Page 52 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“I’ll have food and everything ye need brought tae ye. Yer soldiers will prove their worth tae keep ye safe.”

“Kyven?” he called again, splashing in the water and looking as if he was about to stand from the tub.

“Rest yerself,” she pleaded, opening the door and hovering in the gap as she glanced back at him. The exposed part of his chest on show made her stomach quiver again.

How she longed to return to that room, to join him in that bathtub, and show him exactly just how much she wanted him to be safe.

The words died on her lips. She said nothing more as she left, letting the door close softly behind her.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Come, me lady. It is high time we gave the council a decision.”

Kyven stuffed her face with another piece of chicken, then waved at her mouth, showing she could not talk with her mouthful. She caught a glimpse of Laird Shay’s charming smile falter, though he recovered fast, leaning toward her across the dining table.

She looked away, angered to glimpse the two empty chairs on her right-hand side. Both Gilchrist and Aaden should be sat there, yet neither of them was. Further down the table was Larry, Shay’s advisor, and a few members of the council who were all whispering between themselves and looking toward her and Shay with hope.

This is ridiculous.

“Me lady.” Shay tried to brush his arm against hers. She purposefully snatched hers away and poked another piece of chicken into her mouth.

She imagined eating so hurriedly she looked nothing like the fine lady she was supposed to. Once again, Helen had helped dress her in a fine garb for the evening. The gown, large and deep shades of red, quite dominated the chair she was in. Her hair had been thrust up into mad curls at the back of her head again, but she found the numerous pins itchy, and kept raising her hand to her head, making some of the updo fall.

What she would give now to free herself from the gown and pull down her hair, to run from this feasting room and head to the library, to find Gilchrist, and to feel as if she had escaped this mad world of performance?

“Me lady,” Shay said yet again, trying to get her attention. “Come, Kyven, will ye nae speak tae me? I understand the injuries of yer captain worry ye –”

“Dae ye?” she managed to spit around the mouthful of chicken. “Dae ye understand what this means tae me?”

His expression darkened. It was so sudden, she thought for a minute she was staring at a different man. He sat back in his chair, perfectly calmly, and raised his glass of wine to his mouth, taking a large sip.

“He is yer captain only. The targeted attack on him shows it was something personal,” Shay said in a deep tone. “If he is tae lose his life in some personal squabble, then ye can always replace him with another captain of the guard –”

She dropped her fork onto her trencher. It clattered loudly, the clinking ringing around the room.

Some of the council raised their heads from their whispering. Apparently, they were not disheartened by her furious expression. Perhaps they mistook her reddened cheeks for a demure blush rather than what they were – a sign of pure fury.

“I think our dinner has come to an end.” She pushed her plate away.

“Kyven, please.” Laird Shay stood as she did. “I am longing tae secure our futures, tae join the two of us–” He reached for her hand, breaking off when she snatched it away.

“I cannae agree tae marriage when there is the chance of murder in me castle’s walls. Ye are a laird. Ye must ken that the safety of the people matters more than whether I have a ring on this finger or nae.” With these final words, she swept away from the table.

Laird Shay didn’t follow her, though he waved a hand at the now concerned looking council members at the table as she left.

“Aye, tiring day,” he called. “Worry nae. She just needs some sleep.”

“So belittling,” she muttered under her breath as she marched out of the room.

Two guards followed behind her, with their pikes raised. They followed her all the way to the staircase. At the bottom step, she halted and turned back to face them. One actually flinched under her glare but the other puffed his chest out.

“Why are ye following me like ye’re me shadow?”

“Our orders, me lady,” the latter of the two said.

“From whom?”

“Captain Gilchrist,” they answered in unison.