Page 64 of Wedded to the Heartless Highlander
Hunter’s jaw tightened. “This isnae about Erica.”
“Nay, but ye should make it about her more often,” Calvin said with a grin, despite Hunter’s glare.
Hunter ignored the comment, tucking the book under his arm. “I’ll meet ye in the courtyard later. There’s work to be done.”
“Isnae there always?” Calvin muttered, shaking his head as his master left the library.
Hunter strode into the sunlit alcove where Lily usually took her breakfast. His boots clicked softly against the polished stone floor, and he carried the book with a sense of purpose. He’d spent the morning in the library determined to find something meaningful to offer his niece—a connection to her father and, by extension, a piece of her past.
When he arrived, she was already seated, her small hands clutching a cup of milk that she sipped from cautiously. She looked up at him with a wary expression. “Good mornin’, Uncle Hunter,” she greeted politely.
Hunter nodded, pulling the book from under his arm and setting it on the table between them. “Good mornin’, lass. I’ve brought somethin’ for ye.”
Her eyes flicked to the book and then back to him, uncertain. “What is it?”
“It was yer faither’s favorite,” he said, his voice softer than usual. He pushed the book closer to her. “A book of tales. He used to read from it when we were boys.”
Lily’s small hand hesitated over the worn cover, and her brow furrowed. “Faither’s?”
“Aye.” Hunter leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her. “I thought ye would want to have it.”
Her fingers finally touched the leather binding, brushing over the cracks with a tentative reverence. She opened the book carefully, the pages yellowed but intact. Her eyes skimmed over the words, and her lips parted in a small gasp.
“Uncle Hunter,” she whispered, “did Faither really love this book?”
“He did,” Hunter assured her, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “There’s a story in there about a clever lass outwittin’ an entire kingdom. Reminds me of ye.”
Her cheeks flushed at the praise, and she let out a quiet giggle. “Ye think I can outwit a kingdom?”
“I think ye can outwit anyone if ye set yer mind to it,” he said with a touch of pride.
Their conversation was light and easy as Hunter shared stories of her father’s childhood and their bond as brothers. Lily’s laughter bubbled up often, softening her usually guarded demeanor. For a moment, Hunter felt a flicker of hope.
Perhaps I can give her somethin’ resemblin’ a family, after all.
The sound of light footsteps broke the spell, and Hunter turned to see Erica entering the room.
She looked radiant, wearing a dress that hugged her figure in ways that sent his thoughts to dangerous places. Her wavybrown hair framed her face perfectly, and her green eyes sparkled as they landed on him and Lily. But it wasn’t just her appearance that stirred him. It was the way she looked at them, as though they were something precious.
“Good mornin’,” she greeted, her voice warm as she moved toward them.
“Mornin’,” Hunter replied, his voice gruffer than he had intended.
Lily perked up. “Aunt Erica! Look what Uncle Hunter gave me! It was Faither’s favorite book!”
Erica’s gaze shifted to the book, and her smile widened. “Did he now? That’s very thoughtful of him.”
Hunter shifted uncomfortably under her praise. “Seemed like the right thing to do.”
Erica sat beside Lily, her presence immediately brightening the room. They began chatting about the stories in the book and their plans for the day.
Hunter found himself watching her longer than he should have, his thoughts drifting to the way her dress accentuated her curves, the light in her eyes as she laughed.
Lily’s sudden comment pulled him back to reality. “Och, Uncle Hunter, we saw one of yer councilmen yesterday when we were ridin’.”
Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Ye were ridin’?” His voice was sharper than he had intended.
Erica stiffened, tilting her head in a challenge. “Aye, we went ridin’. Around the lands. Is that a problem?”
