Page 22 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
“Well, it wasnae a Scot who found me daughter now, was it?” he shot back.
Silence fell over the crowd.
“This kind of talk? This is what I willnae tolerate. She is me daughter’s guardian. She will be here for a while. Give her the respect she deserves. I dinnae want to hear her complain about ye lot. Whoever she complains about will have me to deal with. Am I understood?”
The silence lingered. If a leaf had dropped from a tree in the distance, they would have all heard it.
“I said,” Brodrick asked again, his voice louder, “am I understood?”
A brief murmur swept across the crowd, punctuated by mild grumblings and mutterings of “Aye, M’Laird.”
As the crowd slowly began to disperse, a woman who had worked for his father and had watched him grow up moved closer to him, a tense smile on her face. She reached for Brodrick’s hands and held them tight.
“She is quite bonny, nay?” she asked.
Brodrick swallowed, his breath catching in his throat. “Uh—I… I suppose any man would see that.”
Unease stirred in his belly. No one had been that blunt with him, and certainly not about Ava.
The smile on the woman’s face lingered. “She has her maither’s face as well.”
Then, she released his hands and walked away.
It was only as she climbed up the steps to the entrance did Brodrick realize she was talking about Margaret, not Ava.
CHAPTER8
When Avafinally got to her room and stared around, it was the last thing she could have possibly imagined. The walls were freshly painted, the floor was well scrubbed, and the bed was properly made.
When Flora motioned for her to step inside, she looked around, utter surprise written all over her face.
“Brodrick said that he wanted ye to have one of the best rooms in the wing, so here we are. Do ye like it?”
Ava looked around again, taking in the view. A window hung above the bed, overlooking the distant fields and the mountains that were barely visible on the horizon. She walked closer to the window and looked down. She could get a clear view of almost everything from where she stood.
She could see the stables and the horses neighing to the young man taking care of them. She could see the women washing a large pile of clothes on the table and singing a familiar tune as they worked. She could see another group of women cutting slabs of meat. Everything was clear from here, and yet she had a nagging feeling that it had been deliberate.
“It is quite satisfactory, thank you very much.”
Flora nodded. “I should also apologize for me behavior earlier. I wasnae informed that me niece would be accompanied by?—”
“It’s all right. I didn’t exactly plan this either. Brodrick—uh, Laird MacDunn would not leave without Margaret, and since I didn’t exactly trust him with her, he asked me to come as well.”
“Well,” Flora murmured, “me braither always has a reason for doin’ anything. I presume I shall see ye at the cèilidh?”
Ava steepled her fingers. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to face so many people today.
“I do not think?—”
“I shall keep a seat for ye at the table anyway,” Flora added.
Ava nodded, a brief smile crossing her face. “And Margaret. When can I see her?”
“Dinnae worry. I shall take ye to her whenever ye’re ready,” Flora responded.
“Yes.” Ava nodded. “I understand that she’s now home and amongst her people, but I would be failing in my duty if I do not make sure she’s safe and well. I hope you understand.”
Flora chuckled. “Whatever ye have to do to make the wee girl speak, I shall be right behind ye.”
