“I’m not taking your shoes,” she says, but I don’t take no for an answer. I drop to the floor and slide the shoes on her feet, then drag her by the hand into the snowy yard.
I almost crash bodily into Leith.
“Bloody hell!” he shouts.
“Now watch that mouth of yours, Leith, for the love of God,” Nan mutters. “Always cursing up a storm.”
“Of course I’m cursing up a storm!” he fumes. “What have you two done while I was gone?”
“Pish posh,” Nan says, waving her hand at him. “Burnt the biscuits is all.”
Her twinkling eyes meet mine, and she bursts into laughter. I can’t help but laugh myself. Though I’m silent, my belly tightens and my shoulders shake. We’ve made a right job of it.
Leith is not amused. He takes me by the shoulders and looks me over. “You’re alright, then?”
I nod.
Next he goes to Nan. “And you?”
“Aye, of course I am. Had the time of my life with this wee lass of yours.”
But he’s already in the house, making sure everything’s okay. I shiver in the cold, as the wind picks up, rustling my hair. I look to Nan, to make sure she’s okay. She shivers, but smiles at me.
“I imagine that bossy grandson of mine’ll drag you back up to his cave or whatever it is he has planned,” she says. “But in any event, I enjoyed our visit immensely, Cairstina. Come again?”
I nod eagerly, but it takes me a moment to realize why her words give me a painful little pang in my chest.
Does he bring all his women up to his “cave?” or wherever he’s going to take me? Has she seen this before?
And why do I wish I was the first?
Why do I care?
She squeezes my hand, as Leith comes out of the house. He’s frowning, with his hands on his hips, and the look makes my heartbeat quicken. Anddoesthe man ever smile or relax? Is he always cranky and irritable like this?
But the better question is, why does it excite me when he goes all stern?
“All sorted in there. No more baking unless you’ve got someone who can supervise and make sure you don’t burn the house down,” he says to her, wagging a finger in her direction.
She frowns at him. “It was a little accident, Leith, you need to relax.” She gives me a sidelong look and scowls. “Perhaps your lovely lady can help withthat.”
“Excuse me?”
She plants her hands on her hips and fixes him with an angry stare. “You may boss your men around, but you don’t rule everyone under this roof, I’ll have you know.”
He glares right back, and it’s almost funny, because I can see the way the two of them resemble each other. Same dark brown hair, the same stern brow.
“Don’t I know it,” he mutters. “But you do know you’re only here in the chalet under my leave, Nan, and I won’t have you risking your safety. I’d much prefer you were at the main house with Mum and Dad.”
She rolls her eyes. “With all due respect to your father, it’s much better if that doesn’t happen. Take her home. Getlaid,son, and maybe you’ll not have such a hair across yer arse.”
She turns on her heel, marches back inside, and slams the door behind her.
I’d laugh if I wasn’t terrified of his fury. The next second, I realize what she just said, and my cheeks flame with indignation.
Get laid?
Does she mean what I think she does?
