Page 26 of A Wife for the Highland Wolf
Murdoch blinked, and she saw a rare moment of unguarded surprise in his stern visage. “Ye still want that? I thought ye’d changed yer mind after our argument.”
Lydia raised an eyebrow at the odd tone to his voice. “Thought I’d changed me mind, or hoped I would?”
Before Murdoch could answer, a large furry shape barreled between them, huffing softly. Lydia laughed as Hector buried his nose against her stomach, woofing gently and wagging his tail madly. “Hector. There ye are.”
She looked up at Murdoch to find him watching her and the dog with an expression she couldn’t decipher. Something like sadness, resignation and perhaps a bit of…longing?
She had no time to ask about it or to say anything at all before his expression smoothed back into the mask she was beginning to despise seeing on his face. Murdoch offered her a tip of his head. “Go to bed, Lydia. Tis late.”
Before she could say anything in response, even just a simple ‘good night’, he had turned and melted into the shadows, leaving her alone once more.
His mask is nae who he is. Underneath lies an enigma shrouded in mystery. Beneath hides the true man, the one I will unearth.
14
The night was cool, but it was warm in the study where he’d gone to brood over the situation with Lydia. His shirt was already uncomfortable with drying sweat and his muscles were aching from the long hours of riding.
Murdoch flinched as he stripped off his shirt and set it aside. The healer had warned him before about letting his shoulders and back get too tight, but the stress of the past week had taken its toll. His muscles were drawn tighter than his bootlaces and every movement sent twinges of pain through his shoulders and spine.
Fortunately, he still had the liniment in his study that the healer made for him. It was a necessity, as long hours of poring over paperwork and reviewing reports and requests could also cause his back to ache .
Murdoch scooped up a generous portion of the liniment and started working it into his tight muscles, standing close to thefire so the added heat could help. Most of the soreness lay where he could reach; the small of his back and up around his shoulders, but there were a few awkward areas that he could not quite touch.
Murdoch grimaced. He could go back to the healer, but that required either putting his shirt back on or walking shirtless in the chilly night air. It also meant he was sure to get a well-intentioned but irksome lecture from the healer.
The other option was to leave it be and hope the soreness he’d already tended to would fade and help the rest of the muscles relax.
Murdoch contemplated calling on a servant to help him. Or Gordon. Or Wilma, though she would likely give him the same lecture as the healer.
He continued to ponder the matter as he moved to the side cupboard and withdrew a glass and bottle of scotch. Alcohol would also help him relax, perhaps enough that it would accomplish what the liniment couldn’t.
He was replacing the lid on the bottle when the door to his study opened and a slender figure stepped inside.
His first thought was that it was Wilma, come to check on him, or to borrow a book to read before bed. The figure paused as firelight illuminated silken hair the color of a raven’s wing. Murdoch’s sour mood darkened. “Are ye determined to bedevil me tonight then, Miss Knox?”
Lydia flushed, startled by Murdoch’s unfriendly words. She’d been so intent on trying to sneak a look at the books she’d only glimpsed at earlier that she’d failed to notice the room was occupied.
Murdoch stood by the fireplace on the opposite side of the room. Lydia felt her cheeks burn as she realized that not only had she intruded on the laird for the second or third time that day, but, apparently, she’d caught him at a most…inopportune moment.
His shirt had been draped over a nearby chair. Lydia felt her mouth go dry at the sight of his bare chest. She’d guessed he was well muscled, but it was one thing to guess and another to witness his chiseled stomach muscles and broad shoulders.
“Well?” The sharp question caused Lydia to look up and notice Murdoch’s annoyed expression.
She swallowed. “I dinnae realize ye were in here. But ye said the books ye had were in yer study, and I wanted to see if there were any I hadnae read.”
Murdoch snorted and sipped at the drink in his hand. “Tis a little late to be lookin’ for reading material.”
Lydia scowled. “Well, tis a new place and I couldnae get to sleep, so I thought I’d read for a bit.”
That earned her a tilt of the head and a look of bemusement. “And ye dinnae bring a book with ye?”
“O’ course I did. But I’ve read them already, and I wanted something new.”
“Them?” He raised an eyebrow and Lydia flushed.
“I like to read, and me elder sister Isobel is more for active pursuits, like archery or such. She wouldnae begrudge me a few volumes.”
“In that case, ye should have plenty to keep ye occupied.”
