Sacrificing his Highland Heart by Kenna Kendrick
Chapter Fourteen
Rose stood at the base of the main stairs for a long while, her eyes still watching the passageway that Euan had gone down. She was wondering on earth what change had come over her, had come over them both. What had made Euan act that way? He was still teasing and taunting, but he had been so gentle and kind, affectionate almost, in the way he held her hand and kissed it. He even thanked her for the day. Thanked her!
She clasped her hands together and walked up the stairs, eager to forget the warm look in his blue eyes and the feel of his soft lips touched her skin. She could still feel the heat of his touch on her hand, and it wasn’t doing her any good. It only fueled the desire for him that was growing worse with each second in his company. It was much simpler when they left one another alone and when she thought of him as the enemy. And also far easier to spout words of hatred to one another.
Why did he have to be kind and intelligent today?
Once she reached the top of the stairs and saw that she was alone, she groaned. Her dreams of him would only grow worse now, and it was all because she had to be rescued from a horse and be pulled into his arms. “No, I cannot think of kissing him or anything else. It would only complicate things. We are allied, but only by marriage. This relationship has nothing to do with love or passion.”
Even the mention of the word passion had her mind racing. They had been so close to kissing several times that day, and when he’d left her downstairs, she had the sensation of feeling somewhat unfinished. She hurried to her room and rushed inside. The safety of her own four walls made her breathing and her heart rate steady, and she could finally see sense.
“I have accepted him to go to the festival because it was the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do. I am his wife, and I should go.”
To be honest, she accepted him because he seemed so eager, and she wanted the chance to see him among the people and spend more time with him. The way he acted that day intrigued her, and she wanted to see more of that man, not the fearsome brute her brother knew, or the other warriors of England talked of. She wanted to see the Euan that had spoken to her of helping widows and keeping his lands free of villainous men. The Euan that teased and held her close and didn’t judge her for asking so many questions. And her attraction to him aside, his kindness made her regret what she had written to her brother, fueling Henry’s thoughts and plans for vengeance. It didn’t feel right any longer, but she could just be acting like a silly fool, letting a little charm get to her.
Unable to think about it any longer, she pulled down the bedclothes, removed her boots, and slid into bed. It was late afternoon, and dinner would be in a few hours. She could rest until then when she would have to face Euan and Walter together, this time on her own.
Susan woke her up two hours later, and she was sitting in the chair in front of her looking glass, letting Susan brush out her hair to make new plaits. “The wind has certainly done its work on yer hair, my lady. I heard that ye were out riding.”
“Yes. I felt like I have been a little too trapped in the castle of late. I wanted to taste the fresh air and get far, far away.”
“Och well, that is understandable. I always enjoy my walk down tae the village tae see my family, especially when it is as fine a day as today. But ye were gone for so long. I was worried about ye. Ye didnae return for hours.”
Rose looked down, trying to hide her blush from Susan’s eyes. She fiddled with one of the flowers she’d picked yesterday, which were standing tall in a vase on her table. “Unfortunately, I chose the wrong horse. He was a little too strong for me, and Laird Rede had to save me on top of Laird’s Hill. I was nearly bucked off.”
“Och?” Susan asked, and Rose stared into the looking glass to see Susan staring down at her work with a slight smile on her lips. “Well, it is a good thing that he was there tae help ye. Ye might have been very hurt, my lady. What happened after that?”
“We walked to the village. Nothing major. I,” she put a hand to her forehead. “Oh, Susan, I nearly forgot! While we were in the village, one of the widows gave us a loaf of bread. It was warm, and then I forgot it in my haste to return to my chamber. It is right over there. You must take it to the kitchens.”
Susan giggled. “Donnae distress yerself. All will be well. The bread will still be lovely and fresh, I am sure. And ye needed yer rest. It sounds as though ye had quite the day. I am nae surprised that Laird Rede rescued ye. He seems tae always be rescuing one person or another.”
Rose nodded stiffly. Before, she would gladly have spoken out against Euan, but now she knew that Susan’s compliments were genuine, and it discomfited her greatly.
“Such a good man he is. I am glad that ye were spending a bit more time taegether. I ken that he’s been rather busy in the last few weeks. Surely ye must have suffered as a new wife.”
Rose swallowed. Susan was her companion and friend, but she’d never told Susan of the truth of how little time she and Euan had spent together. If anyone did know or at least suspect it, it would be Susan.
“Yes, well, I understand. The life of a laird is quite busy. My father is almost the same status as a laird back in England, and he is always busy doing something or responsible for something.” Susan nodded as she tied up the final plait, pinning it to the base of Rose’s neck. She placed her hood on her head as well and pinned it into place.
“Ye are ready now,” Susan said. “Time for dinner. The Lairds await ye.”
“Thank you, Susan.”
“Of course, my lady. I shall take the bread tae the kitchens now. Enjoy yerself. It is nae many who get tae spend the evening with two gentlemen.”
Susan burst into giggles but then covered her mouth again in fear. Rose shook her head, chuckling. “Ye do always say the oddest things, Susan, but I shall do my best to enjoy myself.”
She hurried down the stairs, which felt odd since she was feeling a little apprehensive about entering the hall and joining the men for dinner. Why rush to what made her so nervous she was almost trembling?
Would Euan return to the way he acted last evening at dinner? Sullen? Quiet? Staring at me with that odd heat in his eyes?
At the entrance to the hall, she took a breath and pushed through the two wooden doors to find Walter and Euan at the far end of the hall, seated at the largest table. They both turned their heads when Rose entered and stood.
“Lady Rede! Rose, forgive me. We are so glad tae see ye.” Walter was grinning, and when she neared, he bowed his head. Ever the flirt, it seemed.
“Walter, Euan,” she smiled, and when her gaze locked to Euan’s, she was glad to find that there was no anger in his eyes. He smiled, making her stomach swim with a strange delight.
“Rose,” Euan said. “Please join us.”
“We trust ye slept well, Rose,” Walter said as he resumed his seat, and Rose noticed that Euan threw his friend a dark look.
She frowned, wondering what on earth could be wrong in asking such a thing. “I did, thank you. It was much needed. It was rather an exciting morning.”
“So, I have heard,” Walter said with a chuckle as the servant came to pour her a glass of wine. “Ye are quite the horsewoman, or so Euan tells me when he regaled me with his whereabouts this afternoon.”
“Regaled you, has he?” Rose said with a confident tone, reaching forward to grasp a hot bun from a bowl.
“Just told him is more like,” Euan grumbled, and Walter laughed, oblivious to his friend’s discomfort, or perhaps it was more that he enjoyed it.
“Well, either way, I thank you for the compliment, Euan. I do not claim to be a perfect rider, but I have more experience than many. While my father was a strict man in terms of my education and behavior, he did teach me to ride and to ride properly.”
Rose stopped abruptly and blushed, wanting to stop her sudden flow of words. Was she now comfortable with her fate, so comfortable in her new sort of prison and those inside it that she could share such intimate parts of her life? Walter seemed pleased with her openness.
“Fathers seem to enjoy being strict no matter where ye are from. Yer father is a landed knight, correct?”
“Yes. How did you?” She stopped speaking again, realizing that Euan must have told him that as well.
Walter smiled. “I am naething if nae thorough when it comes tae asking questions of my friend. And I was so surprised by his sudden marriage that I needed tae learn all about ye. Euan has been quite verbose on the matter.”
Rose saw Euan clench his fist while it gripped his knife. It only served to entertain Walter even more. She wasn’t sure that she could ever imagine Euan as “verbose”. Rose, looking at Euan for a moment, decided to change tack. “Walter, if we are asking one another questions, finding out about our backgrounds, I wonder if I might ask you about Siobhan. What do you think of her?”
Walter nearly dropped his wine glass, and his cheeks reddened. Rose smiled. She’d hit the mark just as she’d intended.
* * *
Euan almost dropped something himself when he heard Rose’s question and spotted Walter’s reaction. Then he grinned. When he looked at Rose, there was a mischievous sparkle in her eye.
Did she ask that for me? Tae make Walter uncomfortable as a sort of revenge?
He shook himself. Surely, she wouldn’t do something like put the embarrassment and focus on his friend just to take it off him? Could she? She was kind, but he’d not expected her to do something so kind for him. Compliments he could accept as a general easy kindness, but this was a surprise.
“Siobhan?” Walter asked, his voice no longer containing that annoying, cocky tone. “Has she said something tae ye?”
“No,” Rose shook her head and began to cut at her meat. “I merely wished to know. At dinner the other evening, you seemed disappointed that she didn’t say much. You were looking her way often as if to ask her to join in the conversation.”
Rose smirked, and Euan tried to hide his own grin so that Walter wouldn’t quickly think of a way to embarrass Euan again. Walter shook his head.
“Nae, I, well, nae.” For the first time, Walter couldn’t speak clearly. She is an old friend, that is all. We like tae tease each other often enough, but I was surprised that she joined us for the meal and didn't say much. Surprised, nae disappointed,” he emphasized, trying to hide his discomfort by cutting into his food and taking a few large bites.
Euan could tell something was going on by the hurried way his friend was speaking. He hadn’t noticed Walter’s odd behavior at the dinner last evening, but he’d been very distracted by Rose and his talk with Walter. He wondered if there was something in Walter’s mind about Siobhan.
How interesting that would be? Finally, I have something tae tease him for.
“Well, I think it must just be a woman’s desire to see everyone around her happy and connected together if they wish it.” Rose was beaming. “Siobhan is a lovely woman, and I consider her a dear friend. She is very well-looking too, would you not say, Walter?”
Rose was watching eagerly to gauge Walter’s response. He looked as if he would rather run for the door than be at the mercy of Rose’s seemingly innocent questions.
“Aye,” he said, practically choking out the words. “She is very bonny.” Walter covered over the rest of his words by taking a large gulp of wine from his cup.
“And wonderful unions start out of friendships. You are dear friends after all, so I heard her say.”
“She said that?” Walter nearly spluttered, and Euan had to turn away lest he burst into laughter and ruin all of Rose’s plans.
“Something of that sort, yes. I believe.” Rose stayed smiling.
“Well, we are friends, certainly, but I had nae idea she thought of us as dear friends.” He looked to Euan, and Euan prayed that he could control his expression. “Euan, did ye think that Siobhan and I were dear friends? Why, the woman hardly speaks tae me now! Calls me pompous and all that!”
“I cannae say that I know her mind, Walter, but that could very well be because she thinks ye are pompous and wishes ye tae ken that. But that doesnae mean she doesnae find yer friendship dear.”
“By God,” Walter said under his breath. He took another sip of his wine and then seemed engrossed in his own thoughts.
“Perhaps we must invite Siobhan for dinner again since ye will be here for a time. How long do ye mean tae stay?” It meant so much for Euan to feel the same awkward tension that he felt, but he felt sorry for his friend and thought that now was the time to change the subject.
Walter cleared his throat. “Well, a week at the least, two at the most. What say ye tae that, Euan?”
“Nae trouble at all. We need companionship.”
Walter seemed himself again as if he’d shed the garb of the worried lover and could return to his old self with all flirtation and confidence intact. “Good tae ken. I was as well. After a war, it seems like there is so much time on one’s hand. Yer father must ken of what I feel, Rose.”
Rose blushed, and so did Euan. Why should Walter bring such a thing up when she barely knew how her father felt after the war?
“I am certain he does, Walter,” she answered with aplomb. “Although I am sure that he will find a way to fill it. Surely there is much to do once all the men return. Injuries to deal with, matters of finding an occupation, and the like?” She looked between the two men expectantly, and right then, Euan was proud of her. He had essentially taken a shot in the dark by requesting that this random Englishwoman marry him. Still, he couldn’t have chosen better if he’d made an effort. Attraction aside, Rose Sayer was an intelligent woman. Even if dragged to his castle against her will, she flourished in her new position as a lady.
“Aye, ye are correct, lass. Well said,” Euan piped up finally, wanting to be the first to say his kind words. Rose turned her green eyes to him, her lips slightly parted. He continued. “There is much tae do. And it can feel like a mighty burden. What have ye done with yer clan, Walter?”
Walter began to speak, but Euan couldn’t help but let his eyes return to Rose. She was watching him, and there was no malice in her eyes, no bitterness. There was a sort of gratitude. Her lips were turned up at the corners. “Thank you,” she mouthed, and Euan felt like he was the most incredible person in the world.
