Chapter 25

25

After downing half a bottle of whiskey in his study, Daniel made his way back to his bedchamber. He had finally calmed himself down after those infuriating arguments with Lana. The push and pull of the evening left him thrumming with pent-up desire and frustration he struggled to release from his tense muscles.

The guard he had ordered to stand watch saw him coming from down the hallway. The man seemed to be in the same position Daniel had left him in, and Daniel couldn't keep the satisfied smirk from his face as he saw the guard's eagerness to show off.

"Very good." Daniel nodded once.

He reached around the man to open the door and stepped inside quietly. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon that was now high in the sky. He let his eye adjust as he made out Lana's curled-up figure on the far side of the bed. She was asleep on her side, and Daniel watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

She had kicked the covers so they were around her knees, and he felt a rush of warmth in his stomach as he took in the soft nightgown that left little to the imagination. Seeing the garment made him think of the day she tried it on and everything that came after. That day at the lake when his fingers had fit so snugly inside her…

Daniel crossed to the bed and sat down, feeling the mattress dip beneath his weight. He looked over his shoulder to see if Lana would stir, but he didn't catch any movement. He thought of scooting closer to her, of letting his legs touch hers or his hand brush her shoulder. Would she curl into him? Would she respond in the quiet peace of the night?

But he pushed the thoughts aside. Instead, he turned his body to the door, giving her his back as he squeezed his eye shut. He knew he wouldn't sleep. Not when her presence was so strong.

Though there was barely space between them in the large bed, he felt a charged tension that made his body raw with desire.

"I have a council meeting."

Lana blinked sleep away as the bedroom came into focus. She slowly opened her eyes to see Daniel standing over her side of the bed.

"Ye and Skye can take breakfast in the kitchens."

Seeing him brought back all the harsh words they had hurled at each other last night. She sat up, instantly frustrated with him as she glared at him through her grogginess.

"Aye," she uttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "A good start to a thrilling day locked in the castle."

Lana saw him stop and consider her angry words. As she blinked him into focus, she noticed a softness in the lines of his face. For a moment, she wondered if he was about to smile.

"Perhaps ye can take Skye to the cows," he offered. "If ye think she would like that."

Of course, the words surprised her. She had half expected him to keep her in the bedroom all day. So the offer of a trip outside was a welcome one.

Still, Lana couldn't bring herself to show gratitude. She simply frowned at him.

Daniel looked at her from the corner of his eye, as if he were waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, he let out a frustrated sigh and stormed out of the room.

"A dinner, perhaps? Something to show the man ye respect him."

Daniel had to hide his disgust at the suggestion. He shifted his shoulder toward his ear, struggling to loosen the knot in his neck. After a sleepless night, the last thing he wanted to do was sit at this table with his council.

"And why must I be the one to concede?" he asked, keeping his tone even. He had promised Cameron he wouldn't get upset this morning, so he was working to keep himself under control. "Laird MacDougal has nay claim over Skye."

"'Tis true," Angus agreed. "But ye ken these older lairds. If they feel disrespected, there is little that can be done. The best way to appease him will be to apologize."

"It willnae be enough," Cameron said. "He'll want something more public. A private dinner willnae be a large enough display."

"So ye go there," Seamus added enthusiastically. "Ye can visit MacDougal Castle—show off Skye and Lana to the clan."

"A wedding procession of sorts!" Groth clapped his hands together. "Ye could visit the neighboring Lairds and some of the major landowners. Bring gifts and introduce yer new bride."

"That was what the ceilidh was for," Daniel sighed, but suddenly his council was buzzing.

"It's the best thing," Seamus said. "Show Skye her maither's home and let MacDougal show off his granddaughter."

"Ye are forgetting the real problem," Daniel told the group, diverting the conversation before he grew too angry with his council. "Someone told the Laird about the wedding. What are we doing to track them down?"

"We've sent men to question those in the village," Cameron told him. "And we've gone through the guest list, looking for anyone who's had problems with the clan in the past."

"It may be impossible," Seamus stated. He said it with such dismissal that Daniel wanted to toss the man out of the room. He sighed deeply, turning to him with a dark stare. "Even if we find the person who told MacDougal, it does not resolve this conflict. Our best chance of restoring peace for the clan is to make amends with MacDougal."

Daniel sighed as the men launched into plans about the proposed reunion between Skye and her grandfather. He let his mind drift to Lana and Skye eating breakfast in the kitchen. He had sent them down there a short while ago, content that they were hidden in the bowels of the castle under the watchful eyes of numerous servants.

Lana had been cold toward him all morning.

Well, cold since last night, when she pushed him away with such vitriol.

I would say I feel something like hate…

He could still feel her soft skin beneath his fingers, still taste the sweetness of her lips. Having her there, locked in his bedchamber, had made him mad with desire for her. But there were always her rules to stop them from going too far. Even after all they had been through, the lass still insisted on love.

"What do ye think?" Cameron asked.

Daniel turned to see his councilmen's eyes on him. He had gotten lost in his thoughts for a moment, but he took the time now to work through the plan his council was proposing.

As a young man, he would have spoken quickly to break the silence in the room. But today, he had no problem making his council wait.

"Anything else, Me Lady?"

Lana smiled as Mary offered more bread. She held up a hand and put another on her stomach. "I cannae eat another bite." She laughed.

She tugged on a strand of Skye's hair as the girl ran her finger over her plate, picking up crumbs.

"Daenae use yer fingers," Lana scolded gently. "'Tis nae ladylike."

"We have plenty more, lass," Mary assured. She held out the sweet bun to Skye, who looked to Lana for permission.

"Go ahead." Lana nodded.

After a day spent away from Skye, Lana was happy to be back in the girl's presence. She had missed her easy smiles and her constant questions about the world around her. She was surprised Daniel had consented to let her watch the child, but he and Cameron were needed for council business.

"Will I have to stay with Uncle Cam today?" Skye asked as she pulled apart the sticky bread, still using her fingers.

As she watched the girl's messy eating, Lana remembered Daniel's order to teach Skye to be a proper lady. She also remembered his rule that she couldn't make any decisions for Skye without consulting him. She weighed her options and decided that Skye should eat her breakfast however she wanted to.

"We will see what yer faither says," Lana said.

She glanced out the window, catching sight of a bird. She saw the blue feathers of a starling and was instantly transported to Gunn Castle, her former home. She longed for the simplicity of watching those birds flit from tree to tree in the garden. There had been such freedom in those days when she was simply the youngest child of a laird with few responsibilities.

"Are ye alright, Me Lady?"

Lana looked up to see Mary staring at her, a hint of concern on her face. She nodded and smiled at the woman. "Aye," she said. "I just dinnae sleep well."

"Maybe we can walk in the garden," Skye suggested. "We could pick flowers like we did for the wedding."

"We'll see," Lana said.

She didn't want to make promises that would get Skye's hopes up. She had a feeling they would spend much of their time in the library today, reading about adventures instead of finding them.

"We can make a bouquet," Skye continued, her voice pitched high and filled with excitement.

Lana sighed, silently summoning her patience. She loved Skye, but this morning she was struggling to remain cheerful. Most of what the little girl was asking for wouldn't be allowed, with Daniel's heightened restrictions, and Lana would hate to disappoint her.

"Guess what?" Mary asked, bending down to Skye's eye-level. The little girl raised her eyebrows, waiting for the answer. "I think that soup needs stirring. Would ye like to help?"

Lana smirked at the way Mary could make the simplest task sound exciting. But the little girl bought it, and she was suddenly bounding off her stool.

"Can I stir?" Skye asked, bouncing on her toes.

Lana nodded.

The girl rushed toward the fire, before pausing and walking carefully, just as Mary had taught her. She received the spoon like a badge of honor and began to stir the soup carefully, rhythmically.

"She is quite a ball of energy." Mary smiled as she and Lana watched Skye work.

"I'll say." Lana laughed. "I daenae ken how maithers do it. How did ye deal with that constant need for attention?"

"It doesnae last forever," Mary sighed wistfully. "Another few years and she willnae want to spend time with ye. Then ye will be desperate to have her near ye."

Lana kept her voice low so Skye wouldn't hear her. It felt good to confide in Mary, and she needed to voice the worries that kept floating in her head.

"She's been through so much," she murmured. "I only hope I can do right by her. I hope I can bring her happiness."

Mary rested a hand on hers. "Ye already have, child," she told her. "Ye have brought more joy to that little girl in a week than she's had in her whole life. I promise ye that."

The words warmed Lana's heart, and she smiled at Mary. It felt good to know someone noticed her efforts with Skye, even if others didn't.

"Now, if only Daniel could recognize that," Lana mumbled. "He still doesnae trust me with her."

Mary scoffed as she cleared the breakfast plates in front of her. "Then he is even more blind than I thought."

Lana laughed, wondering if the cook was making a joke about the dark patch that covered Daniel's left eye. She sipped the warm concoction Mary had placed in front of her this morning and started feeling energized.

Lana wouldn't let her circumstances put her down, even when she was struggling with a lack of sleep and uncertainty about her future. She remembered Daniel's words this morning about visiting the cows. Were they a peace offering of sorts? The first step in relaxing his rules?

"Perhaps we should visit the cows," Lana piped up loudly. "They may like to say good morning."

"Oh, yes!" Skye squealed. She rushed forward to shove the spoon into Mary's hands.

The women laughed as they recognized her priorities. The child grabbed Lana's hand and pulled her out the door.