Kilty by Association by Caroline Lee

Author:Caroline Lee [Lee, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Craig knew he shouldn’t be thinking about his heart this morning. What happened last night—his heart shouldn’t have been involved at all. ‘Twas just two people, coming together for mutual satisfaction, aye?

So why did he feel so…light today? Why was there a bounce in his step? Even wee Katharine had remarked upon it when he’d gone to fetch her and Robbie from the nursery.

“Ye’re happy this morning. I’m no’.” She’d tried to kick him in the shin. “Nurse dinnae let me put honey on my porridge.”

Robbie smirked at Craig. “Because she tried to rub it in Mary’s hair last time.”

Katharine aimed a kick at Robbie, and would’ve connected, had Craig not scooped her up and marched them all off to the nearest entrance to the secret passages.

Aye, waking up with Elspeth in his arms had made him smile today, even if she’d been flustered and ducked back through the passages to her room, with only a quick kiss to tide him over. He would’ve enjoyed another round of pleasure this morning, but honestly, the comfort of her in his arms had been wonderful.

But spending today with her children had been fairly wonderful itself.

He’d always enjoyed the little ones—at one point, he would’ve said ‘twas because he thought like them, but Drum’s command to have faith in himself discouraged those sorts of insults.

He was realizing, despite no’ having children of his own, there’d always been so many wee ones around Oliphant Castle that he’d become used to teaching them. He enjoyed helping to mold their young minds to become the adults who’d make the clan a better place, and he’d missed that in his time as a Hunter.

Being around Robbie reminded him of that.

Somewhere along the way, the lad had ceased to be merely an assignment and had become…well, something more. Someone Craig enjoyed being around.

Now that their tour of the secret passages was done, Craig had offered to take Robbie and his sister down to the village and show them around. The bakery had been a favorite so far, because they’d each received a sample of the sweet bread, and Katharine had seemed excited about the smithy.

Mainly because Craig had talked his cousin into allowing the wee sprite the chance to hit a piece of molten metal with the smallest hammer. “Careful,” he’d warned. “’Tis hot enough to burn ye.”

The five-year-old had given him a look which clearly said she knew that, then whaled away on what was supposed to be a nail.

“I dinnae realize nails were so flat,” whispered Robbie dryly.

Craig stifled his chuckle. “Mayhap she can use it as a—nay, ‘tis too flat for even that. If she sharpens one side, ‘twould be a fine knife.”

“Och, aye, just what Mother wants her to have, more weapons.”

That time, Craig hadn’t bothered to hide his snort of laughter. “That’s thin enough, Kat.”

The little girl, red-faced and flushed, had beamed when he’d showed her how to plunge her “nail” into water to cool it, and now she held it in

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