“If I may, Mistress, I can see ye are still distressed. Would ye care to hear one of the old tales I learned from me mother? They always soothed me,” Marion said softly, matching the tone of the drops of rain pelting against the glass.
Taking a deep breath, Eleanor settled back into her chair. It would not hurt to take her mind off things, given the lack of any real leads regarding her brother. She nodded once and forced a smile.
Marion did not have to be asked twice as she reached for a sewing basket beside the hearth and retrieved a few garments that needed mending. She chose a spot on a settee beside the fire and began to speak. “I was just a bairn when me mother told me of the highlander and his bonnie lass. Of course, there are many such stories, but this one was always me favorite.”
Eleanor warded off the chill with a sip of her tea as she turned to look out at the hills in the distance beyond the castle walls.
“A lass yer age fell for a highlander as strong and wise as the hills themselves. Their love was forbidden by her father, but that didnae stop the couple from findin’ one another. The world didnae ken what they had, nor did the couple realize it at first, but their love burned brighter and stronger than any other in Scotland…” Her voice lulled Eleanor into a peaceful moment of reflection as she thought of Callum.
Why did they always seem to clash whenever they were in each other’s presence? Was there more to her feelings than just the burning desire she had felt from his lips?
She scolded herself despite the fierce beating of her heart and focused on the tale of the two lovers.
Love. What a foolish notion.
“Have ye found any new leads?” Callum entered the study to find Eleanor hard at work. A few of her long golden curls hung over her face as she pored over one of the ledgers.
It had been a few hours since their last encounter, and he knew he needed to apologize to her.
Lifting her gaze, Eleanor looked at him as she came up straight. “Just that the name Duncan Fraser comes up more times than it should.” She reached up and rubbed the back of her slender neck, exposing the delicate flesh where Callum had run his tongue.
Something in his chest stirred again as he quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. “Aye, I havenae met the man, but his signature has been signed on many documents.”
“Have ye tested for a forgery?” Eleanor asked.
Callum quickly shook his head. “I didnae think to make sure that all of the documents were signed by the same Donald Stewart. I will find someone to test for a forgery. It could be that whoever it is that is takin’ all the lands has been forgin’ documents.”
“Aye, I think it would be a good idea to make sure that we are lookin’ for one man, and nay several.” Eleanor rolled her neck this time, lifting both hands to the back of her neck as she stretched. The swelling of her breasts became far more apparent as she pushed her elbows together, placing more strain on her corset.
Saints help me.
Callum quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. How was he supposed to focus on what was important when he kept getting blindsided by her beauty? The woman was like a tall glass of ale on a hot summer’s day, utterly alluring and impossible to resist.
“I daenae think we will find anythin’ else in these ledgers.” She drew his attention back to her as she walked over to the main desk, where two mugs and a pitcher of ale had been placed.
Had she forgotten about their little spat, or had it simply not bothered her as much as he thought it would have?
“Eleanor, I didnae mean to…”
“There isnae need.” She quickly cut him off. “Would ye like a dram of ale?” She quickly looked away and reached for the pitcher.
“I would like a great deal more than just a dram,” he said before walking over to the fireplace and taking a seat in front of the hearth. Her words were short and clipped, and there was something about the briskness in her movements that let Callum know just how much their short conversation had affected her.
Pouring two mugs of ale, Eleanor waited for a moment before carrying them over to the sitting area and handing one to Callum.
The tips of their fingers brushed for the briefest of moments, and Callum could have sworn that he saw a flicker of something in her eyes. Had she enjoyed the kiss they had shared on the night of the bonfire? He had certainly thought about it many times since, but had she enjoyed it as much as he had?
He watched her graceful movements as she took the seat further from him, delicately tucking her legs under her as she sat on the settee and leaned to the side.
The fire crackled behind the hearth, permeating the air with sound where words should have been.
Eleanor picked at her dress, removing invisible threads as she slowly sipped her ale.
“I daenae always say the right things,” he suddenly blurted out when the moment of silence continued for too long.
Blinking a few times, Eleanor looked up. “I beg yer pardon?” She almost tilted her head to the side in confusion.
Callum swore to himself at his inability to handle intimate situations and to apologize. “I daenae trust anyone,” he said more gently, trying to push past the barriers that kept him at bay.
