Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Soft rain began to pelt the earth just as Eleanor entered her chambers and began to remove her cloak.
I daenae have time to worry about ye.
Callum’s words came back to her as she shut the door behind her and leaned against the wood. What did his words mean? She had been angry at him for raising his voice at her, but his slight confession had thrown her again.
Has he been worried about me?
Her thoughts brought a sigh to her lips as she shook her head and pushed herself away from the door. What use was there in wondering what the man had meant when she would be back home in less than a few weeks? Callum would be someone she would never see again.
The thought frustrated her as she struggled against the images of his hands running over her body.
She had liked the kiss; there was no denying that.
The ride had given her enough clarity to admit to herself that she found him attractive.
The heat that seared in her core was more than enough to let her know that she needed to keep as far away from him as possible.
A knock on the door drew her attention back to the present. “Who is it?” she called out, grateful for the distraction.
“It is Marion, Mistress. I have brought ye some tea after yer ride.” She sounded cheerful again.
Feeling a sense of relief, Eleanor allowed herself to smile. “Ye can come in.”
The door opened to reveal a bright-faced and cheerful Marion balancing a tray on her hip. All traces of the incident from earlier seemed to have been wiped away, and Eleanor marveled at the girl’s resilience.
“Did ye enjoy yer ride, Mistress?” Marion asked as she shut the door behind her.
“Aye, until the Laird so much as told me that I am nae to do it again,” she complained with a sigh, feeling as if she could let out her frustrations in front of Marion.
Stopping in her tracks, Marion looked at her in confusion. “Are ye certain that the Laird wasnae just concerned for ye, Mistress? Laird Callum Fraser isnae a bad man. He can snap at ye when he is angry, but he always means well.”
“Well, he certainly doesnae have to worry about me. I can take care of meself.” She heaved another sigh before making her way over to the window and sitting at the desk where she could look out at the rain-soaked moors.
She had not found anything of interest on her ride, yet the sense that her brother would have taken those same paths had driven her on.
She had not meant to stay away for hours on end, yet Callum had acted as if she had placed his entire clan at risk.
What if I had?
Her heart suddenly stilled as she thought of all the unrest that she had learned of upon their arrival.
Someone inside Callum’s clan, and possibly even his council, had betrayed him on the day of his hunt.
They were the reason that he had ended up on that road that had led to Fiona’s cabin.
A chill ran down her spine when she thought of what could have happened if someone had found him alone.
“Would ye like yer tea now, Mistress?” Marion asked as she placed the tray in front of Eleanor on the now clear desk. Callum had insisted on moving all his documents into the study once their research began to pile up.
“Thank ye, Marion.” Eleanor accepted the cup, feeling the warmth seep into her hands. The refreshing aroma filled her senses, making her feel a little more at ease despite the confusion of her confrontation with Callum.
“If I may, Mistress, I can see ye are still distressed. Would ye care to hear one of the old tales I learned from me mother? They always soothed me,” Marion said softly, matching the tone of the drops of rain pelting against the glass.
Taking a deep breath, Eleanor settled back into her chair. It would not hurt to take her mind off things, given the lack of any real leads regarding her brother. She nodded once and forced a smile.
Marion did not have to be asked twice as she reached for a sewing basket beside the hearth and retrieved a few garments that needed mending.
She chose a spot on a settee beside the fire and began to speak.
“I was just a bairn when me mother told me of the highlander and his bonnie lass. Of course, there are many such stories, but this one was always me favorite.”
Eleanor warded off the chill with a sip of her tea as she turned to look out at the hills in the distance beyond the castle walls.
“A lass yer age fell for a highlander as strong and wise as the hills themselves. Their love was forbidden by her father, but that didnae stop the couple from findin’ one another.
The world didnae ken what they had, nor did the couple realize it at first, but their love burned brighter and stronger than any other in Scotland…
” Her voice lulled Eleanor into a peaceful moment of reflection as she thought of Callum.
Why did they always seem to clash whenever they were in each other’s presence? Was there more to her feelings than just the burning desire she had felt from his lips?
She scolded herself despite the fierce beating of her heart and focused on the tale of the two lovers.
Love. What a foolish notion.
“Have ye found any new leads?” Callum entered the study to find Eleanor hard at work. A few of her long golden curls hung over her face as she pored over one of the ledgers.
It had been a few hours since their last encounter, and he knew he needed to apologize to her.
Lifting her gaze, Eleanor looked at him as she came up straight. “Just that the name Duncan Fraser comes up more times than it should.” She reached up and rubbed the back of her slender neck, exposing the delicate flesh where Callum had run his tongue.
Something in his chest stirred again as he quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. “Aye, I havenae met the man, but his signature has been signed on many documents.”
“Have ye tested for a forgery?” Eleanor asked.
Callum quickly shook his head. “I didnae think to make sure that all of the documents were signed by the same Donald Stewart. I will find someone to test for a forgery. It could be that whoever it is that is takin’ all the lands has been forgin’ documents.”
“Aye, I think it would be a good idea to make sure that we are lookin’ for one man, and nay several.
” Eleanor rolled her neck this time, lifting both hands to the back of her neck as she stretched.
The swelling of her breasts became far more apparent as she pushed her elbows together, placing more strain on her corset.
Saints help me.
Callum quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. How was he supposed to focus on what was important when he kept getting blindsided by her beauty? The woman was like a tall glass of ale on a hot summer’s day, utterly alluring and impossible to resist.
“I daenae think we will find anythin’ else in these ledgers.” She drew his attention back to her as she walked over to the main desk, where two mugs and a pitcher of ale had been placed.
Had she forgotten about their little spat, or had it simply not bothered her as much as he thought it would have?
“Eleanor, I didnae mean to…”
“There isnae need.” She quickly cut him off. “Would ye like a dram of ale?” She quickly looked away and reached for the pitcher.
“I would like a great deal more than just a dram,” he said before walking over to the fireplace and taking a seat in front of the hearth.
Her words were short and clipped, and there was something about the briskness in her movements that let Callum know just how much their short conversation had affected her.
Pouring two mugs of ale, Eleanor waited for a moment before carrying them over to the sitting area and handing one to Callum.
The tips of their fingers brushed for the briefest of moments, and Callum could have sworn that he saw a flicker of something in her eyes.
Had she enjoyed the kiss they had shared on the night of the bonfire?
He had certainly thought about it many times since, but had she enjoyed it as much as he had?
He watched her graceful movements as she took the seat further from him, delicately tucking her legs under her as she sat on the settee and leaned to the side.
The fire crackled behind the hearth, permeating the air with sound where words should have been.
Eleanor picked at her dress, removing invisible threads as she slowly sipped her ale.
“I daenae always say the right things,” he suddenly blurted out when the moment of silence continued for too long.
Blinking a few times, Eleanor looked up. “I beg yer pardon?” She almost tilted her head to the side in confusion.
Callum swore to himself at his inability to handle intimate situations and to apologize. “I daenae trust anyone,” he said more gently, trying to push past the barriers that kept him at bay.
“That is understandable, given how ye were betrayed.” She proceeded cautiously yet still guarded.
Looking down at the mug of ale in his hands, Callum allowed himself to go back to a time that he never spoke of. “It is nae just because of that betrayal. Me father was betrayed by one of his bannermen, stabbed in the back before he had a chance to defend himself.”
Her mouth opened slightly in shock. “I am sorry,” she whispered.
“Aye, as am I. When ye left this mornin’ without sayin’ where ye were headed, I found meself thinkin’ about that again. Ye are by nae means a prisoner in this castle, so it wasnae right of me to bite at ye.”
A soft smile touched her lips as she looked at him. “If it makes ye feel any better, I cannae betray the only man who is likely to help me find me, brother. Nobody else in this castle kens me story besides ye and Iain. And by the looks of things, Iain has his hands full with the lasses.”
Her words made him smirk as he recalled the incident with the soapy laundry water. “Aye, the man doesnae ken if he is comin’ or goin’ when it comes to the lasses.”
Her laughter filled the air with a gentle sound that soothed his nerves. It was easier to talk to her than he had imagined. She listened contentedly and made no judgments about anything he said.
“I suppose ye will have yer hands full as well when I return to Edinburgh in time.” She shook her head in amusement.
“What do ye mean?” He watched her carefully over the rim of his mug, sipping his ale slowly as the warm liquid stung the back of his throat.
The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, yet he was not sure if she was sad, happy, or even relieved.
“Ye will have to find someone to marry once our arrangement has served its purpose. I am certain the lasses were fightin’ over ye before I came along.
” Her voice caught slightly in her throat as if she had gasped.
“I never wanted to marry before ye came along.” He glanced down at his mug of ale again, uncertain of how much of his past he wanted to reveal to her.
Lifting her eyebrow, she sat patiently watching him, expectant of what he would say next.
Taking a moment to compose himself, Callum downed the rest of his ale before speaking.
“Me mother died givin’ birth when I was just a bairn.
I remember the house goin’ quiet when she took her last breath.
The bairn didnae live. Me father never showed how it affected him.
Marriage and death were simply a part of life.
He ruled with an iron fist and did what needed to be done. ”
Her eyes softened as she looked at him, while her lips parted ever so slightly as she let out a breath. “That must have been so hard for ye.”
Callum simply nodded as he placed his mug on the table beside his chair. There was no use beating a dead horse. He had told her about his past, and there was nothing more to be said.
“I lost me brother when he was just a bairn as well. Me father and Andrew said that it wasnae me fault, but it wouldnae have happened if I had been payin’ more attention.” Her lips quivered ever so slightly as she averted her gaze and stared into the fire.
She is hurtin’.
Lifting himself from the chair, Callum took their mugs and made his way over to the desk, pouring them some more ale.
It had always been difficult for him to speak of the past, but Eleanor seemed as if she needed to get her story off her chest. He walked back to the fire and handed her the mug, taking his seat again before sitting in silence.
She breathed in deeply as her shoulders rose and fell.
“Me youngest brother was swimming while I was readin’.
I was supposed to be watchin’ him, but by the time I noticed anythin’, he had already gone under the lake.
” Her eyes began to shimmer as she quickly looked away and covertly wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
“I have never read another novel again. Love and dreams only lead to hurt and death.”
We believe the same.
Callum suddenly felt a kinship with her that he had never felt with anyone else. Eleanor understood that love and the notion of affection never led to anything good.
“I am sorry, I am blatherin’ like a fool.” She looked back at him and forced a smile, her eyes reddened from the tears she refused to spill.
“Ye daenae have to apologize, lass. I ken very well now why ye need to find yer brother. Ye have already lost one. For what it is worth, I will try everythin’ in me power to uncover what happened to him.”
Even if I daenae think he is alive.
He lifted his glass in a silent promise before taking a sip as he watched her lips touch the rim of her glass. Perfect, kissable lips that haunted his dreams.