Page 26 of The Highlander's Alluring Spy
A spy. An English woman who had no reason to be here other than for the good of her country. A silly girl who had already betrayed her homeland with a kiss. A disappointment of a woman who had let her father down, if she was honest, because itwasn’tjust a kiss. She felt something, something she’d never felt for any man.
And beyond all that, she was a failed infiltrator who had already started to love a child so much she feared she would never be able to turn against her when the time came.
You would not be my friend if you knew such things, Betty.
“I’m fine,” she said aloud. “I apologize for concerning you, but I assure you that there is no need to worry. I shall be up and dressed soon enough. Can you stay with Elaine until then?”
Betty frowned. “O’ course,” she agreed, but she sighed. “But, Magnolia, just so ye know…I’m not the only one who cares about ye. Elaine loves ye to bits, and me mam is fond o’ ye as well. The gardener, old Sandy, he sings yer praises every chance he gets after yer rescue at the loch. He thinks ye’re an angel sent from above.”
Magnolia flinched internally because she knew Betty was doing everything she could to make her feel better. If only her new friend knew she was just making her feel worse, much worse.
I’m no angel, Betty. I’m from the South, here to prevent a war.
A war she still had no evidence even existed…. probably because she had spent all her time playing at fantasy games with Elaine and making moon eyes at the very Laird she’d been sent here to watch!
“I just mean,” Betty continued, “tha’ if yer feelin’ homesick, that’s normal, but we can be like a second family to ye here, too.”
Magnolia’s eyes itched with tears at that, but she’d learned from practice not to let them show. To Betty, it just looked like she was giving her a bright smile. “Thank you, Betty,” she said. “And yes, I think…I think I am finding it much harder to be away from home than I expected.”
That, at least, was the truth.
Betty smiled back at her and touched her shoulder in a friendly manner. “Me and me mam will see to Elaine’s breakfast. Dinnae ye rush yerself, a’right?”
Magnolia nodded, thanking her again.
Betty smiled and turned to go. She hesitated in the doorway as if she had something else to say, but she seemed to change her mind. Betty closed the door behind her, leaving Magnolia alone.
Magnolia waited until she was absolutely sure she was alone before allowing a tear to fall. She let the downheartedness overwhelm her, just for a little while.
At least this way I can clear it from my system.
When she stopped crying, she wiped her eyes with her bedsheet, feeling rather silly, quite tired, and very sure that she had a lot of making up to do to her family and to the Crown. She would put aside this silliness with Nathair, and distance herself–as much as possible–from Elaine.
Her eyes fell on the book from last night, abandoned on her desk where she’d placed it just after entering in favor of hiding under her blankets.
‘A Traveler’s Guide to Clan MacFoihl’. At least I did one thing correctly last night.
She was rather proud of the quick thinking she had used when Nathair asked her what she was reading. Even though she’d been oppressed by the awkwardness and the closeness of his body and her own mind had been clouded by foolish lust, she’d been able to think of something.
It was true. The book did tell of the forest–but Magnolia was not reading it due to Elaine’s faerie stories. No, it was written from a much more practical standpoint. If it came to war, her country would be able to use this tome for a tactical advantage in the attack.
If it came to war.
If.
Well, her job was to avoid that, and now it was time to do something about it. Elaine had been asking for days to take Magnolia down into the village and introduce her to the clansmen. Today was out, as she was already late and had to attend to Elaine’s lessons, but tomorrow…
Perhaps tomorrow, it would be time for a little excursion.
* * *
Nathair stared at the ceiling, at the curtains–at anything except the portrait of his wife that sat on his bedside table. He felt sure that if he glanced in its direction, he would see the accusation in her gray eyes, betrayal for what he’d done.
I remember when we met, Cat. We were both so young, and we thought we’d live forever.
And they had been. Young and in love. They’d had a courtship since childhood before they’d even realized what they were doing.
He still recalled the moment he’d laid eyes on Catrina for the first time. William’s mother’s sister had moved back to the clan after the death of her husband and brought her nine-year-old daughter with her. Nathair and William had been practicing swordplay with wooden planks when the latter’s aunt had walked in, holding the girl’s hand.
