Page 41 of A Forbidden Night with a Scot
There was a weight on him; a body, draped over his own. It was then that the memories of the previous night rushed back to him and he realized the body next to him belonged to none other than Alicia, who had spent the night there.
But what was it that had woken him? A nightmare? Something else?
Then he heard it again: a loud knock on the door, followed by a painfully familiar voice.
“Samuel!” Gavin called from the other side of the door. “It’s time tae wake!”
Next to him, Alicia stirred, slowly at first and then jumping into action when she heard her father’s voice. She sprung out of the bed and paced around the room in despair, mouthinghow will I get out o’ here?at Samuel, who could only stare at her in horror.
“One moment!” he called out to Gavin, as he also jumped out of the bed and grabbed Alicia by the shoulders to steer her… where? Where could she go so that Gavin wouldn’t see her if he entered the room?
The bed was too low for her to crawl under it, and there was no closet where she could hide. The only place Samuel could think of was behind the door, but then he would have to make sure that Gavin stayed by the entrance, otherwise they were bound to be caught.
I should have never asked her tae stay! What was I thinkin’?
He couldn’t say he regretted what had happened the previous night; he had enjoyed it too much and he had never felt as connected to another woman as he did to Alicia. Still, he should have shown some self-restraint and at least sent her to her room, knowing that Gavin was there with them. He should have been more considerate instead of acting so selfishly.
Before he could figure out a place for Alicia to hide, she suddenly jumped in the tub full of water that had been left in the room since the previous night, when Samuel had forgotten all about its existence.
“What are ye doin’?” he whispered, leaning close so that she would hear him.
“Quickly!” she said. “I’ll hide here while ye speak with him.”
It sounded like a terrible idea, but before Samuel could protest, Alicia was already submerged fully in the water. He rushed to the door, then caught a glimpse of the pile of her clothes on the floor and cursed, taking a moment to gather them and shove them under the bed, before he finally opened the door.
Gavin was still standing at the other side, a small frown on his face. “Were ye asleep?” He asked, as if the mere notion was ridiculous.
“Aye,” said Samuel. “O’ course I was asleep. What else would I be doin’ at this hour?”
“Ach, I thought ye’d be awake,” said Gavin. “Well, we should start headin’ tae the castle soon, so ye should prepare fer breakfast. I will wake the lasses, too.”
“Nay!” said Samuel before he could think better of it. Gavin’s frown only deepened at the protest, and rightfully so, but between his confusion and his concern for Alicia, Samuel could hardly think of a reason.
If he doesnae leave soon, she will drown in that tub!
Samuel had to resist the urge to glance behind his shoulder at Alicia in the water, though his heart hammered in his chest, the worry threatening to choke him. He tapped his foot impatiently against the floor and gave Gavin an awkward chuckle, shrugging a shoulder.
“I mean, I’m sure they are tired,” he said. “Perhaps we should let them sleep.”
Gavin waved a hand dismissively as he turned around and Samuel had to hold back a sigh of relief. “Nonsense,” he said. “They should be well-rested now. Dinnae fash about them. They’re grown lasses.”
The comment was like a lance to the heart for Samuel, and he was certain if Gavin knew what he had been doing with his daughter, he would be furious. Instead of letting the guilt show on his face, though, he quickly waved Gavin away, hoping that he would at least not try to enter the girls’ room.
Katherine is in there, perhaps she will hold him back.
Does she ken where her sister is?
Samuel had to assume that she did, since she hadn’t looked for Alicia, and he knew that Katherine would do anything to cover for her sister.
The moment Gavin was gone, Samuel closed the door and rushed to the tub, pulling Alicia out. She resurfaced with a gasp, pushing the hair frantically off her face, but she looked just fine.
The conversation hadn’t taken longer than a few seconds, Samuel realized, but it had seemed like eons to him.
“I must follow him,” he said hastily, grabbing his clothes and getting dressed in a rush. One of his arms got caught in the neck hole of his shirt and he fought with the fabric, frustration coursing through him as he tugged and pulled at it in a desperate attempt to right it. His head still covered and his arm still tangled, he said, “He wishes tae wake ye an’ Katherine, so ye must head straight tae yer chambers. I’ll try tae distract him.”
He had hardly managed to finish his sentence when he fell face-first into the wall, the shirt blinding him entirely. Cursing under his breath, he finally managed to wrangle himself free and haphazardly pulled on the rest of his clothes as Alicia did the same, drying herself off as best as she could and shivering in the chill of the room.
Before he left, Samuel stole one last kiss from her, grinning from ear to ear. Then, he was out of the door.
