Page 20 of My Scarred Laird
Seeing him cradle the small bairn in his large hands made Islay’s heart skip a beat.
He was so very gentle. Like Roberta said. She only wished he would see her. He kept to himself, and was either outside with his men, or out for rides around his land.
She hated that he seemed to avoid her. She wanted to get to know the man who caused such confusion in her heart, who made her long to know who he was down to his core.
She longed to know why he was the first man to ever make her hear turn and her heart beat fiercely when he was around.
But if she asked about him, she was met with silence.
Roberta was tight-lipped once more, and so was Ewan. She wanted to ask some of the nobles who lived in the keep, but they all looked down their noses at her. She worked for them.
They didn’t know that she was more of a noble than they were. That she was raised as a Laird’s daughter. She had to allow them to treat her as if she were a mere servant, as she was now.
She worked hard for Callum, getting to know each of the staff, working alongside them all.
Though they didn’t answer her questions about their Laird and his brother, they at least were kinder to her than the nobles.
One of the noble women in particular, a beautiful, vain creature named Talitha was the meanest of them all.
She believed her to be better than everyone, because her father was the old Lairds brother, and she refused to let anyone treat her as anything less than the lady of the keep. She also believed that she would one day be the Laird’s wife.
Her mother told her that he was already betrothed, and Talitha simply scoffed, “Whoever she was, she canna simply come here and take him. He is mine. Besides it matters no’ which laird it is.”
Islay overheard this conversation, not knowing what she meant about which laird since there was only one. Callum. She had barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
Her mother asked one more question, and Islay paused from setting out their lunch, “What about his looks? He is ruined. His body is bent and misshapen. Do you really wish him ta take ye? Ye would be all right with him on top of ye every night? He will need heirs. And he is yer cousin. Ye would keep the bloodlines pure, but it doesna matter since he is promised ta another.”
Talitha raised her nose in the air with a sniff, “I willna allow him ta touch me. I doona have ta be his wife in only name. If he is even laird at all. Father has told me things tha’ could mean Callum willna be the laird for much longer. Besides, if he is, I can have a lover and pass that bairn off as his.”
Islay refrained from yelling at the girl, wanting to ask what she meant about the other laird, wondering if she meant Culloden, but her mother said, “I doona ken wha’ ye mean abou’ him no’ being the Laird. Ye canna listen ta yer father abou’ these things. And if ye do, ye canna speak of them in company. And besides, it matters no' anyway if he is Laird or no’. He is betrothed, and I doubt he will want ye. He isna a man ta no’ do his duty. No’ when he has worked so hard ta be a good Laird. Yer father will find ye a good husband. I promise ye.”
Talitha threw her teacup to the ground, shattering it and causing tea to splash all over, including on her gown.
She screamed in anger, and her mother jumped up, “Ye foolish child! Look at what ye have done! Ye must get out of yer gown at once. It will ruin.”
Islay jumped into help the girl, but was slapped across the face for her troubles, and Talitha screamed at her, “Doona touch me! Ye will dirty my dress more. Mother! Get me out.”
Islay held her stinging face in shock and stepped away from Talitha.
Her mother rushed to her, “Ye doona touch the staff. They are no’ yers ta abuse dear. Oh, if the Laird hears of this, we will be out of the keep for good. He already doesna like ye ta be so rude. We are only here because yer father is his cousin.”
Talitha shrugged, “He willna do a thing. As ye said, he has worked tae hard ta be a good Laird.”
Her mother shook her head, “He has limits. And abusing his staff for no reason is one. What is wrong with you girl? Have ye no shame? Yer father and I have taught ye better than this. Ye at least have ta try ta be kind ta those who wait on ye. Wha’ if she does somethin’ ta our food we eat? Or messes with one of yer gowns?” She said this last part quietly, barely a whisper, but Islay still heard it.
Talitha shook her head, lifting her chin in defiance, “I am ta be the Lady of the keep. I can do what I want with my staff.”
It was her mother’s turn to slap the girl lightly on her shoulder, “Ye listen ta me, and listen well. Ye are no’ any such thing. Now, ye get ta yer quarters and I willna see or hear from ye for the rest of the night. Ye are spoiled, selfish and a horrible girl that needs ta be taught she canna treat people this way. No matter what I have tried, ye still doona listen. Well listen now. Yer father and I are going ta find ye a husband. One that doesna live in this keep. Ye will soon find that ye had wished ye kept yer mouth shut and had treated people with kindness. Our Laird wouldna stand for this.”
Talitha looked as if she might argue, but the woman slapped her shoulder again.
“Go. Ye get ta live with yer ruined gown since ye treated this girl so horribly. I will be in ta help ye try ta salvage this mess. Now get.”
Talitha rushed away, slamming a door so loud it seemed as if it shook the very rafters.
Her mother sank to a chair, “I apologize for her behaviour. I doona ken why she believes she can act this way. We all ken the Laird is betrothed to another. And besides, he doesna need a girl like Talitha. She wouldna be happy at his side. He needs a good girl.”
Islay spoke up, “I thought ye all hated the Laird.”
