Page 21 of It Began With A Kiss
She shivered thinking of Broden’s body pressed up against her own. Obviously, he was hiding nearby. As angry as she was with Aiden, she pondered if she should tell him what had just happened and if she did not, would she come to regret it.
CHAPTER15
Aiden was just finishing up brushing his horse when the familiar sound of a crunching apple filled the stable. He turned around to try and find the lad who surely must have a fondness for this particular fruit. The child’s laughter filled the room and Aiden finally saw the boy in the loft above him, his feet swinging back and forth whilst he sat on the edge.
“Do you have nothing better to do than spy on me, Gregor?” Aiden asked closing the stall door.
The boy made his way down the ladder to stand at the closed stall. Aiden’s horse lifted his head over the door and Gregor held out the remainder of his apple to the animal. Gregor then wiped his hand on his tunic and then stood staring at Aiden. “Thought ye mayhap might need help in here,” he said.
“Perchance you should ask your mother. Certainly, she must need your aid with something,” Aiden replied whilst he began to leave the stable.
“Nay. I heard she has locked herself in her bedchamber and is in a foul mood. Do ye have something tae do with that?” Gregor asked with hands on hips as he waited for Aiden to give his answer.
Aiden opened the massive door and then turned to peer down at the boy. “You have a fair amount of courage in you for one so young,” Aiden murmured. He began making his way through the bailey.
Gregor followed closely behind. “Ye never answered me. Did ye make my mother mad? ’Tis never a good thing tae get on her bad side.”
Aiden stopped his way up the keep steps. “If you must know, your mother is upset with me.”
“Ye should make amends,” Gregor urged.
“Mayhap she is the one who needs to make amends,” Aiden said with a raised brow.
“Doesna matter,” the boy stated as they made their way inside. “’Tis best ye make yer apologies. The longer she stews, the worst ’twill get.”
“Is that so?” Aiden replied trying to keep the humor from his voice.
“Aye. ’Twill not go well for ye if ye wronged her. She be fierce when she is upset. But ’tis up tae ye what ye do.”
Aiden nodded. “I will take what you said under advisement, young Gregor. Now off you go. I am certain you have better things to do than follow me around.”
“Not really. Since ye have taken over, mother has forgotten about my lessons and such.”
“What about being sent to another family so you can learn the duties of being a paige or squire?”
“My father never wanted me tae go tae my relatives. He never said why, not that it matters anymore.” Gregor turned away from Aiden to hide his grief of losing his father.
Aiden took hold of the boy and gave him a hug. “I promise you, as I promised your mother, that I will find the culprit who killed your sire. This is my vow to you.”
Gregor pulled away and his tear-streaked cheeks pulled at Aiden’s heartstrings. “I believe ye, my laird. I hope ye find him soon and he rots in our dungeon.”
The lad took off as if he had said all he had wanted to say, and Aiden could only ponder how he would fulfill this vow now also made to the young boy. He had no clue as to who might have killed the previous laird, but it would be in Aiden’s best interest to find the murderer lest the same became his own fate.
Determined to right whatever wrong Iona was feeling towards him, Aiden made his way to her bedchamber. He was about to knock upon the wooden portal when Diedre, Iona’s lady in waiting, opened the door to leave.
“Is Lady Iona available to talk?” Aiden asked and watched the woman tremble as though afraid of him.
“She is not inside,” Diedre said curtly.
Aiden’s brow lifted. “I mean your mistress no harm, but I was told she had taken to her chamber. If she is not inside, then where is she?”
Diedre’s gaze swept up and down the passageway as if to find a way to escape. When no aid appeared, she frowned in resignation. “A servant informed me the lady had taken a satchel with herbs down tae the dungeon tae see tae Angus’s wounds. If I had been here, I would have told her tae fetch the village healer but she’s a stubborn one, our Iona is.”
Aiden bit back a nasty retort. It would do no good to show any sign of weakness or anger toward this woman. He could see she struggled with divulging anything about Iona’s whereabouts.
“I will fetch the lady myself to ensure no harm befalls her,” Aiden said as he turned to head back to the stairs.
“And who will save her from yer advances,mylaird?” the woman hissed before picking up the hem of her gown and making a hasty retreat down the dimly lit corridor.
