Page 36 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
“’Tis me! Flora.” Flora’s muffled voice floated back to her.
Ava stepped out of the bath, grabbed the closest robe she could find, and slipped straight into it. She headed to the door, ignoring the wet prints her feet left behind her, and pulled the door open.
Flora was standing on the other side, a wide grin on her face. “I have put Margaret to bed. I read her the numbers on her parchment.”
Ava nodded, stepping aside to let Flora into the room. “Thank you.”
Flora sighed and walked in.
Ava could see the uncertainty on the woman’s face. The kind that made her wonder if Brodrick had informed her about what had happened.
“Is everythin’ alright? I asked Brodrick, but he wouldnae speak to me. Did somethin’ happen?”
Ava swallowed at her question.Did something happen?
So Brodrick didn’t tell his sister.
She tightened the belt of her robe around her waist. “No,” she finally muttered. “No. Nothing happened.”
She wasn’t wrong. Nothing happened. Nothing worth explaining. Nothing that would ever happen again.
She could tell that Flora wasn’t convinced, and she was grateful that the woman didn’t bring it up again.
“If ye say so,” Flora relented, the resignation in her voice evident. “I have asked the dressmaker to come here tomorrow.”
Ava frowned, and her lips pressed into a thin line. “What?”
“If ye’re plannin’ on stayin’ here for more than a month—” Flora started.
“It’s just a month,” Ava corrected quickly.
The thought of staying in the castle for more than a month greatly troubled her, for some reason.
Flora nodded. “Aye. Me mistake. But either way, ye need dresses. Very soon, ye will run out of the ones ye have brought with ye.”
Ava laughed. “Dresses are made to be worn over and over again, you know?”
“Nae when ye’re the guardian of Laird MacDunn’s bairn,” Flora pointed out.
Ava could sense it in Flora’s voice—the disdain at the mere thought of having to wear the same dress more than once.
“I would have lent ye some of me dresses, but…” Flora hesitated, her voice growing fainter with each word. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed nervously.
Ava immediately understood the reason behind her uncertainty.
For some reason, she greatly appreciated the fact that Flora rarely brought up her size, unless it was necessary. If anything, Flora was more taken aback by the fact that she was English than the fact that she was bigger than the average woman.
“I know your dresses would not fit me, Flora. Anyone would understand. You do not need to beat around the bush.”
“Alright, then.” Flora nodded. She flicked imaginary specs of dust off her gown, getting ready to leave. “I shall leave ye be. I can see ye are quite busy.”
Ava shrugged. “Not in the slightest. I was only making preparations for tomorrow. But before then, I plan to have a long night.”
Flora nodded. “And ye deserve it.” Her breath hitched as if there was something else she wanted to bring up. “I ken I said I put Margaret to bed, but if ye want to check on her?—”
“There is no reason for me to check,” Ava responded.
Flora frowned. “Are ye certain?”
