Page 17 of Captured By the Highland Devil
Ruben’s lips tightened at her tone. “He is me faither, Niall Miller. Mind yer tone, lass.”
“Is there any water, or milk?” she asked. “I cannae drink wine this early in the mornin’.”
Annoyed, Ruben called a servant girl to him and asked her to fetch both from the kitchen. Trying to at least attempt to show civility he was not, she reached for a buttered roll and nibbled on it while gazing at the doors at the end of the hall.
She turned her attention back to her end of the table to find Ruben watching her. Bristling, she resolutely kept her gaze fastened upon back to the door. Let him stare at her all he wanted— it would do no good. She wanted no part of this.
The doors opened and a man sprinted through the room and up to the dais’ steps. He then bowed his head to Ruben and whispered something, all the while, his eyes kept flickering to Paige.
Ruben, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes and shot them to the door. The messenger finished his report and stepped away, leaving a muscle to jump in Ruben’s jaw.
Finally, he turned to the man and said, “Let her in.”
Her? Who is her?
The footman nodded and headed down the dais then went to the doors. She kept her eyes on the doors, intensely curious about who this lady was.
When the doors opened and a diminutive figure dressed in a brown travelling ensemble entered the room. Beneath the brim of her hat, her mother Daisy’s bright blue eyes flew to the dais.
Paige almost lurched out of her seat to go to her mother but a quelling look from Ruben stopped her. A footman helped her mother up the dais and Ruben pulled out a chair for her.
“Lady MacPherson,” Ruben bowed his head. “Welcome to me home.”
“Thank ye,” her mother pulled her hat away. “I just couldnae sit still at home kennin’ that me daughter was away from me,” Daisy said. She turned to Paige and reached for her hand, “How could I stay away? This is the first time ye’ve been away from me side since ye were born.”
From the corner of her eyes Paige saw Ruben roll his eyes as if to say,of course, why would I expect anythin’ else?
She bristled, but she trained her attention to her mother and the spark of relief that her mother was there with her. At least she had someone to talk with.
“Maither,” she leaned in, “How was the journey?”
“Moderately long,” Daisy said, “But I am happy to be here. Yer lairdship, would ye be so kind to introduce me to yer family, I assume?”
“Lady MacPherson, this is me sister Norah and me father, Niall Miller,” Ruben said, nodding to both separately.
A friendly smile warmed her mother’s face as she greeted the elderly man and the young woman, but Paige could not follow suit. She did not want to be anywhere near Ruben, the man who had rained terror on her people.
“Please,” Ruben said to Daisy and then gestured to the feast. “Help yerself to anythin’ ye want.”
Encouraged by her mother’s presence, Paige added more food to her platter as her mother began to fill her trencher “Was Faither all right with ye comin’ by yerself?”
Her mother bit into her sliver of cold fowl and braised potato. “He was nae very happy about, but since the King made the decree, he hasnae been happy about anythin’ much. I told him I was comin’ to visit ye, despite his objections.”
“Very brave of ye, Lady MacPherson,” Niall said.
“It had to be done,” Daisy said. She then angled her head to Norah. “I assume ye are his younger sister. What do ye like to do, me dear?”
The air suddenly went flat. Unsure of why the air seemed to scape over her skin, Paige frowned. Norah’s head was down, and her body was rigid.
Daisy’s eyes flickered between Paige and Niall, “Did I say somethin’ out of order?”
Ruben leaned in. “It’s only?—”
“I like to paint,” Norah said quietly. “I used to like to go on trips, ridin’ me own horse but I—I cannae do it anymore.” She shoved her plate away, half of the food untouched, “May I be excused, brother?”
Ruben nodded, “Aye, ye can. Get some rest, Norah. I’ll be with ye shortly.”
When the young woman left, her mother looked conflicted, as if she was not sure if she had crossed a boundary she did not know was there. “I… apologize?”
