Chapter 16
Hannah dreamt about the scrape of stubble against her inner thigh, of a soft tongue sliding higher and higher up her goosepimpled skin, coming tantalizingly close to her core. She dreamt about fingers sliding against her, and the razor-sharp peak of pleasure hovering just out of reach.
She woke with her nightdress sticking to her in places. Despite the unsettling dreams, she had to admit that sleeping on feathers was perhaps better than fresh straw. She almost didn’t want to get up, and spent several minutes luxuriating in the bed.
Eventually, she knew she needed to get out of bed and return to her sister, who was likely to be in an absolute panic at this point.
Hopefully, Violet hadn’t worked herself up so much that she’d fallen ill again. While she was doing better, she had always been more prone to illness than normal. When she did get ill, she tended to stay ill longer than others in the family would.
Hannah sighed loudly and rolled free of the warm blankets, gathering her kirtle and sliding it back on over her shift. Tugging her stockings on—as it had been so warm with the coal-fueled brazier that she hadn’t needed to sleep in them—she tied the tops firmly in place.
With her feet in her slippers and her hair in a braid, she left the room. She ran into a maid almost immediately.
The girl was carrying an armful of linens and looked surprised to see her. “Oh! Me Lady.”
Hannah chose not to correct her. It wasn’t worth it when she was about to leave. “Is the Laird awake?”
“Aye, me Lady. He’s at breakfast. Shall I show ye?”
“Nay, I recall the way, thank ye,” Hannah said with a smile and took herself to the dining room.
This time, the doors were wide open, and there were many men and a woman inside. The conversation was lively as they ate and scooped more food from the serving plates arranged in the middle of the table. She recognized Lucas and, at the head of the table, Aiden.
Upon further glance, she recognized Peter as well, the gardener who’d helped her clip angelica root at Calder Castle.
Aiden looked up when conversation fell to a murmur at the sight of her in the doorway. “Hannah,” he greeted with a smile. “Join us.” He gestured to the chair to his left, which she suspected was empty for a reason.
“Oh, nay,” she said politely. “I need to get going.”
“Ye’ll nae be on the road with an empty stomach, lass,” he chided, frowning. “Join us.”
She had a feeling that “I’m yer Laird, and I say aye,” would come next if she tried to beg off again.
With an amused shake of her head, she entered the room and sat in the indicated chair, which happened to be next to Peter and across from Lucas.
“Good morning, Mistress Leon,” Peter greeted with a kindly smile that crinkled his eyes.
“Hannah,” she reminded him.
“Aye, Hannah.”
“Good morning, Peter,” she returned. “It’s lovely to see ye again.”
“And ye. May I introduce ye to me wife, Isla?” Peter gestured to the woman beside him. “Isla, this is Hannah.”
“Good morning,” Isla said, with a broad grin that wrinkled her face. That, with the hazel eyes, tipped Hannah off before Peter spoke again.
“And me son, Lucas.”
Hannah smiled at Lucas. “Nice to see ye again.”
“And ye, lass.”
He sat to Aiden’s right, suggesting that Aiden held him in high esteem.
Other than the family, Hannah saw three men she didn’t know. Two blondes and one with red hair. None of them made an effort to introduce themselves, and she didn’t ask. Instead, she filled her plate and ate swiftly as conversation picked up again.
Aiden leaned over to her. “Did ye sleep well, lass?”
“Aye,” she responded politely. “I suppose I’m spoiled now after the accommodations.”
He chuckled. “I expect ye’ll be able to adjust, lass.”
She grinned back at him and nodded, finishing her plate with gusto. She couldn’t complain about the food either. If she was going to be made to spend the night, then she’d do it in luxury.
As she finished, she pushed her plate away and glanced at Aiden. “By yer leave, Violet must be in an absolute panic.”
“Aye, lass, I’ll see ye out.” Aiden rose with her as she said her goodbyes to Lucas’s family.
They left together, and he guided her to the stable. It was far larger than hers, which was no surprise, and she found Fin saddled and ready.
Her pony tossed his head at the sight of her, and she smiled, patting his neck. “Good boy.”
“Now,” Aiden said with raised eyebrows, “ye’ll nae be leaving this escort behind, ye ken?”
“What?” Hannah asked, bristling.
“There has been an increase in bandit attacks, Hannah. I willnae have ye alone on the road.”
She almost snapped at him. Almost told him she had done just fine without his protection. She’d been on her own for long enough and was no bairn in need of coddling.
But then that feeling crept into her chest again. The hum of warmth, the strange sensation of someone going out of their way to take care of her when no one had for so long.
She sighed. “Fine.”
Aiden looked surprised, as if he’d been more than ready to fight her over it and try to pull rank again. “Ye willnae leave them stranded in the road this time.” It was not a question.
“Nay, I willnae.”
“Thank God.” Lucas’s voice from behind startled her. “It was rather embarrassing the first time. I daenae fancy a second run.”
Hannah turned to him, smiling, then looked at Aiden. “Oh, I didnae realize I was simply riding back with a friend.”
Aiden rolled his eyes heavenward. “Call it what ye will, provided ye do it.”
Hannah mounted Fin, spotting for the first time another horse further back. It was a midsize bay horse with an uneven white blaze, and it threw its head as Lucas seated himself on his saddle.
“So, I can call him a friend, then?” she teased Aiden. “What about ye?”
He looked startled, as if she’d slapped him in the face instead of being playful. He cleared his throat and patted Fin’s neck. “Aye, lass. Ye can call me a friend.”
It sounded to Hannah like those words held more weight than she’d anticipated.
“Very well, then, friend.” She smiled at him. “I’ll see ye in a week.”
“Or sooner, if ye decide ye miss me again.” He grinned at her and winked.
She felt her face heat up. “I said, I didnae miss ye!”
“Yet ye came a day early.” Aiden looked amused. “What a strange thing for such a busy woman with so many responsibilities to do for nay reason.”
He had her there, and she didn’t like it. All she had left was, “Oh, haud yer wheesht!” which coaxed the loudest laugh she’d gotten from him yet.
Aiden patted her pony’s neck one more time and backed away. “Very well, Hannah, I willnae make ye admit it.” He was still grinning as a very flustered Hannah kicked a bit harder than she needed to in order to spur her pony forward and out of the stable.
She heard hooves behind her, and Lucas managed to catch up easily enough. “Lass, are ye planning to run yer pony to a lather?” he shouted.
She leaned back and eased her feet from Fin’s ribs, allowing Lucas to draw level with her.
“It’s a sunny day,” he commented, mercifully not asking questions about the discussion she’d just had with Aiden. “We’ll make good time.”
“Aye,” she agreed, settling more comfortably into her saddle and glancing at the sky as they rode on in companionable silence.
She could still hear Aiden’s chuckle ringing in her ears.