Chapter 9
I t was only after her feet began aching that Scarlett realised she’d been stomping. Not exactly what she’d had in mind when she set off for a relaxing, leisurely nature walk.
What is his problem?
She didn’t mind the awkward meetings or his social ineptness, but the whole surly Scottish thing was infuriating.
He made her feel like an incompetent and weak little girl, though she was neither, and she would not put up with it, even if he was her boss, all tall and aloof and frustratingly hot, and despite the latter, she was really starting to dislike him.
By the time she reached the gushing waterfall, which she couldn’t fault as being anything less than stunning, she was too annoyed to appreciate the medicinal properties of her surroundings. Forest bathing was all very well when one didn’t have Edward Cameron-Reid invading their thoughts.
The only saving grace was that, in her distraction, Jason hadn’t crossed her mind once since awakening that morning. But when she realised this, a pang of guilt stabbed her in the chest.
How was she already discarding thoughts of her husband in such a brief space of time?
It made her wonder if she’d perhaps known something was amiss long before Angelica came on the scene. She found it unsettling. That, along with the creeping realisation that something else had been missing between them and probably had been for a good number of years.
But there was nothing for her to feel guilty or bad about.
It wasn’t Scarlett who’d thrown away thirteen years of marriage– Jason was the one who’d been able to do that with apparent ease and little conscience, had it not been for getting caught out, of course.
“What a douchebag!” she said to a robin perched in a tree nearby.
“Have to admit, I’ve been called much worse,” a voice replied from behind her, making Scarlett spin around.
Seriously, people had to stop sneaking up on her around here.
She was about to say as much but stalled when she properly took in the sight of the man standing in front of her– it was basically Edward, just a few years younger and with thicker hair.
Her surprised reaction made the man laugh.
“I know. It freaks most people out. I’m Leonard, Edward’s younger brother; arguably the better version.” He drew closer and held out his hand, not breaking eye contact.
Scarlett shook his hand, which felt firm yet soft against her skin; a privileged hand, much like Jason’s.
She briefly wondered what Edward’s hands would feel like. Were his a little coarser because of the manual work he did on the estate? What would they feel like on her…
“And you are?” Leonard was still looking at her, keeping hold of her hand, his expression showing mild amusement.
“Sorry, I’m Scarlett. June’s daughter.” Scarlett felt hot under his gaze and worried her hand would become sweaty in his grip. His eyes, she noted, were the same deep blue as Edward’s, with the exact same intense pull.
Jesus, two men like this in the same house is a bit much.
She laughed nervously, but regained her composure and smiled politely, releasing her hand from his.
“I’m just staying here for a while, you know, giving Mrs Wilson a hand. I was just heading back to the house after getting a bit of fresh air.” She nodded her head towards the main house.
“I’ll join you,” he said, still smiling. “If that’s okay with you?”
“Of course, please do.” Scarlett looked away, feeling her cheeks flush.
What is it with these Cameron-Reid men?
“Thanks. Have you been here long then?” Leonard threw her another easy smile.
“No, just a couple of days.” Scarlett stopped and looked up at him. “You’re early, though. I thought you wouldn’t be here until Saturday. We were planning to get everything ready for you before you arrived.”
Leonard laughed. “I imagine he’s trying to get me holed up in the east wing?”
This made Scarlett smile. He clearly wasn’t an idiot.
“It might have been mentioned.”
“I like to keep Edward on his toes. I mean, someone has to.” He winked at Scarlett when she glanced across at him.
“I see.” Scarlett smiled again.
“So, how long will you be staying, Scarlett?” he asked, still watching her.
“Not sure yet. A while, I imagine.” She really didn’t want to get into this with him.
“It seems a strange place for someone like you to be holed up, out here in the middle of nowhere.” He stretched out his arm to allow Scarlett to pass in front when the path narrowed.
Scarlett smiled her thanks.
“It’s beautiful here.” She shrugged. “Truth be told, I feel quite privileged to be allowed to stay.”
“Christ, you sound like my brother.” Leonard’s smile slipped for a moment, but he quickly retrieved it again. “Talking of which, I heard he went off in this direction. Have you seen him?”
Scarlett felt uncomfortable telling him where he’d gone, for reasons she was unsure of, but not wanting to lie, she told him, “He left with Andrzej to fix some fencing.”
Leonard groaned and then smiled again. “I’m especially glad I bumped into you instead, then. Otherwise I might have got dragged into some tedious fence-mending expedition.”
Scarlett couldn’t stop stealing glances at him. “It really is uncanny, you know.” She slowly shook her head, a curl springing free from behind her ear, which she tucked back again. “You could literally be twins were it not for the age gap.”
Leonard let out a good-humoured laugh. “Yes, some say we’re carbon copies of our grandfather, apparently.
” He looked at Scarlett again. She felt like he was drinking her in.
It made her feel heady. “I possess a bit more charm, though; the whole grumpy laird thing never appealed to me. He’s more our dad in that department. ”
“Whereas you are?” Scarlett cocked her head at him, pausing briefly so they were walking in step with each other now the path had widened again.
“My sweet Scarlett, I can be whoever you want me to be.” He smiled widely and winked.
Scarlett laughed. She realised that probably wasn’t the reaction he was looking for, but it was such a well-rehearsed line, she couldn’t take it seriously. “Does that usually work?”
Leonard had the good grace to smile, looking at her with a sidewards glance. “As it happens, yes, I’d say it has a 99.9% success rate.”
She laughed again. “Seems to me it’s becoming a tad stale.”
“You’re a tough crowd.”
The pair laughed and continued their walk back towards the house.
Their conversation turned to his journey to Scotland, about which he had a few amusing anecdotes, and Scarlett laughed at them with ease. She wouldn’t yet call him the better brother, but he was much easier to talk to than the other one.
Yet, despite the effortless chat, it was still the older brother her thoughts kept pulling her towards, pausing on the idea of him lifting panels of heavy wood– she imagined that would be a pleasant thing to watch.
No sooner had she mused on the image of Edward flexing his biceps than she took a sharp intake of breath, her heart leaping to her throat as she looked up to see him watching their approach.
She knew she had done nothing wrong, but a sense of disloyalty tugged at her gut, especially when she saw his lips tighten in a thin disapproving line, his hands deep in his pockets.
He had a talent for seeming both authoritative and vulnerable at the same time. He was an enigma and fast becoming her very own version of catnip.
Edward’s icy stare, however, made her shudder, and she was relieved when a grin appeared on Leonard’s face and he moved away from her to greet his older brother.