Page 23 of Bound to a Scot (Sins in a Kilt #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

H aving been once again summoned by laird Macfie early that morning, Maddox and Adair strode down the corridor to the castle’s main receiving hall. Adair turned to him, his expression light and a small smile curling the corners of his mouth.

“What dae ye think this is about then?” he asked.

Maddox shook his head. “I dinnae ken.”

“Why dae ye look so tense?”

“Why dinnae ye?”

Adair smirked. “Maybe because I am nae the gloomy doomsayer who sees enemies and threats in every shadow that ye are?”

“I suppose ‘tis fair tae say,” Maddox replied with a wry chuckle.

“Be at ease,” Adair said. “Ye ken Macfie loves tae hear himself talk and play the magnanimous Laird while makin’ grand declarations. ‘Tis probably another of those.”

Despite his uneasy feeling, he knew Adair was probably right about that. Maddox had never met a man so happy to talk about himself or as self-aggrandizing as Macfie. There was no achievement, no matter how small, that he would not only take credit for, but blow out of proportion to make himself out to be as kind and holy as a saint. It was yet another reason he was anxious to get this marriage done and get back to his own lands. The sooner he could be away from Macfie and all of his bluster, the better.

The guard opened the door to the hall for them and Maddox was surprised when they stepped into a bustling hive of activity. Servants rushed around, getting the hall cleaned and decorated. There was a tension in the frenzy of activity, as if they were preparing for the arrival of somebody important. Maddox turned to Adair, a questioning look on his face.

“What in the bleedin’ hell is this?” he asked.

Adair gave him a half-shrug. “Yer guess is as good as mine.”

“Is the bleedin’ king comin’ tae Castle Macfie?”

“Kind of seems that way, eh?”

“Nay. the king is nae comin’ to me lands. Nae yet anyway.”

Macfie’s voice came from behind them, giving Maddox a bit of a start. He had been so consumed by what was happening in front of him, he hadn’t even noticed the laird creeping up from behind. On the battlefield, that lack of awareness of his surroundings would have gotten him killed. Given what was happening and the pervasive feeling that he was behind enemy lines, Maddox thought he should be as alert as if he was.

“Nae yet, eh?” Maddox said, trying to sound lighthearted. “Rubbin’ elbows with royalty now? Ye must be movin’ up in the world, Laird Macfie.”

“I’m doin’ me best. Fortunes change with the wind,” he said. “But I dinnae like waitin’ fer the winds. I believe in makin’ me own luck.”

Something about the way he’d said it sent a chill down Maddox’s spine. But he reminded himself of Adair’s words, of his natural suspicion of people that bordered on paranoia. It was obvious that Macfie was a social climber and had designs on a bigger life than was currently available to him. Other than allying with him, it had nothing to do with Maddox.

“So, what is this all about then?” Maddox asked, gesturing to the bustle of activity around them. “Looks like ye’re plannin’ a feast.”

“I am.”

“What is the occasion?”

“This is all fer ye and Cecilia, yer bride tae be,” he announced with a grand, sweeping gesture.

“Fer us?”

“Of course,” he replies. “Ye’re weddin’ me little girl. A grand announcement of yer pendin’ nuptials only seems fittin’. Everybody should ken the happy news.”

Maddox was a man who shunned attention on the best of days. This was far from the best of days. And the idea of making a big announcement during a grand feast of an event he didn’t want to be part of in the first place, turned his stomach.

“’Tis nae necessary, Laird Macfie. I dinnae need a feast. I think we?—”

“Nonsense. ‘Tis nae fer ye. ‘tis fer me Cecilia,” he said. “She’s me only child and if I want tae throw a feast tae celebrate her nuptials, I’ll throw a bleedin’ feast.”

Maddox knew better than to argue with the man. This was his castle in his lands, and he was entitled to do whatever he wanted, regardless of what anybody else said. What irritated Maddox the most about this whole scene was that he knew it was just another way for Macfie to draw attention to himself. It had nothing to do with his daughter. This was all about Macfie showing off his wealth and position for all to see. It was, admittedly, an uncharitable view of the man, but it fit with what Maddox knew of him.

“Of course, Laird Macfie. I didnae mean tae question ye,” Maddox said, trying to keep the disdain from his voice.

The man eyed him closely for several long moments before giving him a firm nod, seemingly mollified by Maddox’s supposed act of contrition. Macfie clapped his hands and rubbed them together, with a strange air of excitement about him. In his limited time under Macfie’s roof, Maddox had not seen the man enthusiastic about anything. He didn’t know the perpetually glum and dour man was even capable of excitement. Seeing him almost giddy was… disconcerting.

“Adair, I wonder if ye’d be good enough tae assist Laith with… whatever he might need help with?” Macfie asked.

“Of course, me laird,” Adair replied with a nod.

He shot Maddox a questioning glance before he slipped away to find the tall, pale man, leaving him with Macfie, whose odd behavior was bothering him. Macfie looked at Maddox with a strange and expectant gleam in his eye, as if waiting for him to make the offer since it was unseemly and improper for one laird to order another to do something.

“And how may I assist ye, me laird?” Maddox asked.

“Thank ye fer yer offer, Laird MacLachlan. I appreciate ye bein’ willin’ tae lend a hand,” he replied, trying to sound gracious.

“Of course.”

“I was hopin’ ye could help Emmeline.”

Maddox looked around the bustling hall but didn’t see Emmeline anywhere. He turned back to Macfie, confusion upon his face.

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Macfie said lightheartedly. “She’s in the storeroom just beyond the kitchens. She’s takin’ an inventory on our supplies so we ken what we need tae get. I think she could use a hand with that.”

Maddox felt his stomach tighten and his throat grow dry. While the idea of being alone with Emmeline appealed to him greatly, being so close to her without being able to touch her would be hell on earth. It would be sheer torment.

He cleared his throat. “Of course, me laird,” Maddox said. “I’d be happy tae.”

“Excellent.”

He crossed the hall and slipped through the door at the rear, finding his way down to the kitchens. A few of the household staff were there preparing food for the evening meal, and looked up at him when he walked in.

“The storeroom?” he asked.

A younger woman with chestnut brown hair offered Maddox a smile and pointed to a doorway partially hidden by a large cabinet. The doorway opened to a short corridor with another rounded doorway at the far end. With a sigh, Maddox walked through the second door to find Emmeline sitting on a barrel on the far side of the room, her expression troubled.

“Are ye all right?” he asked.

She nearly jumped out of her skin and quickly looked up, eyes wide, face pale. When she realized it was him, her cheeks turned red and the startled expression on her face faded, quickly replaced by something more awkward.

“What are ye doin’ here?” she asked.

“Yer husband asked me tae help ye with the inventory.”

She pulled a face. “Why would I need help?”

Maddox shrugged. “How would I ken? He apparently thought ye did.”

“Because he thinks I’m bleedin’ incapable of doin’ anything right.”

“I’m sure that’s nae it.”

“’Tis exactly what it is,” she snapped. “Ye’ve seen the way he treats me. He thinks I’m an idiot. Ye ken it’s true.”

Maddox opened his mouth to rebut what she’d said but closed it again without a word. Laird Macfie’s disdain for his ladywife was more than clear and Maddox had seen him treat Emmeline like she was dim. It never failed to enrage him.

“Well, I ken ye’re nae an idiot,” he said. “Ye’re actually one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.”

Emmeline lowered her gaze and stared at the floor for a moment, a small smile curling the corners of her mouth. When she looked up, it was with an expression of gratitude.

“Thank ye fer sayin’ that,” she said.

“Ye cannae believe that what yer husband thinks is true.”

“Nay. I ken I’m nae an idiot,” she replied softly. “But ’tis still nice tae hear somebody else say it.”

Maddox held her gaze for a long moment, the pounding of his heart loud in his ears. Things between them the last few days had been changing rapidly. With every moment they spent together, Maddox found his feelings for her growing in strength. The way she looked at him, he thought she was experiencing the same thing. In that moment, he wanted more than anything to take her into his arms and kiss her… and he wasn’t sure he would be rebuffed.

Putting them together alone in a small room seemed like a recipe for disaster. He feared that eventually, they would give in to the desires they both seemed to feel. His body was tingling from head to toe. Maddox took a step forward as if drawn by some unseen force. Then another. And when he was standing in front of her, looking down into her eyes, their hearts seemed to be pounding in unison.

“Maddox,” she gasped.

The sound of heavy bootsteps in the corridor snapped them out of their trance and pulled them back to the moment. Maddox cleared his throat and took a step back as Emmeline turned her back to him as she feigned being absorbed in the task she’d been assigned. A moment later, Macfie stepped in, his eyes shifting from Maddox to his wife then back again. It was as if he could smell their desire for each other on the air.

“And how are things goin’ in here then?” he asked.

“Goin’ fine,” Maddox said. “We were… uhh… just figurin’ out the most efficient way tae get everything accounted fer.”

Macfie’s eyes narrowed and his face was tight as he kept looking back and forth between them. If Maddox didn’t know better, it almost seemed as if Macfie had expected to find them in a compromising position and because he hadn’t, he seemed… disappointed.

“Good,” Macfie said and cleared his throat. “’Tis good. And I appreciate the two of ye takin’ this on fer me. ‘Tis important work.”

“Of course,” Maddox said. “’Tis nay problem. Happy tae help.”

It still struck Maddox as strange, given that any one of his household staff was more than capable of doing this task and there was furthermore no need for him to check up on it in person, but it wasn’t his place to question the laird’s orders. Emmeline had not moved since Macfie had walked into the room but stood statue still, her hands clasped at her waist, her gaze fixed on the floor beneath her feet.

“Alright, well, I’ll let ye get back tae it then,” Macfie said.

Before either one of them could say anything in return, Macfie turned on his heel and walked briskly from the storeroom. Maddox and Emmeline remained frozen in place for several long moments as they listened to the sound of Macfie’s heavy bootsteps ebbing. It was only when he was gone that they both let out the breaths they were holding. They turned and stared at each other for a moment then let out a shaky laugh.

“What was that about?” Maddox asked.

“He was just makin’ sure I was bein’ faithful tae him.”

“Does he suspect ye’ve nae been?”

“He always suspects me,” she says, her tone hard and brittle. “He doesnae want me, but he doesnae want anybody else tae have me either.”

Their gazes lingered on each other for another moment before Emmeline turned away, breaking their eye contact.

“We should get this done,” she said. “Before he comes back.”

“Aye. ‘Tis probably a good idea.”