A Protector in the Highlands by Heather Mccollum

Author:Heather Mccollum [Mccollum, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Highland
Published: 2018-11-26T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Scarlet nodded to the two ladies, even though her stomach ached with knots. The first woman was one of the king’s high-ranking mistresses, one that the queen tolerated best. Louise had born Charles a son and lived at Whitehall Palace, her rival being the actress, Nell Gwyn.

Scarlet breathed evenly to dispel the sparks of light that signaled a possible swoon. Did Louise remember last St. Valentine’s night or had wine numbed her memories? The flush that rose along Scarlet’s neckline might never recede.

Scarlet turned her focus on the second lady, who was beautiful, young, and…watching Aiden. While Aiden stared back. The connection between them was obvious, and Scarlet’s stomach turned in on itself with a wave of nausea. Beckett? That was the name that Aiden had uttered once in his nightmare. He’d said she was dead, but this woman was exceedingly alive and mysteriously riveting.

Scarlet swallowed down the acidic air coming up her throat as Aiden’s possible lie twisted inside her. “Molly, we will prepare rooms on the third floor for those in the king’s party, along with the room adjacent to Grey’s room for the queen’s attendant,” Scarlet said, the words coming softly, a part of her mind still functioning even if the rest of her was numb. “I will help you.”

She bowed her head to Charles and Catherine. “Please warm yourselves and take refreshment,” Scarlet said. She nodded encouragingly to her wide-eyed students, donning her practiced smile. “The wine. Alana, Kirstin, please pour and serve.” Hopefully Cat wouldn’t try to skewer any of them.

Without waiting for an acceptance, Scarlet willed her legs to move toward the archway with Molly. She wanted to flee from the room, flee from Finlarig. Harry Covington, with his arrogant confidence, had brought the king and someone from Aiden’s past. All her carefully tended courage seemed to desert her. She clutched her skirts as she met Molly just inside the archway.

“They will lop off our heads,” Molly whispered, ending in a panicked hiss.

Losing her head was certainly not the worst that could happen, but Scarlet wasn’t about to feed the woman’s odd slant toward the grim. “I won’t let them lop off your head, Molly,” she said. “Go above and start making beds with the fresh linens. With the cook, the ladies, and Aiden needing a new room, we should freshen four smaller bedrooms along with Grey’s large room. The soldiers can sleep in the guardhouse. I will be along in a moment.”

“Yes, milady,” Molly said and scurried up the stairs.

Scarlet rested her open palm on the rough stone wall and breathed slowly to combat her pounding heart. “Lord. Help me.”

“I don’t think the Lord readies rooms.” Aiden’s voice lurched through Scarlet, and she wobbled slightly as she turned. He stood in the archway.

Scarlet leaned against the wall, her fingers pressed between it and her back. Questions spewed up inside her. Why wasn’t the woman dead? Why had he lied? Had he loved her? But all the questions boiled down to one. Scarlet wet her dry lips and met Aiden’s gaze in the shadows.

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