Page 36 of Sinbound to the Highlander
Calling for a maid, and giving her an order to fetch a coat from Freya’s room, Lady Lobhdain spoke to Evan for a few moments before the maid came with a thick fur-lined pelisse.
“Would ye like a guide?” Lady Lobhdain asked.
“Nay,” Evan said, “I remember the way on me first walk with Miss Milleson. Miss Crushom, if ye would?”
“Thank ye, Lady Grace,” Freya said, her voice a bit stronger than she had expected. Standing, she moved toward the doorway, while Evan stood aside from the door, waiting for her to cross over first. But as she moved from the doorway, she dropped back to let Evan lead.
She kept silent as they moved from the castle and out into the lands beyond it. When she had expected to cross the large grassy inner courtyard, Evan took her on another path that led her to a garden that was starting to get the bareness from the growing winter.
When they were sufficiently alone, Freya asked, “Ye do ken that I’ve been here for nay even one day, aye?”
“I do,” he said. “But ye realize that one moment may have a more profound mark on ye than one day might. I ken, because it happened to me when I first saw ye.”
Freya stumbled, and it was a swift reaction from Evan why she had not crumbled to the ground. His words, uttered lightly, had struck her with so much force, she had lost her balance. What did he mean by that? Freya knew the effect he had on her, but how hadsheaffectedhim?
Evan guided her to a wooden bench and, grateful that her quaking knees would get a moment to regain strength, she sat. “I…made an impression on ye?”
His smile was tender, “I kent ye had realized that when I told ye that I found yer freckles charmin’, and how I asked ye to nay shy away from me.”
Doubtful of his meaning, Freya twisted her head away to look over the garden, “And I thank ye for correcting me wrong assumption of ye,” She paused, “Does yer home have a garden like this one?”
“Aye,” Evan took a sweep around, “and at the one at me home, ye can feel the trees succumbing to the frosted hem of Cailleach, the Queen of Winter’s robe. Otherwise, the sweet scent of jasmine and witch hazel would be in the air.”
“At least we’re nay bowing to Smertrius,” Freya murmured. “I believe he would be a hard task master.”
“As he is a God of War, I kent he would be,” Evan replied. “Ye ken of the gods of the old ways?”
“Some,” Freya said, tilting her face to the pale sun. “When I stayed with Missus Beathag, she would mutter strange names. When I asked her what they were, she’d explain they were names of old Gods and Goddesses. She would always talk about Airmed, the Goddess of Herbs and Healing when makin’ a brew or a salve.”
“Mayhap I should give her a visit,” Evan said. “Me Maither has pain and swellin’ in her knees from time to time.”
“Ye might nay have to do that. I have some salve for such ailment that I can give ye,” Freya offered, then faltered when his gaze landed on her. “After all ye’ve given me, t’would be little in exchange, but I offer it anyhow.”
“I’d like that, thank ye,” Evan replied, his tone dipping to a timbre that made Freya shiver. “Now, I ken its nay been long, but tell me, what was yer night like?”
“To be honest, I nearly lost meself in the massive bed Lady Grace gave me,” Freya admitted. “Was so big, I felt as if I was swimmin’ in it….” she glanced up at him, partly pleased and nervous at the interested look on his face. “Please daenae tell anyone this, but I left the bed, and went to sleep on the floor.” Her face burned with embarrassment.
Her right hand, was covered by Evan’s larger one, “I’d like to tell ye I kent what ye felt, but I cannae. But daenae worry, yer secret is safe with me.”
Freya met his eyes for a heartbeat and then looked away. This handsome man was not holding her, but she felt as if he was. The depth of her attraction to him terrified and thrilled her. He did not move his hand away, and Freya was not going to move either.
“I have a maid, too,” Freya admitted. “That’s another thin’ I’m nay used to. I made the bed this morn’, and she told me that it was her task to do. I made a deal with her to allow me to do it until I can hand it over to her…” Freya trailed off. “I dinnae ken if I will ever do so.”
Evan’s thumb made circles over the back of her hand, and, under his touch, her skin was tingling where his thumb left its trail.
“Habits daenae break overnight,” Evan counseled. “Ye might have to make a compromise with yerself, to do it one day and let the maid do it another. It might start the process for ye to let it go.”
Freya inched closer to him, “It might. But what about the other things I’m going to have to learn to undo? I like cookin’. I dinnae ken Lady Grace will allow me to make me own meals from now on. And I ken naything about what to do when the tutor she hires comes to teach me. And a while ago, she even mentioned lookin’ for a husband for me. What will I do then?”
