Page 57 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
Her feelings for the Laird were growing increasingly confusing, and she was unable to dismiss them as easily as she had before. Having seen his caring side, it was difficult to demonize the man who had dismissed her so cruelly that morning. She knew there was a good person beneath the surface, which only made his treatment of her more puzzling.
Shame simmered beneath her skin as she remembered their time in the lodge. Why had she not refused him? She should never have allowed him to touch her in that way.
What if that was all he wanted—to have her when he chose and cast her aside as soon as he had to deal with something more important?
The idea alone made her sink lower in her chair.
Does he even want me? He didnae this mornin’. We were “keepin’ each other warm,” after all.
The memory of those words cut as deeply as it had before. What a cruel statement. Emily was now certain he had lain with other women before. He seemed to have no interest in being kind or gentlemanly to her the morning after.
What would me maither think?
The whole affair had left her feeling as though his scent was still around her. She scratched at her skin, wishing she could take another bath.
She stared at the dancing flames before her and forced herself to sit up. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head.
I am nae goin’ to let a man make me feel this way.I am better than him.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was not yet ten in the evening. Freya had told her that she was welcome in the library at any time—and her mind was too active to sleep. Distracting it with a diverting story sounded like the perfect end to a miserable day.
Emily left her room and wandered to the door that Theo had shown her. Perhaps if she got lost in the corridors beneath the castle, she might find a secret route out and under the woods. A smile spread across her face at the improbable thought. Exploring might be just what she needed to take her mind off things.
Opening the heavy door, she set off through the winding passages.
The first exit she reached opened into the dining hall. The supper dishes had been cleared, and the table was bare, apart from a small plate of bannocks that remained. Checking to ensure she was alone, she tiptoed inside and stole a few for her journey.
Feeling like a child on a forbidden mission for a midnight feast, she returned to the hidden door and continued down the passage. It was soothing to be somewhere so devoid of people. She was not observed by servants or likely to be interrupted. She dawdled happily, munching on her biscuits and allowing her mood to slowly improve.
It was only the second door that she came across that admitted her to the library. Emily was delighted to find that she had pitched up at the back of the room near Freya’s little den. She closed the door with a quietclick,ready to bury herself in a book, when someone let out a shriek of alarm.
Emily almost jumped out of her skin as Freya leaped out from behind one of the bookshelves, armed with a heavy atlas. She lowered it hastily when she saw who it was.
“I thought ye were a burglar!” Freya whispered. “How did ye find yer way here?” She peered behind Emily, raising her eyebrows. “Did ye come through the rear passages?” she asked, sounding impressed. “I have never been able to navigate those tunnels. I’ve always thought there must be a beast living in them somewhere.”
Emily chuckled. “Nay beasts that I have seen, but I did find some bannocks.”
Freya’s eyes lit up as Emily handed her the last one, and she chewed on it happily as Emily stepped further into the room.
“What are ye doin’ here so late?” she asked as Freya returned the atlas to the shelves.
“Like I said, nay one else comes into this library. Since me faither died, it hasnae been tended to at all. I am sortin’ out the books. They are a terrible mess.” Freya’s brown eyes turned curious. “What areyedoin’ here? Ye werenae at dinner. I was worried.”
Emily pursed her lips, not wishing to divulge what had happened with Adam. She shrugged. “I couldnae sleep.”
“Did somethin’ happen with me braither?” Freya asked uncertainly, her face full of concern. “He was insufferable at dinner—wouldnae speak to anyone. He shouted at the servants, which is very unlike him.”
Emily frowned, feeling oddly relieved that Adam’s mood had not improved in the company of others.
“I dinnae ken,” she muttered.
Freya snorted. “He went out lookin’ for ye, and ye didnae return until this mornin’. Where did ye stay through the night?”
Emily eyed her warily. “There is a huntin’ lodge in the forest. When the horse bolted, he took us there, so we had a dry place to sleep.”
“It was a terrible storm. I am glad ye werenae out in the downpour.” Freya cocked her head with a sly smile. “Was he a gentleman?”
Hah! Chance’d be a fine thing.
