Page 14 of The Icy Highlander's Virgin
Castle Kinnaird. Marriage. Lachlan Galloway is yer husband now, and this is yer new life.
She turned her head toward the fireplace, expecting to see his dark form still sleeping on the makeshift bed he'd arranged. Instead, she found nothing but rumpled blankets and cold ashes in the grate. He was gone.
A confusing mixture of relief and disappointment settled in her chest. Relief, because she could gather her thoughts without those intense blue eyes watching her every movement. But disappointment too, because... because what? Because she'd wanted to see him first thing upon waking? The thought made her cheeks burn.
I've clearly been more lonely than I thought. I barely ken the man.
She sat up, pushing her hair back from her face.Her gaze wandered to his sword, still resting against the chair where he'd placed it last night.
The weapon was beautiful—well-crafted steel with an ornate hilt that spoke of both wealth and practical use. She reached out tentatively, then pulled her hand back. It felt too intimate, touching his personal belongings.
"Erica? Are ye awake, lass?"
Ada's familiar voice from the other side of the door made her scramble back to the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin just as the door opened.
"Come in," she called, grateful for the interruption to her confusing thoughts.
Ada entered with a concerned expression, followed by two young maids carrying steaming pitchers of water and armfuls of finefabric. The older woman's eyes immediately went to the empty space by the fireplace, taking in the evidence of separate sleeping arrangements.
"How are ye feelin' this mornin'?" Ada asked gently, settling on the edge of the bed. "Ye look... well-rested."
"I'm fine," Erica said quickly, though she wasn't entirely sure that was true. "The laird was... considerate."
Ada's knowing look suggested she understood exactly what that meant. "And how do ye feel about that? His consideration?"
The question caught Erica off guard. How did she feel? Grateful, certainly. But also strangely disappointed that he hadn't tried harder to... what? To force himself on her? The thought was ridiculous.
"I'm grateful," she said carefully. "He kept his word about just sleepin'."
"Mmm." Ada studied her face with the shrewd eyes of someone who'd known her since childhood. "Ye seem different though."
"Different how?" Erica asked, genuinely curious about Ada's observation.
"Ye're nae as tense as ye were yesterday. Yer shoulders arenae up around yer ears, and ye've nae looked at the door once since I came in."
Now that Ada mentioned it, Erica realized it was true. She did feel more relaxed, less like a trapped animal ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.
"Perhaps it's just relief that the ceremony is over, and we can go on with clan duties," she said, though even as she spoke, she knew it was more than that.
One of the maids stepped forward with a respectful curtsy. "Beggin' yer pardon, m'lady, but the laird left instructions for yer comfort. Fresh water for washin', and he ordered these gowns made up special."
Erica's eyes widened as the maids displayed the clothing they'd brought. These weren't the simple dresses like most of the ones she'd packed—these were elegant gowns worthy of a lady, made from fine wool and silk in colors that would complement her complexion perfectly.
"He ordered these? When?"
"Yesterday mornin', m'lady, before the weddin’. Sent our fastest seamstress and her assistants to work through the night."
The thoughtfulness of the gesture left her speechless. He'd planned for her comfort before he'd even wed her, before he'd known whether she'd be pleasant or difficult. It spoke to a consideration she hadn't expected from any man, let alone one with his fearsome reputation.
"That was... thoughtful of him," she managed.
Ada's smile was knowing. "Aye, it was. Perhaps this arrangement will work out better than ye feared."
As the maids began preparing her bath, Erica found herself wondering if Ada might be right. Last night had shown her a side of Lachlan Galloway she hadn't expected—intelligent, witty, protective, and without being controlling. And now this gesture of care before they'd even met.
Was it possible that this could become something real after all?
"I need to meet with Ewan and James," Erica told the elderly man who'd appeared to help arrange her morning. "Somewhere private where we can speak freely."
