"Gawain!"
"The man walks around like he has a sword stuck up his arse, it is nae me fault if some guards decided to drag him off and beat him senseless! And me brother is out there playing the part of a diligent Laird, screaming his lungs out at anyone who’s nae doing anything to help."
"Ye should be down there as well, ye ken?" Gawain shot her a wide grin as he kicked off his shoes to lie on her bed.
"Nae, I had to see ye and apologize." Davinia wrapped her arms around herself as Gawain waved her over, she was hesitant, he could tell. To ease her, he left the bed, stopping in front of her as she rested her head against his chest. "I ken ye’re worried about what yer sister will say, so am I but we need to remember that we are not our siblings. What Caillen and Emer say about our relationship should matter little to us, ye’re yer own person, so am I and neither of them should tell us how to live our lives. We can cross that river when we reach it. So, please m'eudail, put a smile on yer face fer me."
As Gawain expected, Davinia's cheeks went red as a shy smile appeared on her lips.
"Do nae call me that." She buried her face in his chest all the while giggling, her hands going around his body encasing him in an embrace.
"But ye seem to like it, m'eudail." He replied as he tipped her chin upward to press his lips against hers with Davinia welcoming the sweet kiss. "Will ye come back to me chambers with me?" Gawain pulled away from her, his hand on her chin crept its way to the back of her neck and down her back earning a shiver from her.
"I wish I could Gawain but I do nae want a repeat of tonight."
"Then let me stay here." She shook her head at him. "I only want to be with ye tonight, m'eudail. Please let me."
Davinia blushed at the term Inver more before gathering herself enough to step out of his hold. "Nae, Gawain. The Laird will need ye more than ever now that his right hand is out of order and I donnae want him to think any worse of us when he sees us together constantly. Hold on fer me, just until Hector is recovered."
"Do ye want to tell yer sister about us?"
"Should I nae?"
"Nae, of course I would want her to ken. I suppose ye’re right, we should be on our best behavior until we can tell people about us." Gawain pulled her back into his arms, letting his head drop on her shoulder, inhaling her floral scent. "Nae to be a stick in the mud, what do ye think about the fires?"
"I do nae ken much but with what I can guess, it was someone who had access to them."
"A guard?"
"Perhaps."
"I think Hector's beating is related. Only a guard can move in and out of the fields and around the granaries under the pretense of a patrol." Davinia pulled away to meet his eyes as she put the pieces together.
"Ye think Hector found out who he was and got beat up?"
"Nae. I think Hector found out what it was and got beat up with the intention of being murdered." Davinia gasped, taking a shaky step back but Gawain held on to her hand. "Hush m'eudail. Let nae soul hear of this. I’ll table this to me brother in private and I hope he can listen to me this time. He did nae take the pot incident to heart."
"But... Gawain, perhaps ye should nae say anything just yet." Gawain raised a brow at her as she toyed with her fingers, "The fires, they were obviously started by an enemy of the clan. The clan has nae quite warmed up to ye and I think ye ken where I’m going with this."
"The clan might already think I started the fires and when Hector found out, I tried to kill him?" I was always with someone, Davinia. Before the feast, I was with me brother, during the feast, I was seen by the clan members present. Even when I challenged Hector, it was ye who took me to the gardens and Ida saw us together. After the feast I was still with the table when the fire was reported. There is no way I could have a guard do it because Every guard here is close to drawing their sword at me every time I step into a hallway. Do ye doubt me, Davinia?"
"Nae! Nae, I trust that ye would never do such a thing. I ken ye only have the best intentions for the clan. I was just letting ye ken what a clan member would think. Me apologies if I’ve upset ye." She cupped his face and pulled him down until his forehead rested on hers. "I did nae mean to upset ye."
"Nae, ye’ve nae. I appreciate yer warning, and ye’re right. I should nae be so forward with me investigation. I should work on them more before I let me brother ken about them." He cracked a smile at her, cupping her hands in his before placing a kiss on her wrist. "I must take me leave now, m'eudail. We do nae want her sister to barge in on us." Davinia let out a small laugh as Gawain littered her face with soft kisses before he left for his chambers after one full kiss.
His mood was lighter than when he first went to her, satisfied he had sorted out any issues they might have later because of his carelessness earlier. But at the same time, he could not help but think about her conclusion about the clan's idea of him. He was the main suspect, Davinia had made her words clear, and he had to tread carefully, or he might be facing another exile or, even worse, death this time around.
Chapter Eighteen
Gawain was not awoken by the chirping of birds or the rays of sunshine that peered through his curtains. No. He was woken up by Ida's persistent knocking on his door. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he propped himself up on one elbow, silently watching the door while trying to gather himself. He directed his gaze toward the curtain, squinting when the sun's rays hit his face.
How long had he slept for? Usually, he would be up before the sun was but had he overslept this time. He flinched at a particularly loud knock on the wooden door before Ida's voice came from the other side. "Sir Gawain, I need you to wake up. The Laird is getting impatient now!"
Reluctantly, Gawain pulled himself from the bed to unlock and open the door. He remained at the entrance, not allowing her in. "Bring me a bath." His voice was groggy.
"But you do not have the time to—"
"Bring me a bath." He repeated before shutting the door but leaving it unlocked. He staggered back to his bed, falling back on it with a tired huff.
