Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A fter breakfast, Col was showing Aihan where Carlisle was on a map in his study when Fergus stuck his head round the door and addressed him in Gaelic.

“Alex McTavish has brought the grocery order, and he wants to speak to ye.” He grimaced slightly and cast his eyes in Aihan’s direction as he said it. These facial contortions made Col frown.

Rising, he said, “Aye, I’ll come. Where is he?”

“Courtyard,” said Fergus, withdrawing.

“I’ve got to see to this order, lass,” he said, moving to the door.

“Delivery?” she said, following him.

“Aye.” He made his way to the kitchens and out to the courtyard, trailed by Aihan.

Alex McTavish was a tall, lean man, as dark in colouring as his sister had been. He was in the act of depositing the last of the sacks of goods on the ground for Willy to heft when Col emerged from the back door.

“Alex.” He held out his hand to his brother-in-law, who took it and wrung it firmly. “Col.”

“Are ye done, want to come in for a dram?” he said with a friendly smile.

Alex gave him a frowning stare, his eyes wandering past Col to Aihan standing in the doorway. When he spoke, it was in Gaelic. “So it’s true, she’s yer housekeeper?”

Col bristled at the note of disapproval in the other man’s tone. “A guest, actually, if it’s any of yer business. The lass was stranded with nowhere to go.”

Alex cleared his throat. “Oh aye, and where’s she sleeping?”

“In her own room!” growled Col. “Although I still fail to see it’s any of yer business, Alex.”

“There’ll be gossip. In fact, there already is.”

“I’m aware of that,” lied Col. He wasn’t surprised, but no one had seen fit to confront him about it until now. “Ye can tell them there’s nothing to gossip about.” He added another lie to the pile.

“Can I now?” Alex eyed him sharply and Col felt his colour rising. Fook! Could I look any more guilty?

“Come in fer a drink, and I’ll explain,” said Col. He and Alex had been close once. They’d drifted apart since Cat’s passing, which was his fault.

Alex nodded and Col turned back to the house. Seeing their intention to enter, Aihan backed up and would have turned away had not Col caught her hand. “Nae lass, I’ll introduce ye. This is my brother-in-law, Alex McTavish, he owns the general store.”

Aihan glanced from Col to Alex and bowed and then recollecting herself, bobbed a curtsy.

“Alex, I’d like ye to meet Ming Aihan. We’d say Aihan Ming, but that’s nae how the Chinese do it, ye ken?”

Alex appeared a little bemused by this, but he bowed politely anyway. “We met yesterday,” he said. “When the lass came to the store to place the order. She was after rice flour.”

Aihan grinned at this and nodded. “Thank ye, I made noodles last night.”

Alex raised an eyebrow at this, and Col said, “And delicious they are too. Ye’ll have to bring Fiona for dinner one evening. Come through,” he added, leading the way to his study.

“I bring cake?” said Aihan helpfully.

“Aye, thank ye, lass,” he said, holding the door for Alex, who entered and took a seat by the fire, from which the dogs hadn’t budged this morning. Gussie seemed worn out from her run last night.

Aihan turned into the kitchen and took down the plum cake she had made a couple of days ago from a receipt book she found in the pantry. Fergus had translated it for her, saying it was Mac’s favourite. She cut two generous slices and put them on a plate and fetched and filled two tankards with ale also. Putting all this on a tray, she carried it to Mac’s study where she found both men engrossed in a conversation in Gaelic and sipping the local golden liquor they called whisky.

It was frustrating because she couldn’t understand more than a word or two, and she was pretty sure they were discussing her. She would just have to ask Mac later. She hadn’t understood much of the conversation in the courtyard either, but she gathered it concerned her and the man, McTavish, did not approve of her. Is my presence causing grief for Mac?

Mac thanked her, and she left to return to the kitchen and commence preparations for luncheon. While she worked, her mind roved pleasantly over last night’s experience. She was not accustomed to sleeping with another person. She had never done so, and was surprised by how easy it was. Mac’s big body kept her warm and made her feel safe in a way she hadn’t even known she would like. So used to fending for herself, she was a little nonplussed to discover that, far from feeling suffocated by his embrace, she liked it.

She liked the way he touched her too, and his kisses and the size of his cock. In fact, she liked him altogether too much, she decided. She needed to be careful and guard herself against attachment. She would be leaving soon her promise to Mac not to run notwithstanding.

Mac and McTavish came through the kitchen on their way out to the courtyard, and she bade farewell to the man, who gave her another bow and even smiled slightly. It seemed his disapproval had dissipated somewhat. What did Mac say to him about me? She waved a floury hand and remembered to bob a curtsy instead of bowing.

Mac came back in a few minutes later. and wandered up to the large table at which she stood rolling out pastry. He helped himself to a handful of dried berries from the jar on the table.

“What are ye making, lass?”

“Berry tarts,” she said. “Fergus explain receipt to me. Ye like plum cake?”

“Very much, thank ye. I haven’t had that in years.”

She smiled, a warm little rush of pleasure blooming in her chest. “McTavish not like me at first. Ye change his mind?”

“Aye. I told him how ye were stranded here, and that it was my fault. I’ve invited him and his wife, Fiona, to dinner one night. Will ye cook for them?”

She nodded and grinned. “Yes, I do special dinner for them. Tell me when.” She finished rolling the pastry and began cutting circles with a knife, using a saucer for the shape. “He a friend?”

“My wife’s brother.”

“Ah! I thought he look familiar yesterday. I can see resemblance to portrait.”

He leaned his hands on the table and lowered his voice a little. “Lass, I’ve done what I can to minimise the gossip. But what Alex suspected will be what everyone thinks. We need to be discreet.”

“Discreet?” This was a new word.

“Careful. Not to set tongues wagging.” She sorted this out in her mind and nodded.

She leaned forward and set her mouth to his ear. “We should not let people know you sleep in my bed?” she said softly.

“Aye,” he said, flushing, his eyes getting that intense blue look they had when he was aroused. It made her flesh twitch. She swallowed a giggle and nodded.