The healer practically fled, leaving them alone.
Alpin moved closer to the worktable. "What's wrong?"
"Naething's wrong." Her voice was clipped, professional. She finally looked up at him, and her grey eyes were carefully blank. "I'm just workin’. As I'm sure ye were all day."
Understanding dawned, followed immediately by amusement he tried very hard to suppress. "Mhairi…"
"Ye dinnae owe me explanations about where ye go or what ye dae." She set down the bandages with more force than necessary. "Ye're the laird. Ye have responsibilities. Meetings. Things tae attend tae."
"Meetings," he repeated, fighting a smile.
"Aye. Meetings." Her cheeks were flushing now, but she held his gaze defiantly. "It's none of me concern."
"What exactly dae ye think I was daeing today?"
Mhairi's hands stilled on the bandages. For a moment, she didn't answer, and when she did, her voice was quieter, more vulnerable. "I told ye, it's none of me concern."
"Mhairi." He moved around the table, closing the distance between them. "What dae ye think I was daein'?"
She bit her lip, looking down at the worktable rather than at him. "I dinnae ken. And ye're right—it's nae me business." Her voice wavered slightly. "I just... the maids were talkin’, and I..."
She trailed off, clearly struggling with the admission.
When she looked up at him, there was hurt in her grey eyes, but also something softer—uncertainty, perhaps. Worry.
"I tried nae tae care," she said quietly. "I told meself it was none of me concern where ye go or who ye see. But I..." She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hold something in. "I couldnae stop thinkin' about it. About ye. And I felt foolish fer carin' when I've nay right tae
"Ye're jealous," he said softly.
Her eyes widened, and color flooded her cheeks. "I..." She looked away, embarrassed. "Maybe. A bit." The admission came out barely above a whisper. "I ken how that sounds. I ken I've nay claim on ye."
"Ye are." He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, though he tried to gentle it. "Christ, Mhairi, ye're actually jealous."
"Dinnae make fun of me," she said, but there was no real anger in her voice, only mortification.
She pressed her hands to her hot cheeks. "I already feel ridiculous enough. I spent the whole mornin’ worryin' and imaginin' things I had nay business imaginin', and now ye're standin' here looking at me like I'm..." She shook her head. "Please just go. I need a moment."
"I was scoutin’ the border," he said gently. "With Callum and four of me men. We found one of Ashcombe's scouts and brought him back fer questionin’. That's where I've been all day. Been tryin’ tae get information out of a stubborn English bastard who'd rather bleed than talk."
Mhairi went very still. "Oh."
"Nae quite the romantic assignation ye were imaginin’?"
"I wasnae imaginin’ anything," she muttered, but the fight had gone out of her voice.
Alpin moved closer, until he was standing right behind her. Close enough to see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands were gripping the edge of the worktable.
"The maids were gossipin’," she said quietly. "About ye being out. About ye meetin’ someone. And I ken it's stupid, I ken I have nay right tae care, but I..." She trailed off, her voice breaking slightly.
"But ye did care," Alpin finished softly.
"Aye." The admission came out barely above a whisper. "I cared. And I hated that I cared. And I hated thinkin’ about ye with someone else, and I ken that's completely stupid."
"Mhairi." He reached out and gently turned her to face him. "I hadnae realized ye were jealous. I'm glad."
She blinked up at him, confused. "Glad?"
"Aye. Because it means ye think of me. That maybe ye feel even a fraction of what I feel when I look at ye."
