Page 92 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

As she served up the cake for her and Frances, Celia just stared at the doorway, obsessing over Frances’s words.

Love? Is that what this is, after all?

It certainly made sense. She now understood why Keith dominated her thoughts, why it was rather difficult to think of anyone else but him, and why it had crushed her so much when she had thought he was going to marry Lady Alicia.

“Your Grace?” Betty appeared in the doorway. “You have a visitor. It is a healer from Scotland.”

“A healer?” Celia said in surprise, putting down her teacup.

“Oh, it must be Mairi,” Elizabeth declared with a smile. “Keith said he sent for her.”

“Why? Is he unwell?” Celia murmured as an old woman appeared in the doorway.

With a tartan strap across her shoulder and a heavy leather bag, the old woman was the epitome of a Scottish lass. She had wild curly red hair that was starting to gray as she smiled broadly at them all.

“Ah, My Lady,” she called as she approached Elizabeth. “Aye, it is good to see ye again.”

“It is good to see you too,” Elizabeth said kindly, taking Mairi’s hand. “You must be tired from your journey. Come, rest awhile and have tea. My son said he brought you here to examine someone?”

“Aye, that’s right. A Lord Pembroke, I believe?”

Celia stumbled to a stop behind Mairi. “My father?” she whispered.

“Ah, Mairi, let me introduce you to my son’s new wife. This is the Duchess of Hardbridge.”

Celia stiffened. It was the first time she had been introduced by her new title.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” she said quickly to Mairi.

“And ye, lass. Ah, a pretty lass, I see.” Mairi smiled affectionately. “I am glad to see the master has settled down, at last.”

There were sudden sounds behind them in the hallway. Celia looked away and glimpsed Keith walking past the open door.

“If you would excuse me.” She excused herself fast and hurried out of the room.

Keith stood in the entrance hall, pulling on a frock coat. He hadn’t yet noticed her arrival. She used it as an opportunity to surprise him and ran toward him. He must have realized at the last second that she was approaching, for he whipped around. She barreled toward him and embraced him, holding him tight.

He chuckled softly, absorbing the impact as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

“What was that for, sweetheart?” he whispered in her ear.

“To thank you. Your healer has just arrived. She said you asked her to come here to examine my father?” She lifted her head.

“Aye, I did.” Strangely, Keith now seemed to be avoiding looking her in the eye. “I thought she may be able to help him. He said his doctor didn’t know what was wrong with him.”

“Thank you. It’s so… thoughtful of you.”

He released her.

Celia felt a coldness as she stepped back from him. Once again, he was avoiding looking her in the eye. All traces of his laughter were gone, and there was nothing of the warmth and heat they had enjoyed the evening before.

At that moment, a footman entered the hall.

“Ah, prepare my horse for me, please,” Keith said as he tugged up the collar of his coat.

“Wait… you’re going for a ride? Where?” Celia planned to go with him. They could repeat the race they had shared at Lady Arundel’s house.

“I need to go back. Now that ye can see to matters here in this house, it’s time I returned to Scotland.”