Page 21 of Ruining a Highland Healer
But this girl had the same eyes as Torrin—the same stormy gray color that reminded her of clouds heavy with rain.
"Good evenin’," said the girl cheerfully, strolling right inside Torrin’s chambers as if she was used to being there. "Ye must be Miss Valora MacNeacail."
"Aye, I am," said Valora, a little guarded as she looked at the woman from the corner of her eye. "How may I help ye?"Is she a noble? Am I being rude with this answer?
"Me name’s Daisy," said the girl. "Daisy Cameron. I’m Torrin’s cousin."
Ach, that would explain the eyes.
"Good evenin’, Miss Cameron," said Valora, giving the woman a short curtsy. She only laughed, though, and took her hand as if they had been friends for years.
"Please, call me Daisy," she said. "May I call ye Valora?"
There was something about Daisy that instantly put Valora at ease. Something about her smile and the way she looked at her with kindness that seemed entirely sincere, and not just a way to placate or deceive. In fact, from the first glance, everything about her seemed entirely genuine.
"Aye," said Valora, instantly taken by her. "Aye, o’ course."
As Daisy looked at her, she gave a small frown, leaning closer. "What happened tae yer head?"
"Ach," said Valora, waving her free hand dismissively. "It’s naethin’. I tripped an’ fell, but it is naethin’ major."
"Will ye allow me tae look at it? I’m a healer," said Daisy, much to Valora’s surprise and delight. Already, they had something important in common, and Valora couldn’t hide her excitement as she gasped and gave a small jump.
"Ye are? So am I!"
Daisy, grinning from ear to ear, tightened her hold on her hand. "Och! That is wonderful! Ye ken, I always wished tae have a sister, but instead I have me braither who is always away onmissions, an’ Torrin, who is always busy. An’ neither o’ them cares as much about healin’ as they dae about fightin’, so I never had anyone tae share this with. Only me teacher, but she’s long gone now."
I suppose men are like that, preferrin’ a battle over healin’. Destroyin’ over fixin’.
Valora had learned as much from her father and the men who surrounded him—his advisors, his family, all those people who constantly talked about war and gain. Daisy’s comment was lighthearted, a joke, but even jokes carried some truth in them.
Is Laird Gunn hidin’ a side like that? Daisy would ken him best, but I cannae ask her, nae outright. She might take offence.
If Valora wanted to know the truth, she would have to observe Torrin and everyone else around him carefully for the ten days she had been afforded.
"Well, ye can talk tae me about it now," Valora assured her. She was glad to have already made a friend in this place, that there was someone she could spend her days with, as she doubted she would be spending much time with Torrin. But then again, she had to get to know him somehow. If she was going to make a decision, she needed to know what kind of man he was.
It would be easy to dismiss him entirely, to make her decision based on the fact that she didn’t wish to marry, especially not in this way. For how could she possibly return home after her father had given her away like this, so easily, with no remorseover the fact that she didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to Althea? Her father had shown her time and time again that he didn’t care about either of them. Returning home would only make her life a living hell, since her father would never change, and on top of it he would resent her for ruining such an advantageous alliance. Not to mention that eventually she would be married off to some other stranger.
Perhaps Laird Gunn isnae that bad. Perhaps he’s a better choice than anyone else.
So far, at least, he had been kind. But there were still so many things she didn’t know; so many things she had yet to discover, which could paint him in a different light.
There was another knock on the door, and this time, it was Daisy who called out to the visitor, letting them in. When the door opened, it revealed none other than Torrin, standing there stiffly as he looked at the two of them.
"I see ye have already been acquainted," he said. "Daisy, I thought ye would at least give Miss MacNeacail a night tae herself afore ye visited her."
"I was curious!" said Daisy, easily dismissing him. Valora doubted there was anyone else in the castle who could do the same, but if there was, she would love to meet them. "Well, it is gettin’ late, so I shall leave Valora tae rest, but I will return on the morrow! I’m curious tae find out more about ye, Valora."
"An’ I’ll be happy tae tell ye everythin’," said Valora with a smile, as Daisy walked to the door and left the room with a final, cheery wave of her hand.
Then, it was only her and Torrin. Slowly, he closed the door, and Valora couldn’t help but frown.
Surely, he cannae wish tae speak again! What else daes he have tae say? It is so very late.
Valora desperately wished to go to sleep after such a long and stressful day, but it seemed like Torrin had different ideas. Perhaps she could convince him that whatever he wanted to speak to her about could wait until the following day, showing him just how tired she was.
"I think it is gettin’ quite late, indeed," said Valora.
