Page 31 of Saved By the Highland Beast
Sophia reached into the oversized case and retrieved two more lavish brown dresses before hanging them in the cupboard. Amalthea had more fancy dresses than her mother did in London. The only difference was that Amalthea’s dresses seemed to match her personality with the different shades of brown and grey.
“I have ye summed up, Miss Harrison. Dinnae think that I haven’t cottoned on to yer schemes already,” Amalthea said icily from her place at the foot of the bed.
Sophia clenched her jaw and finished hanging the dresses before turning to the woman. “And what schemes would those be? To give your grandson a better education perhaps?” Her words elicited an angry scowl from the old woman.
“I can see that ye were never taught that talkin’ back to yer elders is in poor taste,” Amalthea said with disgust. “Very well, then. I can see that ye an’ I will be very straightforward with one another. Cillian is to be laird of this castle when the time comes, an’ when that time comes, I will be movin’ in here on a permanent basis.” She narrowed her eyes as she got to the crux of her accusations. “No fortune-seekin’ lady who could nae find a husband in London will come after the faither of me grandson.”
Sophia could feel her blood boiling in her veins as she waited for the old woman to finish what she was saying.
“I dinnae ken what has happened between the two of ye up until now,” Amalthea continued accusingly. “But I can assure ye that naethin’ will happen beyond this point.”
“Are you quite finished?” Sophia asked with her head held high.
Amalthea seemed taken aback at being spoken to in that manner but nodded to show that Sophia should go on to say whatever it was that she needed to say.
“I can assure you, madam, that I am neither a fortune seeker nor am I looking for a husband.” Sophia paused to let her words sink in. “I understand how someone like you wouldn’t comprehend why a lady would come all the way to the Scottish highlands just to tutor a young boy.” She looked her over and glanced at her suitcases. “It’s very obvious that you have known nothing but the care of those around you,” she said kindly without saying what she really wanted to say.
Amalthea opened her mouth to speak but was quickly cut off when Sophia continued. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she spoke. Sophia had never had to defend herself against a tyrant before that clearly didn’t want her around. “I will be leaving the castle once the laird is no longer in need of my services,” she stated boldly. “And not a moment before.”
“Well, I’ve never realized… that such a young woman could be so insolent—” Amalthea cut herself off and pasted a smile on her lips when Dean came walking into the room. “What took ye so long?’’ she asked sweetly and offered her hand to him. “Miss Harrison an’ I were just reachin’ an understandin’ between the two of us regardin’ Cillian.” Her voice dripped with honey as she spoke. “We understand each other a lot better now, don’t we, Miss Harrison?”
“Perfectly.” Sophia returned her false smile when Dean shot her a questioning glance. “We know exactly where we stand with each other.”
CHAPTER12
Sophia pulledthe collar of her thick black shawl higher over her neck until the bottom of her face was hidden behind the fabric. The laird had ensured that she had gotten even thicker clothing when winter was reaching its peak. Her shawl had fur lining that pushed away the cold better that any coat she had ever worn in the past.
Snow fell like a fine mist from the sky as she walked around the castle gardens. Her breath was visible, yet there wasn’t a single part of her that wanted to go back inside and face the two-headed dragon that was Amalthea Doyle. The old woman had been at the castle for a full twenty-four hours, and Sophia already wanted to run and hide whenever she saw her coming.
Amalthea made it a point to be as nasty and condescending to Sophia as she possibly could, and just as sweet and loveable whenever Dean entered the room. Everyone else in the castle seemed to see right through her games. Duncan would make snide remarks to her face, and Anthony and Hamish would make themselves scarce whenever she was around. A tactic that Sophia herself had decided to adopt.
Sophia had attempted to clear the air and make it known to the old woman that she was merely there for Cillian, but try as she may, Amalthea stuck to her guns. She lived under the assumption that Sophia was there to seduce her son-in-law and for no other reason whatsoever.
Sophia shivered slightly and hugged her arms around her waist as she trudged through the snow.
What do I feel for Dean?
There was definitely something there between the two of them, as was made clear by their inability to be left alone in a room with each other, but that was the end of it. It wasn’t as if they could ever be together. Life had dealt them both different paths. They were becoming very good friends if nothing else.
Yet, there was still so much standing between them. Sophia missed her mother and how she had always been there for her. She hated the fact that she couldn’t even return home for a visit.
“Why are ye out here at this hour?” Dean suddenly asked, making her jump with fright.
“I… I was just going for a walk after dinner to clear my thoughts,” she stammered as she tried her best to still her pounding heart. She had thought she was being attacked by a bear or some other kind of ferocious animal that stalked the Scottish highlands.
“Aye, we had the same idea then,” he said, looking at her face.
She felt herself blushing under his gaze but quickly continued. “I didn’t think anyone else would be out here in the snow.”
“I like the open air.” He stepped closer to her. “Even if it’s as cold as arse out here.”
Sophia laughed. “You better not let Amalthea hear you speak like that, my laird.”
There was something in the way Dean looked at her before he spoke again that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. A kind of hurt that emanated from his eyes. “So, you address her by her name, then?” he asked.
“Should I not use her first name?” Sophia hesitated, thinking that she had overstepped her place. She was essentially his employee, even if they were beginning to become friends.
“Nae.” He shook his head. “I ken that the two of ye have an understandin’ between ye. I’m glad about that.”
