Chapter 7 #2
Feeling the corner of her lips twitch with annoyance, Eleanor attempted to compose herself.
“I am nae here to manage anyone’s affairs other than me brother’s, thank ye very much.
I have nae interest in…” she gestured in the air, encompassing the whole castle.
“Any of the games that ye are playin’ with yer clan. ”
His eyes suddenly sharpened as he looked up at her and lowered his tone.
“Game? This is nay game, lass. Every breath, step, and decision ye make in this castle matters. Every question carries weight, and who ye ask those questions of matters even more. Mind ye keep that in yer head in the days to come.”
Her pulse quickened when he held her gaze for a little too long as his dark eyes bored into hers. “Then tell me what it is that I am to be doin’ here?” She raised an eyebrow in defiance, refusing to be intimidated by him.
Crossing his arms over his chest again, Callum nodded toward the map on the table.
“Ye are to pore over every ledger, letter, and piece of parchment in this study, that is, if ye wish to ken what happened to yer brother. What ye see here is every piece of information me council could gather on yer brother. I shall help ye when I have the time, but ye will be on yer own for the most part.”
She looked around the study as she realized the challenge ahead. When Callum said it all related to Andrew, he likely meant entries into ledgers, signatures, letters, and even simple notes. It would take her at least a week to sort everything out on her own, even if she worked all night.
His voice cut through her thoughts again. “That is if ye are up to the challenge. There is plenty of work to be done.”
Eleanor’s head snapped back in his direction. “I am very capable of managin’, I can assure ye. If ye leave me to it, I shall sort through this mess before too long.” Her soul burned with determination, both to find her brother and to prove to the man that she was capable of the task.
Huffing slightly, he unfolded his arms and closed the distance between them, stopping only when he was a few inches away from her, looking down.
“As ye wish, lass, but I meant what I said, keep to yerself. I have eyes in every section of this castle. I may nae ken which of those eyes I can trust, but they are still there.”
Her chest began to rise and fall in a steady rhythm with every breath.
She did not know why she reacted the way she did in his presence, but she was unwilling to let the change in her affect her actions.
“I am here for one thing, and one thing only, to find me brother. I have no intentions of speakin’ to anyone other than me maid.
And even then, it will never go beyond what is considered appropriate. Ye have me word.”
Something in his gaze shifted as he looked at her, nothing discernible, yet a flicker of something she could not place.
Mistrust?
She felt her heart skipping a beat again as she wondered what he was thinking. It was no surprise that he would not be able to trust anyone. Someone had betrayed him and almost succeeded in taking his life. She would have had a hard time trusting anyone as well if she had been in his place.
Eleanor held his gaze defiantly as she became increasingly aware of the rushing of her pulse. The air was thick between them, filled with all the questions she longed to ask him, yet pride stood in her way. She needed to prove herself, not only that she was capable, but that he could trust her.
He suddenly stepped toward her again, making Eleanor draw in a sharp breath.
Callum placed his hand under her chin, tilting her face further up toward his until their lips were close to touching.
“Just keep to yerself, lass. That is all I am sayin’.
” His eyes dropped to her lips as they grew even darker.
Her heart began to race a million miles per minute as she wondered if he wanted to kiss her.
What shall I do?
She searched his face frantically as her breathing came in quicker bursts, mounting her panic even further.
“Lass…” His voice was somehow deeper and huskier as he let go of her chin and traced a path over her jawline with his thumb.
“Beggin’ yer pardon, me Laird.” Iain suddenly spoke up from the doorway.
Callum let go of her face, stepping away from her abruptly without so much as glancing back in her direction. “Aye, have they located the broken barrier?” He strode away from her, never looking back as he left the study.
I daenae understand.
Eleanor took a deep breath, trying to still the beating of her racing heart.
Had he been threatening her, or had he wanted to kiss her?
She swallowed hard before raising a hand to her chest. The man was far more complicated than anyone she had ever come across.
It was difficult for her to read him even at the best of times.
“I have to keep to meself,” she said the words out loud, recalling the warning that now seemed to apply to him as well.
She needed to keep away from the Laird whenever he was not helping her with her brother.