Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Again. I cannae believe we had nearly kissed again.
Edith let out a frustrated sigh, pacing the length of her bedchamber.
It did not matter that she was barefoot on the cold stone floor. It was the next morning, and once again, she had barely been able to sleep.
It had been impossible to even try. For every time she closed her eyes, she saw Aaron’s smug, arrogant face.
She could still feel his hand where it had rested on her waist in the Great Hall after supper.
The look in his eyes was so different and yet familiar, just as it had been before he kissed her on the stair landing.
Her cheeks heated as she remembered how her chin had tilted toward him during their dance.
She spun around sharply, marching back across the room.
“Perhaps I want ye to misbehave after all.”
She had no choice but to believe those words now. If she kept seeing him everywhere, then perhaps she would truly act out of line soon.
Och, this is what he wants.
A small frown creased her brow, and she folded her arms.
It was ridiculous. She was supposed to be thinking about her lessons, her future, and her freedom. Instead, she could hardly string two thoughts together without somehow arriving back at Aaron.
I willnae have it.
Her resolve hardened as she sank onto her bed.
Aye. I mustnae see him today.
The decision felt wise for exactly one hour. Edith stayed put in her chamber, dressing, cleaning, and arranging her things until her stomach grumbled in protest. The breakfast hour was nearly over.
She lingered a little longer before stepping out of her chamber, convincing herself that Aaron would have finished his meal before she made her way down to the Great Hall.
A small smile touched her lips as she stepped through the doors. The hall was noticeably quieter, and many of the clansfolk had already eaten and gone about their day.
Perfect.
She crossed the hall and settled into her usual seat. A servant appeared almost immediately.
“Good mornin’, me Lady.”
“Good mornin’.”
She accepted a bowl of porridge and a small loaf of fresh bread, feeling considerably more pleased with herself than the situation warranted.
It was simpler than she’d expected. The castle was large. Surely, one stubborn Laird could not be everywhere at once. He had things to do. Reports to review and men to train.
She lifted her spoon, enjoying her breakfast in silence, until the doors opened again.
She froze, holding her spoon mid-air.
Nay. Daenae let it be Aaron.
Her prayer went unanswered, for Aaron stepped inside, and her heart immediately betrayed her with a violent thump.
He looked annoyingly well-rested for a man who had spent the previous evening nearly kissing her in front of his clansfolk. His gaze landed on her at once, and she could have sworn she saw a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
“Good mornin’, Edith.”
Her eyes squeezed shut. Of course, he was going to join her at the table. Of course, he was also having a late breakfast. What were the odds?
She looked up slowly, meeting his gaze again. “Me Laird.”
Aaron’s brows lifted slightly. “Ye are late for breakfast,” he noted.
She could hardly tell if he was mocking her or not.
“So are ye.”
His mouth twitched, the traitorous movement almost distracting her. “I always eat at this hour.”
Edith blinked. “Nay, ye daenae.”
“Aye, I do.”
“Nay.”
Aaron pulled out the chair beside her and sat. “Have ye been keepin’ track of me meals?”
Her face reddened at once. “Nay,” she blurted.
Aaron smirked. “Then how would ye ken?”
Edith opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She frowned at him, but he looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Breakfast was a terrible idea.
She stood abruptly, and he looked at her, stealing a glance at her bowl of porridge before speaking.
“Ye havenae finished yer meal.”
“Aye. I suddenly remembered something.”
“What?”
“I cannae tell ye, me Laird.”
Aaron’s brows drew together. He stared at her, confusion written all over his face.
Edith nodded once, satisfied with her explanation. Then she grabbed a small piece of bread and escaped before he could question her further.
Edith stepped into the main library, her heart soaring when she found it empty.
No one at Hallow Castle ever read a book before noon. It was just the perfect place to escape, and it looked as though it had been waiting for her.
Rows upon rows of shelves stretched around her, filled with books so old that some looked ready to crumble if she breathed on them too hard.
Surely, Aaron willnae come here after breakfast.
She wandered in, walking between the deeper rows of shelves until she found a secluded corner near one of the narrow windows. Dust floated lazily through the sunlight, and for the first time that morning, she felt herself relax.
She pulled a book from the shelf and settled into a chair. It was a healer’s guide, just the sort of thing she needed to take her mind off Aaron.
She glanced through the pages, inhaling the comforting scent of old parchment. Half of the words were in a language she could not understand, but there were endless pictures of herbs, and she quickly became engrossed trying to name them.
The rest of the morning flew by before she knew it.
She released a soft groan as she reached the last page, smiling as she imagined a day when she’d be comfortable writing a book of her own.
The library was less empty now. Footsteps echoed from somewhere beyond the shelves as people walked in and out, and she rose, straightening her dress.
There was no reason for her to think much of it. The castle was filled with people, a good number of whom had Aaron’s permission to browse through the library.
She reached for the top shelf, picking out a similar book on herbs to the one she had just finished reading.
Perhaps I could bring this back later.
She held the book to her chest as she turned around to leave, but then she heard a voice that was too familiar for comfort.
“The estate records from the western fields.” Aaron’s voice carried clearly through the room.
Edith nearly dropped the book in her hand.
Nay.
Her head snapped up.
“Aye, me Laird,” a male voice answered, likely his man-at-arms. “They should be in the fifth row.”
Edith blinked, looking around quickly.
Surely nae. Surely estate records daenae belong in the same section as healing guides?
The footsteps immediately began to draw nearer. The man was walking toward her.
Whether it was Aaron himself or one of his men, Edith was not willing to find out. The book went on the wrong side of the shelf. She spun in the opposite direction of the footsteps, walking as fast as she could without making any noise.
Her escape was near. She was just about to reach the door when she heard him call out her name.
“Edith?”
She froze for a moment.
“Is that ye?”
She turned around slowly, forcing the most awkward smile on her face. “Good day, me Laird,” she greeted.
She bobbed the deepest, most unnecessary curtsy ever, since she had already seen him hours ago at breakfast.
Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment as she rose. Then she turned, hurrying out of the library as though it were the most natural thing to do.
She did not stop to breathe until she reached a secluded corner. The day was only halfway done.
“Me Lady,” a familiar voice called out.
It was Violet.
Edith softened as soon as she saw the maid, her eyes immediately falling to the covered basket in her hand. “Where are ye headed?”
“The kitchens. I offered a hand. The cooks are preparing ahead of the harvest festival.”
Edith’s eyes lit up.
The festival was not for another fortnight and several days, but preparations had already begun. Surely if there was one place Aaron would never think to go, it would be the kitchens.
“Perfect,” she said, attempting to help Violet with the large basket. “I shall come with ye.”
She followed the maid into the kitchen, empty-handed because Violet had very firmly refused her help.
It was annoying how much of her life had changed in a matter of weeks.
“A lady shouldnae lift a thing,” Violet had objected, as though they had not been doing things of the sort together until weeks ago.
Aside from the fields and the healer’s chambers, Edith used to enjoy spending time in the kitchen. She had no fixed role, as she was not a maid, but she made herself useful in as many ways as she could, helping out and contributing whenever it was needed.
“Me Lady!” One of the cooks waved her over enthusiastically, and she was grateful that the atmosphere did not shift once she stepped into the kitchen.
Her first few days as a false lady had been hell, but now the people were starting to warm up to the change and had begun treating her neutrally.
“Good mornin’,” Edith greeted the older woman with a smile, walking up to the table where she worked.
“Mornin’, lass,” the cook slipped, then corrected herself with ease. “Me Lady. Would ye care to try the honey cakes?”
Edith nodded enthusiastically. The lack of a proper breakfast was starting to catch up to her, and the warm honey cakes were incredibly difficult to resist.
Moments later, she found herself seated on a stool while the women argued over flavor, feeding her portions large enough for a soldier.
“The Laird should be here shortly,” one of the cooks said, and Edith froze. “He wishes to inspect the supplies himself.”
She stopped chewing. “I beg yer pardon?”
“The grain shipment arrived this mornin’.”
A maid nodded. “Aye. He said he would come before midday.”
Edith straightened slowly, placing the cake she had just picked up on the corner of the tray. Her face seemed to drain of color because the women stared at her as though they could sense the shift within her.
“Me Lady?”
There was no time to explain. Even if she did, it wouldn’t make sense. She could not allow Aaron to meet her here as well. She had to leave. Now.
“Excuse me.” She managed a smile. “There is somethin’ I need to do.”
The women smiled back at her, though their brows furrowed slightly in worry.
“Thank ye for the honey cakes,” she added quickly. “I shall leave ye to it now.”
It was as though Aaron had specifically picked this day to haunt her. He was everywhere all at once, and the vast chamber suddenly felt narrow and tight.
There was only one last place to avoid him.
She returned to her chamber, locking herself inside. The first fifteen minutes had been pleasant enough. She went through her drawer, finding one of the books she and Scarlett used to read together.
She sat down to read it. Or at least, she tried to. She read the same page three times before she finally admitted she had not absorbed a single word.
The next twenty minutes were worse. She found a needle and a cloth that Violet had left for her and suddenly decided to try embroidery. It was laughable to assume that she could get the hang of it. The needle pricked her fingertip, and she winced, dropping it.
It took another ten minutes to find the tiny needle on the stone floor and one to shove it into the farthest corner of the drawer.
There was no point in trying to review Martin’s note. She had already burned the old parchment after she had drawn Aaron’s face on the other side of it.
She sighed in frustration.
She walked up to the window and stared out at the empty fields beyond. By the end of the hour, she was sprawled across her bed with one arm thrown dramatically over her eyes.
This is ridiculous.
She groaned.
Avoiding Aaron was proving far more exhausting than simply speaking to him. But speaking to him was dangerous, and once she remembered how the last two times had ended, she sat upright.
Nay.
She absolutely could not face him.
Her face heated, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks.
Enough.
She stood up abruptly. She needed a distraction. Something entirely free of Aaron. Someplace where she could fill her thoughts with something other than his face.
The healer’s chamber.
The answer came to her almost immediately.
Martin was forever complaining about needing help organizing supplies. Surely he would welcome the assistance. And, most importantly, Aaron would never go there.
It was the perfect plan.
Edith did not waste a moment more. She headed to the healer’s chamber at once, her excitement causing her to push open the door without knocking.
“Martin, I—”
The words died in her throat at the sight before her. Aaron was sitting on one of the stools with his shirt off.
She froze so abruptly that she nearly stumbled backward over her own feet. Her eyes fell first to the broad expanse of his chest, then lower to the hard lines of muscle beneath his skin, before she even noticed the fresh wound on his shoulder.
A small sound escaped her lips, and Aaron looked up, meeting her gaze. His brows lifted ever so slightly.
Martin turned around, a strip of gauze dangling from his hand. “Me Lady,” he said, surprised. “Ye have no lesson today.”
Her throat tightened. She opened her mouth to explain, but nothing came out. Her eyes betrayed her, drifting right back to Aaron’s chest.
Merciful heavens.
She closed her eyes briefly to make sure it wasn’t a dream. When she opened them again, Aaron was still looking at her.
“I-I…” she stammered. “I came to…”
Her voice cracked, and she paused. She had forgotten what she had come to do.
Damn me.
Heat climbed into her face as she forced her eyes away from Aaron’s glistening muscles, looking at Martin instead.
“Do ye need something?” Martin asked carefully, his brow furrowing.
“Nay,” Edith choked out.
She looked at Aaron and then back at Martin, wishing desperately for the ground to open up beneath her feet and swallow her whole.