Page 58 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
Perhaps she could take a walk around the halls to tire herself out.
She left her room, closing the door quietly behind her, and stood listening to the night for some minutes, letting the quiet pass through her mind, dispelling the wayward thoughts rushing around her head.
She looked one way and then the other, wondering in which direction to go. It was very dark and very quiet, but she felt no sense of unease. Indeed, she had never felt frightened or uneasy for a single hour in this place.
I felt at home as soon as I set foot here.
Shaking off that thought, she decided that her destination would be a large stained glass window that she had passed earlier that day. It had been very beautiful, but she had not had the time to look at it properly. Even by torchlight, she would be able to see some of the pictures and patterns within it.
She set off, feeling a draft from a narrow window halfway along the corridor, flicking a glance outside at the dark hills and treetops in the distance, barely visible now that the sun had set.
If I marry him, allthese lands will be mine,she mused thoughtfully.But he doesnae want me. He will keep me safe, like a precious painting or a statue. To be seen but never touched.
She felt her mouth tighten at that knowledge and was about to head left at the end of the passageway when she passed Daisy’s room and heard a loud thud from inside.
It was past midnight, and she was instantly concerned. She knocked softly on the door and heard a small gasp from within before shuffling footsteps approached.
The door opened a crack, and her sister’s worried face peered around it. Her skin was red and blotchy, as though she had been crying.
“Keira,” Daisy exclaimed, looking relieved. “Are ye alright?”
Daisy pulled the door open, and Keira went quickly inside. Looking about her with a frown, she pushed the door closed, a draft of cold air whisking through the room and making her shiver.
“It’s so late. Why are ye awake?” Keira asked as Daisy looked guiltily about the room. “What is it? Ye are upset.”
“Och, Keira!” her sister said, looking almost wild. “Laird MacAllen lent me a book from his library, and it is the saddest thing I have ever read. I couldnae put it down.”
Keira could not help but chuckle as her sister scampered to her bedside, where a candle was still burning low at the wick. Daisy brought back the book, which she handed to her.
It was of beautiful quality, leather-bound, and probably worth more than all their possessions put together. The image stamped into the front suggested a fantastical tale of pirates and mermaids.
Keira felt a wave of affection for Noah as she held it. He had clearly got the measure of her sister very quickly—she loved a good story. It was a generous gift.
“Ye must get to sleep,” Keira scolded mildly, wanting to berate her but enjoying seeing the light back in her eyes. “Sad books should always be read in daylight.”
Daisy smiled at her, pulling Keira to the bed, where she snuggled beneath the covers, looking up at her expectantly. With a long-suffering sigh, Keira smiled and tucked her in just as she had been doing since Daisy was very little.
“Maither loved this sort of tale,” Daisy said happily as Keira placed the book back at her bedside. “There is a wicked sorcerer in it,” Daisy said wistfully, “she would have loved it.”
“That’s as may be, but Maither knew what time she needed to be asleep as well,” Keira replied gently, taking her sister’s hand.
Despite her excitement, Daisy’s eyes were heavy now, and Keira knew it would not be long before she was dreaming of mermaids instead of reading about them.
“Are ye alright?” Daisy asked. “Why are ye awake?”
Keira looked at her younger sister for a long time, contemplating whether to tell her the truth. Daisy was a worrisome child, it was true, but she also had a very sensible head on her shoulders.
Keira had always felt lonely when her parents had died. For a long time, the twins had been too young to help with anything, and she had never been able to confide in anyone about her daily worries and concerns.
Being able to share what Noah had offered her felt better than keeping it a secret.
“Has Scott said anything to ye about what happened today?” she asked.
Daisy looked a bit embarrassed and nodded. “He said the laird kissed ye” she squeaked, pulling the covers up to her eyes and looking in one part scandalized and the other intrigued.
Keira snorted, “That boy never could keep a secret from ye,” she muttered.
“Why did he kiss ye? Does he love ye?” she asked, all childish innocence.
