“I’ve been colder,” Lucas said, offering her his arm. “Besides, ye’re shiverin’. I cannae have that.”
Flora hadn’t realized just how far-reaching the chill went until they entered the castle. She thought she did a good job of hiding it until they reached the door to her quarters. Lucas stopped her,pulling his cloak even tighter around her shoulders, his thumb brushing against her neck.
“Ach, ye’re ice cold,” he tutted. “I’m sending a maid up to get ye in a hot bath. I should have made ye come inside earlier.”
“I was enjoyin’ stargazin’,” she said, rubbing her palms against her arms. She left out that it was because of him, though she was sure the new heat in her cheeks gave her away. “And I should have dressed a wee bit warmer. I kent we’d be outside.”
Lucas frowned, his jaw tightening as though he was holding himself back from saying something else. After a beat, he said, “I’ll send a message to the seamstress. I daenae think that ye have warm enough clothin’. If ye’re this cold on a summer evenin’, ye’ll be miserable when winter arrives.”
“Ye daenae have to do that,” she argued, the response more reflexive than truly dismissive. No one had ever been concerned about small things like this regarding her, and she didn’t know how to accept it.
“Nay, I do,” he insisted, pushing the door open and gesturing for her to go inside. “I will take care of yer needs, Flora. Yer maid will be here soon.”
As soon as she was inside, the latch clicked into place. She crossed the floor slowly, pulling his cloak tighter around her. A groan of relief escaped her lips when the warmth of the roaring fire in the hearth reached her exposed skin.
Perhaps I dinnae realize how cold I was because I was havin’ such a good time with him.
She smiled to herself, pulling her hands from within the cloak and holding them out to be warmed. The scent of Lucas, pine needles, and something deeply masculine reached her nostrils. It reminded her of comfort and protection, two things that he’d consistently given her since she’d arrived, even if he was a bit… intense.
A shudder ran through her body that had nothing to do with the slowly waning chill. She remembered the way his lips felt against hers and the pleasure that he gave her with his mouth and tongue. He’d worshipped her, giving her something that she’d never even dared to believe she could have.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the knock came on her door. When she opened it, the maid was standing there with two men carrying a tub of steaming water. They came inside, placing the tub in the center of the room before leaving just as quickly. Neither of them looked at Flora, their heads bowed respectfully.
“We will be just outside,” one of them informed the maid. “Inform us when ye’re ready for the tub to be taken away.”
“Thank ye,” the maid said to them as they left. Then, she turned to Flora, saying, “Laird McGowan told me that ye need to be warmed up.”
“Aye,” Flora said, shedding his cloak, feeling almost embarrassed at being caught wearing it. “I suppose I dinnae realize how cool it would get this evening.”
“I’ve made the same mistake,” the maid said kindly as she approached to help Flora undress. “Ye were stargazin’, aye? I overheard Elizabeth sayin’ ye and the Laird were plannin’ on doin’ so this evenin’.”
“We were. It was quite bonnie out there,” Flora replied as each layer of her clothing was stripped away. She shivered, but breathed through it, reminding herself that it wouldn’t be long until she was submerged in the water. “She was supposed to join us. I suppose she must nae have consulted with Annabeth and Matthew.”
“Ach, it wouldnae be the first time she’s made her own decisions,” the maid laughed as she helped Flora into the tub. “But I must say I’m a bit surprised to hear that he still went out without her. He’s nae much for frivolous things like stargazin’. Ye must be special.”
Hearing that spoken so plainly made Flora squirm, the water sloshing around her. It went against everything she believed about herself. She didn’t feel special; she felt cursed.
“Ye’ve been tendin’ to me since I arrived,” Flora said, needing to get the attention off of herself for a few moments at least. “Yet I still havenae asked yer name.”
“Me name is Olivia,” she answered, not commenting on Flora’s discomfort.
“That’s a bonnie name,” Flora said, leaning against the edge of the tub as feeling began to return to her toes. “Me apologies for nae askin’ sooner. I should have.”
“Nay, I should have introduced meself,” Olivia replied as she drizzled rose water into the bath. “Ye werenae yerself when ye arrived. I cannae fault ye for nae thinkin’ to ask that.”
“I hope we can be friends,” Flora murmured, wondering if what Olivia said was true. While she’d lost her ability to speak when she’d arrived, it wasn’t as if she felt much different than she always had. “Especially now that I ken what to call ye.”
Olivia smiled, wide and genuine. As she pulled a flannel from the pocket of her apron, she said, “I’d quite like that. I’ve enjoyed gettin’ to ken ye from our brief conversations. Ye’re a kind person, I can tell it. Perhaps the two of us can take a walk around the grounds when ye’re free. The gardens are particularly nice this time of year.”
Though Flora wanted to protest, to tell Olivia that she wasn’t kind but only trying to ensure her own survival, she said, “I’d like that. The gardens are unlike anythin’ I’ve ever seen before.”
As Olivia ran the flannel over Flora’s body, she spoke about her favorite flowers of the season. It felt refreshingly normal, especially after the evening Flora had had. There wasn’t any looking over her shoulder or second-guessing herself. Therewas simply the knowledge that she was safe, Olivia wanted her friendship, and Lucas believed her to be special.
Perhaps good things can happen to me. I just have to allow it.
Chapter Eighteen
“Flora!” a loud, childlike voice cried, piercing through the disjointed dreamscape Flora had found herself in.
