Page 39 of Sins of a Scot
“Well, it’s worth a shot,” Owen pressed, eager for the innkeeper to tell them more.
“He’s expected on the dawn sailing. He should be here on the morrow.” The innkeeper looked a little worried. “This man’s said tae be dangerous, mind. If I were ye, I’d be wary about him.”
“And what daes this merchant look like?”
“He’s a big man, broad as a house with a scar on his neck right here.” The innkeeper pointed to just beneath his ear. “If I see ye about when he’s here, I’ll point him out tae ye.”
“Thank ye,” Owen said. “I’m grateful fer yer efforts.”
Owen was about to turn away when he heard Iseabail speak behind him.
“I wonder if I could have some hot water for a bath sent up tae our room please.”
“Aye,” the innkeeper nodded, “I’ll send the lasses up tae ye with a few buckets.”
“Thank ye.”
They climbed the stairs in silence, and upon entering the room, Iseabail said little to him while she arranged the screen in front of the copper tub. Whether it was because she was still angry with him, or the fact that she was clearly shaken up, Owen could not know. Perhaps it was both.
Not long after that, a knock came upon the door. When Owen opened it, two maids stood at the door, both with a bucket of steaming water in each hand.
“For the bath, sir,” the prettier one said.
Owen opened the door wider. “In ye go.”
The maids swiftly deposited their water, and then hurriedly left as quickly as they had arrived.
“I will leave ye tae tak’ yer bath in peace,” Owen said, turning toward the door.
“Nae,” Iseabail said, panic clearly in her voice. She looked more than worried. “I ken, this isnae proper, but…”
“Ye’re frightened,” Owen concluded gently.
“Me gift has protected me so far,” she explained. “I never really felt in danger. But without it, I am powerless. And if that man discovers where I am…” she trailed off again.
Owen nodded. “It’s fine, Iseabail. I swear, I willnae let any harm come tae ye. I will stay. Away and get yer bath.”
“Thank ye,” she murmured, and then turning, she slipped behind the screen.
While Iseabail began undressing behind the screen, Owen found himself wandering over to the wall to look out of the window. He needed some sort of distraction. The idea of her undressing not ten feet away was doing things to him that he needed to control. Across the room, and positioned just beneath the attic window that gave them a view across the water, stood a dresser with a mirror.
As he gazed out across the darkening sky, he caught a movement in the mirror, and glancing down at it, he noticed the angle caught Iseabail just behind the screen. He continued to pretend he was looking out of the window, but instead, as though mesmerized by her, he watched her strip layer after layer from her body.
“Want me tae come and wash yer back?” he said lightly, partly to cut through the silence, partly because he felt the heavy tension of her earlier experience.
“Indeed, I dae nae,” she said firmly. “Amazingly, I have been able tae wash me own body fer many years.”
“Och, well, that isnae quite true, is it?” he came back, watching her lift the shift over her shoulders. She was facing away from him, and inch by inch, the pale skin of her back was revealed.
Soft skin too, he imagined.
She turned slightly, giving him a glimpse of the curve of her breast, and sucking in sharply, he swallowed a gasp as her form took his breath away.
“What dae ye mean?” she said, the confusion evident in her voice.
“Well, I’m sure, as the lady o’ the castle, ye have maids tae dae that kind o’ thing,” he said, struggling to control his desire from spilling into his tone.
He watched her now lift one leg over the tub. She let out a breath, likely because it was so hot, but soon enough, the next leg followed. Then holding onto the sides, she slowly lowered her entire body down. Now all he could see was her shoulders and the back of her head, but it was too late. His groin already twitched with arousal.
