Page 52 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
She remained still anyway and felt the blood freeze in her veins when Brodrick’s voice grew closer and louder the next time he spoke.
“I willnae ask again,” he warned.
Oh dammit.
She decided to do the next best reasonable thing at that moment. One step after the other, she moved out of her hiding spot and right before Brodrick, who had an expression of mild surprise on his face.
“Ava?” he called.
Margaret, who was standing beside her father, looked just as surprised as she stared at Ava.
In that brief instant, Ava saw it even more—the resemblance between them.
“What are ye doin’ here?” Brodrick asked, his eyebrow raised.
Ava swallowed, fumbling for the right words. If she could just think a while longer, she would come up with a good excuse. A reasonable excuse.
“Lass, what are ye doin’ here?” Brodrick asked again.
CHAPTER16
Ava remained standing before Brodrick,shuffling her feet and feeling his intense gaze piercing through her. His eyes were so clear she could practically see the golden flecks in them and the reflection of the nearby candlelight. She could see the outline of his hard body through his white shirt, and she instantly hated the fact that she was staring in the first place.
She wanted to look anywhere. Anywhere but his face and the way it seemed even more alluring in the candlelight. Anywhere but his chest and the way the gentle draft moved his shirt against it.
“Ava?” Brodrick called again. “Have ye lost the ability to speak?”
Ava could sense the excitement in his voice.
“Do not flatter yourself, My Laird,” she huffed, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Och. A man can only hope,” Brodrick drawled.
“If you must know…” Ava trailed off, waiting for the excuse to descend on her like the wave of heat that spread across her cheeks. “I was—” she started, her voice breaking halfway. “I was writing a letter.”
Brodrick frowned. “A letter?”
“Yes,” Ava responded thickly.
This was it. This was what she was going to go with. Writing a letter.
“Yes. I intend to send word to my friends back in the orphanage that I am doing well at the castle. I also intend to send word from Margaret.”
Brodrick narrowed his eyes at her. She couldn’t tell if he believed her or not, but she was either doing a good job of this, or the flush that crept up her cheeks as he moved closer to her had disoriented her so much.
“I wanted to talk to Margaret. Ask what she would like me to say to them as well.”
Brodrick tilted his head to the side. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” Ava said too quickly.
There was a tense pause, and at that moment, Ava could see the contemplation in his eyes.
“Ach. If ye’re here, ye might as well see the portraits.”
Ava nodded as Brodrick turned around.
Margaret threw Ava a small smile. One that made Ava realize the child was not exactly having the worst time touring the castle with her father.
