Page 18 of A Forbidden Night with a Scot
“I’ll take her tae the healer,” Samuel assured the woman, wrapping an arm around Alicia’s shoulders to pull her away. “Why didnae ye tell me ye hurt yerself?”
“Because it’s naething, truly,” Alicia said with a roll of her eyes and an exasperated sigh. “I planned tae simply go tae the healer, just like I’m doin’.”
“Ye’re bleedin’,” Samuel pointed out, which perhaps wasn’t the most revolutionary observation he had ever made.
Alicia gave him a look that seemed to tell him she wondered why she ever put up with him. “I am aware. But like I said, I am goin’ tae the healer. And ye are comin’ with me fer that sting.”
Before they could get too far, Katherine caught up with them, falling into step next to Alicia. “Where are ye goin’?” she asked.
“Alicia cut herself so I am takin’ her tae the healer,” said Samuel. “But she doesnae seem tae think it is necessary.”
“Because it isnae,” said Alicia.
“Ach, she cuts herself all the time,” said Katherine, seemingly just as unbothered by this as her sister. Perhaps Samuel was the odd one there, he began to suspect—the one who had suddenly become overprotective. “What is that?”
Samuel followed Katherine’s gaze to the brooch he had given Alicia and he laughed, some of the tension finally seeping out of him. “That’s me brooch,” he said. “I gave it tae her because she got scared by a bee, tae distract her.”
Under the light of the sun, Samuel could have sworn that Alicia blushed a faint red. It only added to her beauty, this faint blush, making her even more doll-like, and Samuel realized a little too late that he had been staring, when he saw that both Alicia and Katherine were looking at him a little oddly.
Before he could make up an excuse for himself, Alicia said, “And ye are coming with me, as that bee ye mentioned stung ye. And, by the way, I’ve never seen ye around bairns afore. Ye were very sweet with Mairead.”
Glad to have a change in the subject, Samuel shrugged a shoulder and said, “It was naething. She was scared an’ I wished tae calm her.”
“I’m sure she appreciated it,” Alicia said. “Is it hard fer ye? Because o’ yer son?”
That was a question Samuel had not expected to hear and it stopped him dead in his tracks, his feet coming to a stop on their own accord. Alicia stopped next to him, but Samuel let his hand fall off her shoulders, taking a few steps back.
Even now, the mention of his son was enough to render him speechless, to fill him with the same kind of grief and despair he had felt that fateful day. There was that familiar knot in his throat once more, the one that threatened to choke him and leave him on the ground, gasping for air.
He couldn’t be around Alicia then. He couldn’t be around anyone.
“I must…” he said, not quite knowing how to finish his sentence, “…go.”
He didn’t wait for Alicia’s response. He couldn’t hear it either way over the rush of blood to his ears as he all but fled, heading back to the castle alone, eyes stinging with unshed tears.
CHAPTER SEVEN
In Gavin’s study, Samuel sat across from his friend that morning, only half-listening as he spoke about the previous day’s incident with Mairead. His thoughts were with Alicia once again, something that seemed to be happening far too often for his liking those days.
He hadn’t seen her since he had left her in a rush the previous day. Had she gone to see him on her own, Samuel wondered? She had said she would, but he couldn’t be certain about it.
He had left so suddenly, without giving Alicia any explanation, but he couldn’t stand the thought of being around anyone in that moment. He only wished to be alone, as he always did whenever he was reminded of his son.
“Samuel.”
Samuel looked up from his cup to see Gavin looking at him with concern, and it was only then that he realized Gavin must have called his name several times.
“Forgive me,” Samuel said. “I was thinkin’ about somethin’. What did ye say?”
“I said there seems tae be somethin’ that is troublin’ ye,” said Gavin slowly, as if he expected Samuel to not hear him again. “What is it?”
Samuel didn’t particularly want to discuss it, but if he was going to discuss it with anyone, then Gavin was perhaps the best option, as he already knew the whole story.
“Yesterday, Alicia asked me about me son an’ I… I simply couldnae bring meself tae speak about it,” he said. “I just left. I must have seemed terribly rude tae her an’ Katherine.”
From across the desk, Gavin gave him a small, understanding smile. “I’m sure they’ll ken ye meant nae offence. If anythin’, Alicia shouldnae have asked ye. She was the one who acted rudely.”
“Nay,” said Samuel, shaking his head. “Nay, she wasnae rude. But it is difficult fer me tae discuss me son.”
