Page 18 of My Scarred Laird
She looked down, “It’s not insane. I heard noises coming from yer room and I went inside ta investigate. I found ye writhing on the floor in pain and I couldn’t stand ta see ye that way. All alone, and in so much pain ye couldn’t even see me.”
Callum looked shocked. And she wondered if she went too far, but he said, “I didna ken it was ye. Thank ye for not lettin’ me suffer alone.”
She blushed, “It t’was nothing.”
He shook his head, “It was everything. Who are ye?”
She looked down, “My name is,” but before she could tell him her name, the Laird’s steward walked by, “Ah, Laird. Just the person I needed ta see.”
Islay stepped back from the doorway, shutting it softly, leaning back against it.
She took a few deep breaths, knowing she couldn’t stay hidden.
Sooner, rather than later, Callum was going to find out who she was.
That her sister had turned him down in marriage and that she was here in her stead.
She knew it was cowardly to not tell him right away who she was, and she wasn’t afraid of him or the stories she had heard of him.
She wanted to see who he was, who his character was, who his people were and if they really were good people, like she thought without having someone try to sway her from marrying him, or from trying to get her to run the other way.
She wanted to be unbiased. But after meeting Callum the first night, helping to care for him, seeing how his people treated him, made her heart hurt for him.
She didn’t feel pity for him, she felt pity for the others that didn’t see the man for who he was.
She knew her explorations were coming to an end, and she walked over to the bed, sitting down on it, and thinking of all she had learned so far.
She knew that the nobles who lived in the keep only cared for themselves and their image, that Callum was nothing to them, except the man who made them wealthy, and she didn’t like that.
He deserved better than people who had no respect for the man who had overcome so much and did everything he could to make certain his people prospered.
If she wed him, they would soon learn that she wouldn’t tolerate their disrespect towards their Laird.
She only hoped he would want her after this.
Because her sister had refused his suit, she hoped she was suitable instead.
She walked over to the window, looking out into the night, and put her head against the cool stone of the keep.
The people of the keep slowly went to their beds and the castle grew quiet as she looked outside.
She turned from the window, walked over to her door, opened it slowly, and went out into the hall.
She made her way toward Callum’s rooms and stood outside his door, hoping and praying he didn’t need her tonight.
She didn’t hear anything coming from his rooms, but she did see candlelight spilling from under the door.
She turned from his room, gasping when she saw him standing behind her, having silently come up behind her.
She put a hand to her chest, “Ye startled me. I apologize.”
He lifted a brow, “It is I who should apologize. I didna’ mean ta startle ye. I was just coming back from talkin’ ta my steward. Did ye need something lass?”
She shook her head, “I just um, I didna’ need anything. No.”
His other eyebrow joined the first, “What are ye doin’ outside my door? Usually, this place is avoided like the plague.”
She bit her lip, “I wanted ta check if ye were having another episode. I didna’ wish for ye ta be in pain.”
