Page 43 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
Lydia followed him, watching the tension mounting in his shoulders with every step. She wasn’t sure what had changed, but Callum seemed suddenly on edge where he had been relaxed before.
As they reached the bottom of the steps, they heard the sound of familiar giggling coming from somewhere nearby.
Callum stopped, and Lydia smiled as he put his hands on his hips in an exaggerated manner.
“Well now, I hear some wee girls about these parts,” he said, and the giggling increased.
Lydia was simply happy to see him willing to play and tapped a finger against her chin as if contemplating where they might be.
There were two pairs of little shoes poking out from a long, dark brown curtain on the right of them. Lydia found it hard to suppress a laugh as the giggling increased tenfold.
“I wonder whether they are the ghosts I saw in my room,” she muttered.
Callum turned around, eyeing the little feet suspiciously.
“Ghosts, ay? I dinnae think ghosts giggle.”
Lydia couldn’t suppress her grin any longer as there was a peal of laughter from Eilis, and the girls jumped out dramatically.
Pretending to be scared, Lydia jumped back too, unintentionally placing a hand on Callum’s arm as she did so. He stiffened, but did not pull away, and Lydia felt a little thrill of desire skitter over her skin.
“Ye didnae find us!” Eilis cried triumphantly.
“I think we did,” Lydia protested.
“Nay, you were meant to be playin’ by yerself, but ye brought Uncle Callum with ye, that is cheatin’!”
“Is that so?”
She glanced back at the Laird, laughing, but her smile quickly died at the expression on his face.
He looked detached and cold again all of a sudden, and the girls recoiled as he stepped forward, his big hand tugging at the curtain to right it.
Turning, he cleared his throat, more of a grunt than any other sound, his eyes darting along the corridor where they had come from.
“Dae ye ken yer way now?” he asked, not looking at Amy and Eilis.
Lydia’s heart clenched at the looks on the girls’ faces. It was obvious they craved his good opinion and approval, but for whatever reason, Callum was unwilling to give it.
“Yes, I know my way,” she said.
There was a little mew from the curtain, and a tiny shadow appeared beneath it as the kitten walked over to Callum’s massive shoe.
He stepped away before it reached him, with a clipped nod of his head.
“Very well, I must be about me business,” he murmured and headed down the corridor at a fast pace until he disappeared from view.
“Is Uncle Callum angry?” Amy whispered, and Lydia pursed her lips, irritated by the way he had abandoned them.
“No, Amy, he is just busy. Don’t worry yourself.”
“Was he showin’ ye the castle?” Eilis asked.
Lydia dragged her eyes from Callum’s retreating form, wondering what had caused the sudden change in him.
“Yes, he was.”
“Did he kiss ye?” Amy asked, her eyes shining with a romantic look that made Lydia smile.
