Chapter 30

"Me Laird," Mrs. Cameron said again hurriedly as she twisted the handle of the door and forcibly entered the study.

Arran sipped his whiskey and watched Scarlett leave before he answered, "Aye?"

"Sorry, but I didnae ken ye invited Master McCormack for the ceilidh next week. I'm afraid I made a fool out of both of us just now."

He laughed as Mrs. Cameron blushed and fanned herself. "Now, now, Mrs. Cameron, did ye walk in on him?"

"Bare as the day he was born!"

Her shocked outburst tickled him so much, and he struggled to suppress the laugh bubbling up his throat. He moved to sit on the edge of his desk, where Scarlett had been lying just moments before.

"Mrs. Cameron, I'm sure he'll nae make a big deal out of it. I'm sure ye are fine. I'm sorry I didnae give ye prior notice. I figured ye were keeping track of who departed."

"One of the lassies must have misreported. I am sorry to embarrass ye."

"Och, Mrs. Cameron, nay. I'm sorry to embarrass ye. Do ye have all that ye need to prepare for the ceilidh?"

"Aye, we've started preparing what we'll need, and we've already placed orders with Lady O'Neill's guidance."

"Good, good. Thank ye. Was there anything else?"

"Well, Laird Donaldson was asking to see ye, and the young Buchan has been around."

"Around?"

"He hangs out in the kitchens, bothering the maids there."

"Has he done anything?—"

"Nay, I'm just reporting what I'm seeing. I can take care of him down there, but I wanted to let ye ken that I'll be doing so."

"That's fine, Mrs. Cameron. I need to ken if things get out of hand."

"Aye."

"I'm going for a walk now. Make sure Lady Scarlett gets dinner in her rooms. I'll take mine in here when I return."

"Aye," she said and left the study ahead of him, shutting the door behind her.

Ach! Ye are such a stupid fool for doing that to her. She deserved more than that, ye unworthy bampot.

Arran sighed heavily and caught his father's eyes in the portrait above the fireplace. "Aye! I ken well what ye are about to say, Faither. Dinnae start."

He walked over to the corner of the study and poured himself another glass of whiskey.

"I ken that well enough. Just because it's a ruse doesnae mean I should take liberties with her."

He took a large sip and let the warmth of the liquid punish his throat before swallowing it and feeling it rest low in his stomach.

"Faither, how can I make this better? Maither would be so disappointed… I ken that well enough. I dinnae even dare imagine what Niamh would say if she found out everything."

He finished the rest of his whiskey and bounded to the door. As he grabbed his cloak and pulled it over his shoulders, he turned to face the study. The scene of their intimate moment. Then his eyes met his father's above the roaring fire, and he decided to go for a ride and speak with his parents in the kirkyard before nightfall.

I need to fix this.

* * *

Scarlett threw herself on the bed in her new rooms and let her emotions bubble to the surface. Still unsure as to why she was actually upset, she sobbed in her pillows until her exhaustion took over.

"Me Lady?"

Scarlett woke up with a jolt, feeling soreness in her neck and arms. "Aye?"

"Are ye well, Me Lady?"

"I'm fine, why?"

"Ye've been sleeping for almost the whole day, Me Lady," Mrs. Cameron said solemnly. "Can I come in?"

Scarlett turned over to look at her. "What time is it?"

The stout woman entered the dark room and frowned at the unlit fireplace. "The church bells have rung for Matins, Lauds, and I suspect Vespers will ring again here shortly. I feared ye might miss another meal if I didnae wake ye."

Scarlett sighed.

"I can bring it up to ye, dear? The Laird told me that I should send for the healer if ye werenae awake."

"Perhaps ye should, Mrs. Cameron," Scarlett muttered and turned onto her side.

Mrs. Cameron left to get the healer, and Scarlett waited. She watched as the sun dipped below the treeline when the door opened again.

"Aye?"

"Lass?" Arran's voice was like honey as it caressed her back in the darkness.

Scarlett stayed quiet, pretending to be asleep. She watched his shadow move across the wall, lit from behind by the torchlights in the hallway. He left the door slightly ajar. She felt the bed dip under his weight as he sat at her feet.

"Ye must be asleep. Thank goodness, because I dinnae ken if I could say this to ye when ye're awake…"

Scarlett breathed deeply to convince him that she was indeed asleep.

"I shouldnae have done that to ye in me study. Ye deserve so much more than that, and I'm sorry that I took advantage of ye. Now ye are ill, and I cannae help but blame meself for it. This is all me fault. I will give ye the space ye need to recover. And I'll tell ye this when ye are awake because I'm sort of making a mess of it now. I just hope ye'll still want to move forward with the plan… Er—anyway, I'll leave ye now, lass…"

Deserve? Advantage? Plan?

Scarlett's frustration boiled over, and she flipped around to address Arran head-on, but she found the room already empty.

What did he mean by ‘took advantage?' The plan… the ruse…

The healer came in, and as the door opened, a strong breeze blew into the room, making Scarlett shiver.

"Och dear, are ye ill?"

"Nay, just really tired…"

The healer clicked his tongue and made his way over to the bed to feel her head for fever. "Ye dinnae feel hot to touch. Are ye cold?"

"Only since ye opened the door…"

"When did ye last eat?"

Scarlett bit her cheek for a moment to think about the last thing she ate, and realized she hadn't eaten since the morning her parents left.

"Um… since me parents left? Mrs. Cameron said I've slept basically all last night and all today, so yesterday morning…"

"Ye need food, and someone needs to light this fire. I also think a warm bath might do ye good. I'll leave some herbs for Mrs. Cameron to steep the warm water in. That should rejuvenate ye, lass."

"I should get up and get dressed. I'm really nae ill," Scarlett said, attempting to push herself up.

The healer put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down onto the bed. "That's nae what I just told ye. Ye should rest until the ceilidh anyway—there's a lot to be stressed about, and we cannae have the bride-to-be ill on the eve of her handfasting. We'll make sure this week goes by smoothly for ye, Me Lady. Mrs. Cameron and I will be the only ones near ye to keep ye as calm as possible, unless ye would like someone else to come visit. We'll help ye manage well enough."

Scarlett nodded her head in silent agreement, and the healer disappeared back into the hallway. His commands sounded rather close to her door, which meant Mrs. Cameron was waiting right outside.

Where was Arran? Should I ask to see him?

Mrs. Cameron came through the door a few moments later and ordered two maids behind her to start the fire.

"I will bring up supper shortly for ye, and then we'll have the bath drawn after that, Me Lady. Will that be alright?"

"Aye, thank ye, Mrs. Cameron," Scarlett replied and then turned so her back was to the door.

As the maids started the fire, she could hear hushed whispers just outside the slightly ajar door.

"Lady Scarlett isnae ill, Me Laird, but stressed about the ceilidh. Bridal jitters are quite common, and we will make sure she is taken care of this week. It's all in hand, Me Laird."

"Tell me immediately if her behavior changes in any way, for the better or worse. I'd also like a report on what she's eaten—make sure she gets enough. I'll nae have her starving herself. Give her these. Just put them on her nightstand."

"Aye."

"And if she wants to visit the gardens, tell me, and I'll clear it out for her, so she's nae overwhelmed by anyone. It'll be serene."

"Aye."

"I'll be in me study."

"Uh… Me Laird, might I suggest arranging a private space where ye and Lady Scarlett can spend time together? Perhaps ye can help with calming her nerves."

"Hmm… alright, I'll arrange it once she feels better. I'll visit. Also, nay visitors are allowed unless I ken about it. Please make sure she remains as undisturbed as possible."

"Aye."

The sound of heavy footfalls down the hall signaled Arran's retreat.

Scarlett's mind reeled after overhearing their conversation.

So, he had been there the whole time… Are these bridal jitters? Am I stressed about the ceilidh? Remains undisturbed… like a prisoner?

Mrs. Cameron and her maids finished with the fire, and the door closed a few moments later.

Peace, at last. I might just fall back to sleep. I dinnae want to deal with any of this.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she thought again about what happened in the study. She squeezed her thighs together and then threw the blankets off her, sighing loudly in frustration.

"Shite…"