Page 123 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
“Oh, she is a wicked woman. This is so beautiful. It must have taken her days to make it.”
“It is wonderful, M’Lady, would you like to wear it today?”
“Certainly, I can hardly wear anything else. I must thank her. I have never been so well dressed as I have in the Highlands!”
Once Lydia was dressed, she went through to Callum’s room to check he was out of bed. He was nowhere to be found, and she frowned, wondering where he had gone.
She went downstairs, expecting to find him eating breakfast with the girls, but it was just Amy, Eilis, and Raven at the table. Lydia waited for Callum to join them, but he never appeared.
Finishing her eggs, she laughed as Raven tried to swipe some off her plate.
“Amy, my darling, would you please take the cat off the table? You know I love him, but these aremyeggs, not his.”
“I think he is growing,” Amy insisted. “He keeps eating all day long.”
Lydia smiled fondly at her as she lifted the kitten from the table and set him on her lap.
Placing her cutlery together, Lydia dabbed at her mouth and rose, looking up at the door as she heard footsteps passing, but Callum still didn’t appear.
Where has that man got to?
“Remember, girls, my mother and Tommy should be arriving at midday if they have a fair journey. You make sure everything is ready for them, won’t you?”
The girls nodded at her in excitement, and Lydia smiled, going in search of her husband.
After looking in all the usual places, she found him in his study.
Alexander was with him, and both men looked very grim indeed.
The man-at-arms brightened when she entered the room; however, he still bowed low.
“Good mornin’, M’Lady,” he said warmly.
“Good morning, Alexander. Please, could you tell Kristen that she must stop making me such beautiful clothes?” she said as Alexander frowned. “I am getting quite spoiled.”
“I can’t do that, M’Lady. She loves it so, and has said many times that she enjoys havin’ such a beautiful lady to dress,” he said with a grin.
Callum made a low grunting sound in the back of his throat, and Alexander raised his hands hastily in defense.
“Her words, nae mine, M’Laird,” and he slipped quickly from the room as Callum’s gaze found hers. He looked so serious, Lydia’s heart stuttered.
“What is it?”
He brandished a letter. “We have received word from Moira.”
Lydia’s chest tightened as she approached the desk, plucking the letter from his outstretched fingers.
The writing was beautiful and uniform, the letter short and to the point, written on cheap paper where the ink had run.
Callum,
If you do not open this, I understand. I have come to know the error of my ways since I have spent time in the convent. I know that you will have little care for me after what I have done, but I wanted to write to apologize for my conduct.
I know that you will not believe that I have changed, but with faith in God and the help of the good sisters, I now understand how I was ruled by lust for so long.
I wish you and Lydia happiness, and hope you can live a long and fulfilling life together.
Moira.
