Page 50 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

“Avery?” she whispered, pushing down the covers.

He sat beside her, where Murdoch had been the last time that she had opened her eyes. He smiled at her, bearing similar shadows under his eyes.

“Ye dinnae ken how much ye have everyone worried.”

“I didnae mean tae cause such trouble.” Slowly, she sat up in the bed, relieved that her body no longer tingled so much, and she had the strength move by herself.

“Here, drink this.” Avery reached for a steaming cup beside him. “I am under strict instruction from Callie and Wilson tae make ye drink it the moment ye awake.”

“Both of them?” Eloise asked with a smile as she took the cup from him, warming her hands through the hot metal.

“Aye. After they drugged ye yesterday with that sedative, they spent what felt like an hour cleaning yer wound together. They argued at first.” Avery smiled. “With Callie, who would expect anything else? They had different teachings and learnings. Now, they are outside in the river, teaching each other what they ken about leeches and plants on the riverbank.” He rolled his eyes. “There is another who has given me strict instructions though. Murdoch has told me nae tae excite ye too much.”

“Murdoch?” Eloise sat forward, looking around the cobblestone cottage in search of him. “Where is he?”

“He spent most of the night here.” He gestured down to the chair where he was sitting. “He didnae let anyone else in here. He didnae want yer sleep disturbed.”

Eloise’s lips parted in shock. It seemed Murdoch was watching over her, just like the knight she had called him. She closed her eyes in embarrassment, remembering just how strange she had been acting and all that she had revealed to him.

He kens all me secrets now.

“Well, Murdoch has been a wonder tae watch, I’ll tell ye that.” Avery took her shoulders and urged her back onto the pillows once again.

“What do ye mean?”

“Come off it, Eloise.” Avery waved a hand dismissively in the air. “When I saw ye and Murdoch together that first night, ye must have kenned how hard it was for me tae accept, even believe.” The way he had perceptively seen through them had Eloise’s hands stiffening around her cup.

Yet is it all an act now? Murdoch and I kissed last night without anyone around tae witness us together.

“Ye are so quiet and mild mannered sometimes that kenning what yer heart feels is hard enough as it is,” Avery muttered, resting his elbows on the bed and placing his chin in his hand. “As for Murdoch, he’s closed off tae the world.”

“He’s yer friend.”

“Aye. Because of that I ken he doesnae reveal his heart tae many people, and doesnae talk much about his past at all. Take all of this.” He nodded at their surroundings. “Who would have guessed he was the son to Laird Gordon?”

“I ken.” She nodded slowly.

“Yet after yesterday and last night, I cannae doubt it anymore.” Avery rearranged the pillows around her body, trying to keep her warm and comfortable.

“Doubt what, exactly?” she whispered.

“The way he looks at ye.” Avery paused in his task. “When ye screamed yesterday, Murdoch ran fer ye as if there was a fire at his heels. Ye should have seen the him when I demanded tae see ye and he insisted we had tae follow Callie and Wilson’s orders of allowing ye tae sleep, tae have undisturbed peace. He watched over ye like a guard dog.”

“Murdoch? A guard dog?”

“A bloody good one.” Avery smiled in humor. “If I had forced my way through that door, I think he would have hurt me fer it. So, aye, fair enough. It seems he does love ye, fer all my doubts on the subject, he does.”

“Wait… is this ye giving us yer blessing, Avery?”

Eloise felt lost. It was not possible. Murdoch didn’t love her. This was all an illusion, a lie. Had he not said repeatedly he was content to have a marriage of convenience and nothing more?

“Perhaps.” Avery winced. “Let us just say I understand a little more now what is between the two of ye.” He looked at Eloise with such penetrating eyes that she didn’t dare move, in case he saw the truth in her expression. “Now, drink up. If ye dinnae drink that, Callie will take her revenge out on me.”

Eloise smiled and lifted the cup to her lips, taking a large sip. The mint and chamomile flavor was so strong that she grimaced.

“It is strong,” she murmured, placing the cup down in her lap again.

“Drink up,” Avery said with mock firmness. She laughed and raised the cup to her lips again.