Page 40 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

That glint vanished and Aaden’s lips parted. He looked almost as horrified as Gilchrist had felt when he ran out of that chamber.

“What happened tae yer head?” Aaden pointed to the fresh bruise Gilchrist had on his temple from walking into the doorframe.

“It doesnae matter. Let us accept things as they are, Aaden. Maybe Kyven isnae enthralled by the idea of marrying Laird Shay, but it has little tae dae with me.” He turned, ready to march off again.

I am done with these foolish plans. I will be her devoted servant, fer as long as she wants me by her side, but I can never be anything more tae her.

“Wait a minute more –”

“I am done, Aaden.”

“One thing more. Please, Michael.” The fact Aaden bothered to use his Christian name made Gilchrist halt.

Warmth spread through him, a sort of familiar warmth. He suddenly ached, missing his brothers so much that he could have sunk down onto the castle steps and not moved a muscle. He thought of Braydon, the strong and confident way he could handle any problem in any room. He had a habit of smiling slowly. Whenever Michael had seen him do it, he knew everything would be well. At this moment, Tynan would have stood on his other side, making jests to bring lightness to the world, sunshine where all seemed dark.

The sudden ache made Gilchrist so mild in manner that Aaden was able to draw him back up the stairs.

“There’s something I must ken first,” Aaden muttered in a low tone. “Pray, give me two minutes. Hide here.” He urged Gilchrist to stand in a doorway as he returned to the other one he’d shortly left and knocked.

Helen appeared in the door, adjusting her gown the same way that Aaden had been adjusting his own clothes mere minutes ago.

“Back so soon?” she teased with a playful smile. “I thought ye wouldnae rise tae the challenge again just yet.”

“Dinnae tempt me,” he said with a wink.

Amazed they could flirt with one another so readily, Gilchrist turned his eyes to the heavens. Was it the fear that held him back from saying such things? There had been a time when he wasn’t afraid of saying anything to Elisa. All of that had changed the day that Shay had told him to get out of his clan lands.

“I need tae ask ye something,” Aaden said with sudden seriousness. “I pray ye, dinnae repeat this tae anyone.”

“Ye can trust me.” She nodded solemnly. “Surely ye ken ye can.”

“I know.” Aaden offered a softer smile than before. “I wish tae ask ye about Lady Kyven and Captain Gilchrist.”

Gilchrist did his best not to move in the doorway, in case it drew Helen’s attention toward his hiding position.

“What about them?”

“Ye have heard the whispers I have. Ye and I have both seen them in that library fer many hours together. Ye must wonder, as I have done, if there could ever be more between them.”

“Fer all yer jesting on the subject, ye are quite wrong, Aaden.” Helen shook her head. With those words, Gilchrist felt like he had been kicked in the gut for what had to be the third time that day.

The cat meowed on his shoulder. He reached up and petted the animal, urging her to be quiet.

“So,” Aaden spoke quickly, trying to cover up the meowing sound as Helen looked suspiciously up and down the corridor. “Ye see nothing between them? Nothing at all?”

“I confess, at one point, I thought like ye that there might be something there. I even enquired about it tonight with Lady Kyven, but I was wrong.” There was a note of sadness in Helen’s voice that Gilchrist could not understand. “She called the captain her friend, her dearest friend, but nothing more than that.”

Gilchrist hung his head.

He knew it was the truth. He had been confident enough about it without this conversation.

“Aye, I understand.” Aaden nodded. “Thank ye, Helen. If ye’ll excuse me, I need tae return tae the barracks.”

“Aaden.” She reached out and took his arm. “This news has troubled ye more than I thought it would. Why? It is nae yer heart at stake here.”

“Nay, perhaps nae. I am just dismayed tae see I had judged the matter so wrongly indeed. Goodnight, Helen.” He took her hand from his arm and kissed the back. They shared a smile and then she retreated into the chamber again, allowing the door to close.

Slowly, Aaden walked toward Gilchrist. He parted his lips, ready to say something, but Gilchrist raised one hand as he took the kitten down from his shoulder and cradled it in his other palm.