Page 24 of To Wed a Laird
“I will have some willow bark tea made for ye when ye send for it,” she said as she looked over her handiwork to make sure all was well. “If ye need anythin’ else at a’ just send word tae me.” Then she frowned as she looked at the hem of Rose’s dress, and for the first time she noticed that a long strip of fabric had been completely ripped away.
“Ye will have tae fix that an’ a’,” she said.
“Thank you, but I have other dresses,” Rose said, shrugging.
In fact, she had only four dresses, and could ill afford to lose one. She would have to ask Nell about helping her mend thedamage, since she could not afford to buy a new one. Another irritation, another problem, another setback, she thought. Would they ever end?
Rose had the feeling that the healer was being extra polite for Cormac’s benefit, but she said nothing, of course, and merely thanked her. She was about to swing her feet over the side of the cot, wondering how she was going to get to her room, but her problem was taken care of a few seconds later as Cormac scooped her into his arms again and began to stride along the corridor.
“My Laird, there’s no need,” she started, but he merely shook his head.
After a few moments, he had to climb a flight of stairs, which he did with apparently no effort at all. Rose loved the sensation of being rocked up and down by the motion of his hard, masculine body, and the feeling of shelter it gave her.
I wish I could stay here forever,she thought, then chastised herself for being so fanciful.
As they moved through the castle, Rose felt the venomous atmosphere thickening around her. She was the subject of much hostile chatter from servants of both sexes, who muttered behind their hands and shot poisonous scowls at her. Completely intimidated, she tensed and cowered further into the shelter of Cormac’s strong body, but he noticed at once.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, concerned.
Rose shook her head. “Nothing apart from a sore foot,” she replied.
Cormac looked down at her with a deep frown on his handsome face. “Rose,” he said patiently, “I have been amongst these people ever since I can remember, and I can almost tell you what they are thinking. I know something here does not feel right, and you know what it is, so please tell me.”
Rose hesitated for a moment longer, then sighed and said, “I have not been able to make any friends here, My Laird, and it is not for the lack of trying. They simply do not want to be pleasant towards me, and I wondered if it’s because I’m English.” She hesitated. “Was-was it like this for your wife too?”
“No,” he replied, the word firm and definite. Then he gave a cynical laugh that rumbled deep in his chest. “If they had disrespected Catherine, I would have had them all hanged for it.”
For a moment, Rose was shocked, then she realised that he was joking. She had to admit that she still had trouble with the rather caustic sense of humour that the Scots espoused.
Cormac laughed at her expression. “Don’t worry, Rose, all the punishment they have ever received from their Laird is a stiff talking-to. Despite appearances, I am a merciful man. But the staff are unsure of you. You are not one of them; you dine with us because that is your place, and Elspeth is very happy about it.”
And so am I,she thought.
Rose loved the feeling of being in Cormac’s arms, and for the last few weeks she had been dreaming of keeping him more company…
Yet, she was unsure of him; was he even attracted to her or was she merely indulging in some wishful thinking? She had seen no sign that he felt anything for her other than what an employer should feel for his employee. He gave him respect and kindness—no more, no less, and she could not fault him for that.
Yet now she knew she wanted more. Her heart was telling her so in no uncertain terms, responding to the man who was holding her with such tenderness.
When they arrived at Rose’s bedroom door, a maid servant rushed to open it for them. He averted her eyes so that she could not see the expression in them, but she knew contempt when she saw it.
When they went inside, Cormac sat Rose on a chair while he turned back the blankets on the bed, and she was once again struck by the size of his hands. Presently, he turned to her again and bent down to take off her one remaining boot. Rose was shocked.
“My Laird, I can do that myself,” she told him.
“Do not argue with your Laird, Rose,” he said sternly.
However, Rose could see the twinkle in his eyes. He began to slowly unlace her shoe, and she was amazed by how tenderly he touched her skin. She could feel the gentleness of those hands, even though his skin was so rough.
When he had finished, he stood up then lifted her and laid her on the bed. “I will send Nell to help you undress,” he said.
“Thank you,” Rose replied, feeling as though she wanted to reach out and pull him back again. “That is very kind of you, My Laird.”
Cormac was equally loath to go. He stood for a moment looking around the chamber, trying to come up with an excuse to stay longer. However, he could think of nothing, so he turned away and left with the greatest of reluctance.
However, he no longer felt any guilt, for he knew that his late wife wished for him to find love again. That in itself had lifted a great weight from his shoulders, and as he moved along towards his study, realising that just a moment earlier he had Rose in his arms, he felt a deep sense of emptiness.
When he reached Nell’s quarters, Elspeth rushed up to Cormac and threw her arms around him, then looked up at him. “Da, is Rose all right?” she asked fearfully. “Is she badly hurt?”
