Watching her in awe of the view around her made him feel proud. Even more, it made him feel more curious about her. What else would leave her in awe?
What else would make her eyes sparkle like stars in the night? What else would make those luscious lips pout, making them look even more kissable?
Banishing these thoughts, he guided Keira into the parlor, where he opened the door, and stumbled upon his mother, Elspeth Anderson.
She sat regally on an antique velvet chair, her posture as always impeccable and her attire exuding an air of refined elegance. Her greying hair, neatly arranged in a bun, highlighted the lines of wisdom and grace on her face.
Her eyes, a warm shade of hazel, held a depth of kindness and discernment, the years having bestowed upon them a wealth of experiences. Though time had etched its marks, her features retained a gentle beauty, a testament to her enduring poise and charm.
The moment her eyes befell her son, he could see that she was struck by surprise. She got up and walked over to them. He smiled at her, but her own smile faltered, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
“Raphael, me dear,” she said as he walked over to her to give her a reverent peck on the cheek. “I would have appreciated it if ye’d told me thatmoreguests were comin’.”
He ignored her comment. After all, what was one more guest on top of all the rest? It was a gathering he had not agreed to. It had been arranged without his approval, so why would he care whether he was inconveniencing them with another guest, who was actually the only guest he wanted there?
But there was no point in discussing any of this. At least, not now. Instead, he cleared his throat, his tone warm and reassuring.
“Maither, may I introduce Lady Keira Webster, a dear friend who will be stayin’ with us for the next two weeks.” Then, he turned to Keira, who looked slightly apprehensive, but she was doing her best to keep it under control. “Keira, this is me maither, Elspeth Anderson.”
Keira curtsied respectfully, her cheeks tinged with a soft blush. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady MacCurtney.” Her voice carried the note of a well-mannered lady, and in any other situation, he was certain that his mother would have been delighted to meet her as one of his close friends. But taking into account their current situation, he knew that would not be the case.
“I suppose so,” his mother said in a way that didn’t surprise him, almost as if she were shocked to see them together.
His mother was not an impolite woman. On the contrary, she was of the sort who found not being so extremely important. But now, she could probably see through his ruse. It actually almost made him chuckle, but he restrained himself. Then, as if she realized what she had just said, she smiled widely, in an effort to repair the first impression.
“It is a pleasure to have ye, Lady Keira.”
“Oh, just Keira is fine, please,” Keira corrected her.
Raphael’s mother nodded. “Me son just omits to mention when we’re expectin’ more guests, but of course, ye are more than welcome to stay with us. I shall have the servants set up one of the guestrooms for ye and have them run ye a nice, warm bath. It was probably a long journey here, all the way from England, and ye must be exhausted.”
The look of surprise on Keira’s face did not escape Raphael’s attention, but he had no intention of explaining anything right now. Maybe not even later. He still hadn’t decided on that. Keira would know what he needed her to know, and no more.
“Why, yes,” Keira said when she regained her composure. “It was a long journey, but not an exhausting one, for the very simple reason that I didn’t journey here all the way from England. I am visiting some friends, and Raphael is one of them. I must say, the Highlands are breathtaking. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such beautiful nature.”
Raphael watched the expression on his mother’s face change from disapproving to pleasant. “Ye are very observant, Keira. There truly is nothin’ like it in the whole world. I suppose the English have nothin’ but ghastly weather and mud.”
“Something of the sort,” Keira replied.
Raphael could immediately see that she was merely saying that so as not to be rude, which he, for some reason, appreciated. It spoke much of her self-control and upbringing.
“But we do have lovely nature, and the countryside is so peaceful.”
“I suppose so.” His mother repeated the same words from before. “And… ye are here alone? Without family?”
“Yes.” Keira nodded.
“Ah, how… modern,” Elspeth murmured, exchanging a meaningful glance with him. “And how do ye two ken each other?”
Keira turned to Raphael for help, and he immediately jumped in. “There will be plenty of time for questions later on, Maither. We are both exhausted from the journey.”
“Of course.” Elspeth nodded, obviously not satisfied with the lack of response to her inquiry, but after all these years, he had taught her that he would not be forced into giving more information than he wanted to give.
He watched as his mother went to the corner of the parlor, pulling on a large bell that sounded off somewhere in the castle. Within moments, a servant girl appeared through the door, after which she was given clear instructions on what to do. While his mother gave these instructions, he seized the chance to lean closer to Keira.
“Wait for me at midnight,” he whispered in her ear, moving away from her just in time so no one would notice their little hushed moment.
Keira’s cheeks were painted by a wave of poppy red. He wanted to touch the warmth of her cheek, to feel her skin with the tips of his fingers, to pull her close and feel her wild heartbeat against his. But he would have to wait a little for that.
