Coward.
Marian scoffed, the sound escaping her lips almost like a gasp. She dropped the twine in the box with more force than necessary, her eyes shooting daggers at his back as he walked off.
Lilly glanced up at the clatter, her brow furrowing slightly.
Marian bit her tongue as she held her maid’s gaze, willing her expression to stay neutral even as frustration simmered beneath her skin.
Finn softly tapped Lilly on the shoulder, distracting her with his patient instructions. And just like that, her attention shifted back to him.
Thank heavens.
Marian exhaled, not wanting to ruin the moment for her maid. Her heart swelled with pride as she watched how easily they got along, and a gentle smile spread across her face.
Lilly had always believed in such things. Even as a young girl, she often daydreamed about love and spoke of it as though it were something certain. She had been waiting eagerly for the day it would find her, sweep her off her feet, and stay with her forever.
It is precious.
Marian never shared that dream. She had been taught differently, as a lady, to see relationships between men and women as nothing other than a duty and a beneficial arrangement. Love had never been in the cards for her. Not in the way Lilly imagined it.
Her heart lurched with an unfamiliar feeling, and she tore her eyes away from them, bending down to fetch a pair of pliers before walking back to her and Lachlan’s side of the fence.
Why can’t it be easy for me?
Her gaze swept across the field until she found him at the far end of the damage, her face contorting slightly in a frown.
It had been several moments now, and they had barely managed to get any work done on their side of the fence. Yet, he kept avoiding her, as though she were a dangerous storm.
Her jaw set, and she walked forward, stopping at one end of the broken fence. Her eyes immediately caught a piece of wire that was jutting out dangerously.
Perfect. I shall make myself useful on my own.
Marian moved closer, clamping the pliers around the base of the wire as hard as she could until it snapped. The wire sprang loose, its sharp end flying right toward her.
“Oh!” she gasped, stumbling backward as it lashed against her sleeve, tearing through the fabric.
Lachlan appeared in front of her. He had run over so quickly that she barely saw him until his hands were holding her arms. He turned her arms this way and that, his eyes narrowing as he carefully searched her for injuries.
Why is he?—?
“Are ye hurt?” he demanded, his voice tight and controlled, as though it were just a regular day of mending fences for him.
Marian’s breath caught. She had thought he was concerned, but his tone told her otherwise.
“I—” she started, but then stopped. She tried to wriggle her arms out of his grip.
“Mairi.” His grip tightened slightly as he bent to meet her gaze. His face was closer to hers now, so close that she could see every little feature, including a small birthmark on the side of his lips.
He is… beautiful.
Her eyes lingered on the scar along his forehead as he frowned, his eyes searching her face with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.
“Mairi, tell me where it hurts.”
“I am fine,” she managed at last, her voice coming out softer than she had intended.
Lachlan did not release his grip on her arms. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer, then dropped slowly to her torn sleeves. His jaw clenched visibly.
“Aye,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.
