Page 36 of Edge of Yesterday

Chapter Seven

A short while later, Julianna pushed open the tunnel door and entered Raghnall’s kitchens. She carefully closed the door then turned and headed for the rear stairs. She’d gone two paces when a familiar female voice said, “Lady Julianna, that isnae you?”

Julianna stilled and jammed her eyes shut. What was Cook doing up so early? She turned to face the older woman.

Cook frowned. “Child, ‘tis the middle of the small hours. What are ye doing in the tunnel?” Her eyes widened. “You havenae been out all night looking for that monster?” She pointed toward the hearth. Julianna took three steps and peered around the corner to see Jiggles—a plump ginger cat as bright as a Highland sunset save a small triangular patch of white between her eyes—in front of the coals, calmly leaning her paw.

“Jiggles, you rascal.” Julianna hurried to the cat and picked her up. “I was so worried.” Julianna turned and faced Cook’s narrow-eyed gaze.

“We are grateful you braved thon bogle-riddled passage to look for our dear wee Jiggles. But it is late, my lady. I wonder that ye stayed out so long searching for the cat. Ye had time to walk to Heatheredge and back.” A speculative light entered the older woman’s eyes. “Ye didnae have a male visitor at Haven Cottage by chance?”

Julianna met her gaze squarely. “Mayhap, but just remember that my mother would never allow me to go in search of Jiggles.”

Cook’s brows rose. “So ‘tis blackmail, then? I say nothing about ye being out God knows where all night—doing God knows what with a man—and ye will continue on as Jiggles’ protector?”

“The arrangement has worked well thus far.”

Her expression turned serious. “I love Jiggles, but I would no’ have anything happen to ye for the world, my lady—not even for Jiggles.”

Julianna set the cat back on the floor and hurried to the older woman, then stepped into her warm, flour-scented hug.

“I was with Lennox, so you need no’ worry,” Julianna said.

Cook pulled back and frowned. “Your brother isnae in the habit of keeping you out all night.”

“No, he is not,” Julianna agreed. “Which is why my mother need no’ find out.”

Cook sighed. “Up to bed with ye, then. And take the rear stairs—as ye plainly intended to do.”

Julianna placed a kiss on her cheek, then turned and hurried to the stairs. She neared the second floor, but came to a sudden halt at the sound of approaching bootfalls around the bend up ahead. Who else would be up and about this time of night? It was too early even for Raghnall’s seneschal Hector to be making his rounds. And wee Archie, the lad who carried a basket of candles from room to room of a night was only seven summers. The heavy step that approached belonged to a man.

Julianna whirled and took two steps down, then heard, “Lady Julianna? Is that you?”

She froze. Lawren. Heaven help her, this chance meeting was second in disaster only to encountering her mother. Julianna turned as he descended to the step level with her and she leaned back against the cool stone wall to keep her breasts from brushing his chest. She lifted her gaze to meet his green eyes.

He frowned. “My lady, is something amiss?”

His gaze took in her dress, and she gave thanks she’d forgotten her cloak at the cottage. There would be no explaining a cloak at a time of night when she shouldn’t be away from her room, much less outside the castle. Then she remembered with horror the tear on her skirt where the fabric had caught on a bush when she’d fled Crowe.

“I could not sleep.” She bunched the material in her fingers in an effort to hide the damage.

His brow furrowed. “It is dangerous for you to be running about the castle alone this time of night.”

He was right, but the censure stung. He sounded too much like Lennox, and brotherly commands were the last thing she wanted from this man.

“I know Castle Raghnall well, sir. Ye need no’ worry.”

“Ye may know Castle Raghnall well, my lady, but you do no’ know men. If you encounter the wrong one—”

“My father’s men are not allowed on the second floor,” she cut in, “I just came from the ladies solar.”

“But you were headed down from the third floor toward the solar,” he pointed out. Her mind went blank. Before she could recover, he said, “Admit it, my lady, you heard my approach and feared an encounter with a bad sort of character.”

Any bad sort of character that might think to do her wrong would meet the sharp point of her dagger. But she would do better not to admit that. Neither could she let him think that she quaked like a child. She glimpsed the red hair that curled down alongside his neck. Yesterday, sight of those curling locks had excited her. Now…nothing.

“In truth, Sir Lawren, I wished to avoid encountering someone who would tell my mother I left my bedchambers.”

As hoped, amusement appeared in his eyes. He, of all people, understood her desire to keep a secret from her mother. Julianna’s pride still stung from her mother’s recriminations, and Sir Lawren understood all too well Lady Ravenstone’s displeasure with Julianna yesterday when she’d caught them in an erotic embrace inside the cellar. A lady used discretion, her mother had remonstrated.