants to see ye. Or to tell ye what his meetin' was about. I imagine they have some questions about ye."
"Oh," Anna said, nodding as she slipped the key in her pocket. She pulled Hugh's borrowed cloak tighter around her shoulders. She felt a bit better with the garment wrapped around her. "If that's the case, then I should probably meet him."
"Aye, me Lady," the maid said, stepping back with a slight bounce in her step. "He didnae seem to be in a foul mood. I think he just wanted to see ye."
Anna hummed her agreement, though her mind whirled as she walked with the servant. She wanted to believe the two women, but something about this castle didn't sit right with her. It was a beautiful place with excellent people, but Eilidh's warning, Marcus's dislike of her presence, and Callum's general demeanor made her hair stand on end.
All I have to do is keep my door locked at night. So long as the sun is out and there are friendly faces nearby, I'll be all right. I'm sure of it.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It seemed to be taking his servant hours to return with Anna. Realistically, it had barely been fifteen minutes since the maid had left to complete her task. He became more and more agitated the longer she was out of his sight.
Just as Hugh was about to pace the perimeter of his study once again, the door opened. He paused, midstep, glancing toward the threshold. Slowly, Anna entered the room. Her body was held tight, almost as if she were bracing for something to happen, for a blow to land.
Ach, she's probably realizin' what she's done by marryin' me. It wouldnae surprise me if she's missin' her old life.
"A maid said you requested my presence," she said carefully, her eyes sweeping over the meal that Hugh had requested into the room. "Is everything all right?"
"Aye, everything's fine," he said, pulling out a chair and gesturing for her to sit. "I assumed ye hadnae eaten yet. Ye look a bit less green than ye did a bit ago."
"Yes, I'm feeling better now," she confirmed as she took her seat. "And all of this looks delicious. I was hoping we'd have dinner soon. Thank you."
"Ye havenae had a meal since our journey began this mornin'," he said, brushing off the gratitude. She didn't need to thank him for doing his duty as her husband. "And ye likely daenae feel well enough to deal with the great hall. They're a lively bunch. Ye'll need yer strength before ye meet them."
"They come with a warning?" she asked, smiling in a way that made her eyes seem warmer. It was a signal that she was finding her place in the castle. "I suppose I'll prepare myself, then."
Hugh grunted his affirmation before he began serving her, loading her plate with bits of each dish the kitchen had prepared. As he did so, she reached out past his wrist. Her fingers didn't brush his skin. Instead, they clasped around the delicate petal of a yellow wildflower.
"These are beautiful," she said softly, more to herself than to Hugh. She leaned in closer, "I don't believe I've seen this kind of flower before."
"They're native to the area. And I'm glad ye think so," Hugh said, putting a heaping platter in front of her. "I remembered yesaid ye liked flowers, so I had me maids find ye the best on the grounds."
In the quiet that followed the admission, Hugh heard Anna's breath hitch. He glanced at her expression, noting the unshed tears that were collecting at the corners of her eyes. Before he was able to ascertain if he'd done something wrong, she grinned widely, watery.
"This may be the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me," she said softly, giving the petal one final rub between her fingers before looking down at her overflowing plate. "I'll press these, then perhaps send one in a letter to my father."
The side of Hugh's mouth twitched upward. Her father seemed the kind of man who would appreciate a sentimental display like that. Instead of voicing that, he dug into his meal, saying, "The food here is different from what ye eat in England. I wasnae sure what ye'd like, so I requested an assortment be brought to ye."
As if his words conveyed permission, she gathered some neeps on her fork before bringing them slowly to her mouth. Stopping her hand just before her lips, she said, "You're right. It smells so different. But I'm eager to try everything."
His gaze stayed locked on her as she took a bite. Her face contorted with pleasure at the taste, and when she swallowed, she immediately went back for more. With an air of satisfaction, Hugh began to eat his own meal.
"These are quite good," she noted, reaching for her napkin to blot her mouth. Then, before she could try the next dish, she spotted the stack of books that he'd left near her chair. "What are these?"
"Some books from me personal collection," he answered easily. "I thought ye may like them. I daenae ken the kinds of things ye like to do to pass the time. Everyone enjoys a story."
"You're right," she said, the soft sound of gratitude coloring her tone again. Despite his worries, Anna seemed comfortable here. Or, at the very least, she was comfortable enough around him. "And I quite enjoy reading. I'm sure that I'll enjoy the books you brought."
"Aye, I'm lookin' forward to hearin' yer thoughts," he said, spearing another forkful from his plate. "Usually, Arianna will read the same stories as me, and then we have a discussion. It's been some time since I've had the pleasure of a discussion partner."
"Well, it'll be nice to meet for that," Anna said, running her fingertips over the spines of the books. "I've never had the pleasure of a proper discussion about literature. I was friendly with the librarian, but he was always so busy that I didn't feel as if he'd have time for something so… trivial."
"I daenae either," Hugh admitted as he leaned closer. With a flash of mischief in his eye, he added, "But that doesnae mean I willnae find time. Doin' nothin' but work is dull."
He could see the statement land, the way she seemed to sit up a little straighter. It was as though the mention of work had been enough to remind her of the position she now held. They would talk about that soon enough, but Hugh would prefer that she was fed and stable before he spoke to her about her duties.
