Page 47 of Married to the Highland Devil
He had brought her flowers, and the scent of lavender filled the room. When she breathed in, the woodsy scent filled her nostrils and made her feel lighter. Flowers always brightened her mood, and whenever she smelt them, the colors came to mind.
“Aye,” he answered in a light tone.
Amelia dared to think that he smiled too.
“I want to take ye ridin’ to the moors and show ye the cliff borderin’ my castle. It is a lovely sight. I can tell ye all about it… The mountains, the valley beneath the cliff, and the lake too. There are many—”
“Wait,” she said and rose to her feet. “You want me to come with you on a picnic to your moors? Just you and me?” When he didn’t say anything, she continued, “I thought you did not want to spend time with me.”
“I…” He stopped. “I want to… I have always wanted to.” He took three steps towards her and put his hands on her shoulder. “So much more than ye ken, Amelia.”
His voice was dangerously low now, making her quiver inside. Her entire body shook with the intensity of the sensations rushing through her. Duncan’s nearness confused her.
“Duncan…”
“Come ridin’ with me, and we can talk about anythin’ that ye want today… Anythin’.”
The last time he had been this close to her, they had kissed, and Amelia had never forgotten that moment. Her lips were burning with the need to feel his, and even as she raised her head and inched her face closer to his, she knew she wanted him to do it again.
“All right,” she finally agreed. “I will go ridin’ with you.”
Duncan moved away from her then, and she blew air through her lips. The lavender flowers he brought her lay on the table, and when he left her chamber, she picked them up, then twirled them around in her fingers.
“Me Lady,” Dahlia said as she walked into the chamber and closed the door behind her, “I hear the Laird is takin’ ye on a picnic today. I brought the best outfit from the seamstress. Lady Yvaine handpicked it herself.”
“What color is it?”
Dahlia did not say a thing, but Amelia knew what she wanted to wear today for her picnic.
“I want to wear the worse dress your seamstress has made yet.”
“What? Why, Me Lady?” Dahlia came close to her, and Amelia could sense the girl’s displeasure. “It is a picnic. The Laird has never taken any woman on a picnic. He has never even brought a lady to the castle before.”
“I still do not want to look beautiful for him,” Amelia replied then turned away from Dahlia.
Duncan played with her feelings. One day he wanted to spend time with her and the next he did not want to be anywhere near her. He kissed her, and then he acted like it did not matter, and then he came right back and made her forget all the reasons why she was angry with him.
“Me Lady—”
“Just do as I ask, Dahlia. I do not want to look beautiful, so bring me normal saffron-colored earasaid and fix my bath.”
“Aye, Me Lady.”
When Dahlia left the chamber, Amelia counted her steps till she got to the window then she stood there, closed her eyes, and inhaled the freshness in the air.
The door opened again, and she turned around fast, thinking it was Dahlia.
“Amelia,” Yvaine said and hurried towards her. “Maither told me. Duncan is takin’ ye out to the moors. I need ye to look bonnie. My brother doesnae do this often… In fact, he never does this. He hasnae talked of marriage before, and hasnae wanted to marry. When he came back with ye, we were all excited.”
“Then why do I need to look more beautiful than I already do?” Amelia tossed back at her.
Another mischievous chuckle escaped Yvaine’s lips as she took Amelia’s hands and led her to the bed. “But ye can at least look bonnie. Goodness, I have wanted to touch yer hair from the moment ye got here. Now is my chance.”
Yvaine made Amelia sit, and she began brushing her hair tenderly while talking all about her brother. Amelia sat quietly until she was done then Dahlia helped her to her bathe.
Once she was ready for the picnic, she waited downstairs for Duncan.
“Yer ready?” he asked once he walked up to her. “Ye look—”
