Page 44 of The Highlander's Auctioned Bride
Maisie gave him a tight smile. “Indeed.”
Maisie observed Marcus’s knowing expression and the haughty way in which his eyes traveled down her body and back again. She was growing tired of feeling out of place.
“I am looking forward to it,” she stated evenly. “If ye will excuse me, Mr. Guthrie, I shall go and see to me duties as lady of this house.”
As she walked away she saw his chest plump up with indignation at her tone, but she was tired of men looking down their noses at her as though she did not belong here.
James chose me, and however he might treat me now, I have as much right to be here as Lillian Guthrie ever did.
CHAPTER 16
Maisie didn’t seeJames for the remainder of the day. She had tried to convince herself she was happy about it but, in truth, she felt rejected and lonely.
She was grateful for her servants, and the household that ran so well. Mrs. Murray was a great comfort, but she could never make friends with the staff. She felt entirely isolated, and it was a familiar and unpleasant feeling.
She hoped that her father was all right wherever he was. Maisie missed her evening games of chess with Dora, and as she wandered back to her room, her mood lifted as she decided she would play a game against herself.
As she entered the room, there was a beautiful smell from one side of the room. She noticed a large vase of flowers above the mantelpiece that had not been there before. She approached it warily, noting a box on her bed also.
The flowers had a small note attached to them, and she read it as her blood began to pulse angrily in her veins.
I hope these brighten your day. J
That was all it said. She scowled.
She had just spent over thirty minutes with Mrs. Murray analyzing the account book and recognized the handwriting on the note instantly.
Not only had James delegated responsibility to his housekeeper to placate his wife, but he had also made it clear to all of the servants that he had something to apologize for.
With their aborted wedding nuptials, the argument, and now this, Maisie felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment.
Does he wish the entire household to ken we are at odds?
She whirled around to the box on the bed, stalking over to it and throwing it open angrily.
Inside was a beautiful pale gray and silver gown with beading running all across the bodice and lace edging around the sleeves. On any other day, she would have been overwhelmed by its beauty and even put it on immediately, but not today.
It was exactly what her father had always done to make up for his absences. Gifts to soften the blow that he might be gone for longer than he had first thought.
Something in her exploded.
I cannae spend the rest of me life livin’ alone with only servants for company,she thought furiously.How dare he presume that this will make up for last night?
With that, she stormed to the adjoining door to their rooms, determined to find her husband and give him a piece of her mind.
She slammed through it, careless of the noise that it might create—it wasn’t as though the servants weren’t aware that they were arguing—and pushed through the door at the end without knocking.
To her dismay, despite the footsteps she was sure she had heard earlier that night, it was empty.
She walked swiftly out into the corridor, trying to keep her rage at the surface so she could finally tell him exactly what she thought of hisgifts.
As she continued down the long, winding corridor, she noticed there was a breeze coming from somewhere. She looked about her to see if there was a window that had been left open. Instead, she saw a doorway out to the battlements.
She made for it, something in her gut telling her that she would find James out there. She was not disappointed.
As she made her way through the narrow door she saw a dark silhouette at the end of the stone balcony. He was standing with his back to her, looking up at the dark sky.
There was a full moon tonight, and the stars twinkled beautifully above her head, but she had no time to look at them.
