Page 23 of Scot of Seduction

“Why?” she murmured in surprise.

“Why?” he repeated and laughed. “Because I’d like the chance tae ken ye better, Lady Catreena, without yer braither watching over us like an eagle, I might add.” She smiled a little at the protective image of Bran that she found a very apt description. “I asked Bran if he would mind, and he has given his blessing, but it is up tae ye, of course. If ye would like tae ken me better too.”

Callum smiled sweetly at her, a touch of nervousness in his tone.

Something warm spread in Catreena’s chest, flattered at him asking her, but then she heard the clatter of swords again.

Tad was really going for it in their parrying now, so much so that Bran was holding up his hands in surrender.

“Woah, woah, Tad! Ye trying tae kill me?” Bran asked with a laugh. Tad did not seem to find it as amusing.

Catreena’s eyes traced Tad up and down. She caught his gaze. He looked at her, briefly, then he turned away. It was as if she was nothing but mud beneath his shoes.

Shame swirled in her gut, regretting that kiss and the way she had cared for him after his nightmare.

He thinks less of me than he daes any other woman, daes he nae?

With this in mind, she faced Callum again.

“I’d be delighted tae go, Callum.” She knew it was time she had fun, like any other woman, without persistently thinking of Tad, who was most determined to ignore her.

CHAPTER NINE

“Come on, Catreena, ye have been keeping yer lips closed about this matter for the last week,” Ilyssa exclaimed with a yawn.

Catreena still chose not to answer her friend. She closed up the healing book she had been reading in her lap and looked out of the window of the library, craning her neck back and forth as she had done every day for the last week in search of Tad. Sometimes she caught a brief sight of him, other times, she did not see him at all. He even seemed to be avoiding their evening dinners now, not spending time with any of them.

It's all tae avoid me, isnae it?

“Catreena!” Ilyssa threw a cushion at Catreena’s head.

“Ow,” Catreena mumbled as Ilyssa’s maid, Annabel, giggled beside Ilyssa. “What was that fer?”

“Fer ignoring me. It isnae nice, ye ken.”

“I ken the feeling,” Catreena muttered to herself.

“Ye have seen Callum three times this last week and ye havenae spoken of it. How was yer lunch yesterday?” Ilyssa asked with clear eagerness.

“It was… fine.” Catreena could give it no higher praise than that. Callum was a nice man, but that was all she felt around him. He was all so nice. When he leaned toward her, her heart didn’t tremble with excitement. The mere thought that Callum might want to kiss her one of these days filled her with dread rather than a thrill.

“Catreena.” Ilyssa sighed. “Is that all ye’re going tae tell me?”

“I’m afraid so.” Catreena laid down the healing book beside her. “I’m going tae find another book. I’ll be back soon.”

Annabel and Ilyssa exchanged a glance with one another as she hastened toward the doorway. Catreena was tempted to bark that she could see the way they looked at each other, just as she had heard the suspicious whispers about her and Callum this last week, but what good would it do?

I need tae see another.

Rather than going to her own room in search of the book, she went to Tad’s study instead. She pressed her ear to the door, closing her eyes and holding her breath as she prayed for some sign of him. When she heard nothing, she opened the door to find it completely empty.

“Damn ye,” she muttered. “Where have ye been hiding all week?”

Turning her back on the study, she decided to search the one room this week she had not searched. It was the one chamber that was out of bounds to her, completely. If anyone knew she had been to search this room, especially Bran, there would be hell to pay for it.

I have nay choice. I am tired of him hiding!

She hastened toward Tad’s bedchamber. Nearly running into two of the guards who patrolled the upper corridors of the castle on route, she managed to hide herself in the darkened alcove of a nearby doorway and wait until they had passed. With the coast clear, she slipped down the corridor, hurrying toward his bedchamber door.