Page 40 of Healing the Highland Sinner (Tales of the Maxwell Lasses #7)

CHAPTER THREE

K atherine was still blushing furiously when she slipped through the back gate that led into the garden grounds behind the castle. She stopped beside the brook and sat down on the large, flat rock she’d seen earlier, taking a few minutes to gather herself before she went inside. The last thing she needed was to walk in with her face as red as a beet.

She turned her face up to the sky and drew a long, deep breath, then let it out slowly. As she did, she kept trying to banish the images of the man out in the spring from her mind. The harder she pushed though, the more firmly they seemed to be sticking. She couldn’t stop seeing his toned, naked body. She couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who’d been on her knees before him, pleasuring him with her mouth. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t unsee the look of sheer rapture on his face as she did it.

She buried her face in her hands and giggled as she recalled what she’d said to him. He seemed to enjoy her teasing. Strangely, judging by the gleam in his eye and the way he’d looked at her, it seemed like it had aroused him. She had no experience with men, but she’d heard enough to know that some men liked a feisty woman. They considered that sort of playful banter to be foreplay. She didn’t know if that’s what it was, but it kind of seemed like the man thought it was.

“Ye must be Katherine. I thought I might find ye here.”

Startled, Katherine looked up, her face ashen and her heart racing wildly. A woman stood before her in a finely cut, rich, blue dress with lace at the cuffs of the sleeves and around the neck. She was petite, and had a slim, lithe frame and she exuded femininity. Her honey-blonde hair fell just below her shoulders, she had a complexion like cream. Her eyes were such a light shade of blue, they reminded Katherine of ice. The girl was stunning.

“I—I’m sorry, how dae ye ken who I am?” Katherine asked.

A gentle smile curled the corners of her mouth. “There arenae many strangers in the castle. And even fewer women I dinnae ken. I took a guess. Am I wrong?”

Her demeanor was bright and cheery, her smile warm and welcoming. She somehow managed to put Katherine at ease without even seeming to be trying. There was just a soothing presence about her that Katherine was grateful for. She needed that.

“Nay. Ye’re nae wrong,” Katherine said. “But how did ye ken ye’d find me here?”

“Because this is where I hid out for a while when I first arrived.”

Katherine eyed her closely. “And ye are?”

“Sorry, I’m Adelaide,” she said then with a smile, added, “’Tis a pleasure tae meet me soon tae be mother-in-law.”

Katherine gaped at her. They looked to be of similar ages and hearing Adelaide refer to her as her soon to be mother-in-law only drove home just how much older Laird MacTavish was than her. It was like a dagger to her heart, and she shifted on her seat uncomfortably. Adelaide sat down on the stone beside her. She offered Katherine a small smile and a sympathetic look, seeming to be intuiting her thoughts.

“Seems ludicrous, eh?” Adelaide said. “We’re of an age tae be sisters, nae mother and daughter in law.”

Katherine nodded. “Aye. ‘Tis true,” she said. “But ‘tis the way of the world. We’re nae women. We’re simply pawns in the games men play.”

“Truer words have never been spoken. But perhaps one day that will change.”

“Perhaps,” Katherine said thoughtfully.

A moment of silence stretched out between them that, while a little awkward, wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Katherine credited it to the woman’s calming aura.

“So, ye’re Laird MacTavish’s daughter, eh?”

Adelaide shrugged. “Adopted daughter. But aye.”

“Adopted?”

She nodded, a small frown flickering across her lips. “Aye. I was just a bairn when the Lady MacTavish found me. Me parents had died of disease years afore and and I was daein’ me best tae survive, half-starved and by meself. Lady MacTavish—me Maither—she rescued me. She and the laird raised me alongside their sons as one of their own. There’s nae a day that goes by that I dinnae miss her.”

The affection laced with grief was thick in her voice. Adelaide looked down at her hands, which sat in her lap, seeming to be doing her best to choke back the emotion that strained her face. The woman cleared her throat and turned to Katherine, offering her a small smile.

“She sounds like a wonderful woman,” Katherine offered.

“She was. She was truly wonderful. Gave me a life I couldnae ever have dreamed of,” Adelaide confirmed. “But enough about me. There’ll be time tae learn more about me later. I’m sure ye’re wonderin’ why I was lookin’ fer ye.”

“The thought crossed me mind,” Katherine replied with a small smile.

“I wanted tae find ye because I can well imagine the way ye’re feelin’ right now and I wanted tae help put yer mind at ease if I can,” she said. “I was a stranger in this household when I arrived as well and ken how disconcertin’ and terrifyin’ it can be.”

Katherine turned her face up to the sky, watching the clouds drifting through the heavens above as she tried to swallow down the fear and anxiety bubbling inside of her. When she finally turned back to Adelaide though, she knew the woman could see right through her, she really did know exactly how she was feeling. She bit her bottom lip and nodded.

“Aye. I’d be lyin’ if I said I wasnae scared and out of sorts right now.”

Adelaide put her hand over Katherine’s and gave it a warm and reassuring squeeze. “Just ken that Laird MacTavish is a good man. He’s always been kind tae me.”

“’Tis what Mina said as well.”

“Because it’s true,” she replied simply. “He’ll never mistreat ye. That much I can promise.”

“It’s just difficult bein’ married tae a man nae of me choosin’. A man I dinnae love.”

“Marryin’ fer love is a luxury we’re rarely granted,” Adelaide said softly.

“’Tis true,” Katherine replied softly.

“All ye can dae is make the best of yer situation. And there are plenty of worse situations ye could’ve landed in than this one,” Katherine said, then added brightly, “Look at it this way, at least here, surrounded by men ye dinnae ken, ye’ve got a sister who’s walked in yer shoes already. I’ll nae let anythin’ untoward happen tae ye. I give ye me word.”

A genuine smile lit Katherine’s lips. “Thank ye. I appreciate that.”

“Of course,” Adelaide replied and patted her hand. “Now, there’s a few things ye should ken about life here. First, I’ll tell ye a bit about the laird. He can be gruff, but he’s kind. He’s fair. And he loves tae read. Mina mentioned yer love of books, so ye’ve got that in common.”

“Aye. ‘Tis a good thing.”

“Next, the laird has three sons. The first is Hawk. He’s a troublemaker. He’s roguish and a rake, but he’s got a good heart, and he’ll make ye laugh if given the chance. Of course, he’s rarely around the keep. He and his faither have a very complicated relationship so he tends tae stay away for months if nae years at a time,” Adelaide said. “Then there’s Nathair, the second born. Very intelligent. He’s very proper and a perfect gentleman. But he’s always in his head and can come across as a bit aloof. Dinnae take it personally. The man just thinks more than any other person I’ve met. More than might be healthy for him.”

Katherine laughed softly. Adelaide’s personality was engaging and really helped to ease her frayed nerves. For the first time since she’d boarded the carriage that brought her to Castle MacTavish, Katherine didn’t feel the dark cloud of doom hanging over her head quite as heavily as before. Knowing she had an ally, somebody who had been in a circumstance similar to her own, a stranger in this strange land, helped lighten her own disposition.

“There is one more son, Keane, but he’s lived aboard with his uncle in France for longer than I’ve been here. I’ve never actually met the lad. But his brothers travel tae France tae see him at least once a year and they’re very fond of him. So, I cannae tell ye much about him, unfortunately,” she said. “Ye’ll also probably see a lot of Gille, he’s young but was the son of Laird MacTavish’s old advisor and inherited the position. Brilliant man. Cunning strategist. But he’s quiet and tends tae keep his own counsel. He can be a bit full of himself. I dinnae think he’s a bad guy, but he’s a bit of a mystery, that one. And those are all the major players ye’ll meet here. I thought ye should ken, tae help ye navigate life around here.”

“Thank ye, Adelaide. That’s very kind of ye.”

“’Tis good tae hear,” she said then eyed her closely. “Now, what had ye blushin’ like a milkmaiden when I walked up?”

Katherine’s cheeks flushed again, and she looked away as images of the man in the spring she’d seen popped unbidden into her mind. Adelaide laughed and leaned forward conspiratorially.

“Look at ye,” she squealed. “Somethin’ has ye all aflutter. Now, ye have tae tell me. Ye may become me stepmaither soon, but that doesnae mean we cannae be more like sisters, eh?”

The absurdity of the situation made Katherine laugh. But she couldn’t deny that having a woman her own age to talk to, somebody she could lean on in the difficult days she knew lay ahead, would be welcome.

“Aye. I’d like that,” she said.

“Me too. ‘Tis difficult growin’ up in a household of men,” she said. “So, tell me what had yer face redder than beet.”

Despite her own embarrassment, Katherine found herself telling Adelaide about the man in the spring and everything that ensued. Her story got the woman laughing hysterically. Though still mortified by everything that had transpired, Adelaide’s good humor took some of the edge off and she surprised herself by laughing along. It was a day full of absurdities.

“Ye’ll learn that people from the village often use that spring. I use it often just because the warm water feels so good,” Adelaide said. “But ‘tis always best tae make a little noise as ye’re approachin’, just tae let them ken ye’re comin’.”

“’Tis good advice. I’ll remember that.”

“Aye. Ye should,” said Adelaide as she grabbed Katherine’s arm and pulled her to her feet. “Now, let’s get ye cleaned up and in a fresh dress. We’re expected at the feast tonight, where ye’ll get tae meet the laird and everybody else I told ye about. And dinnae worry. I’ll be there by yer side all night should ye start tae feel overwhelmed.”

As they walked out of the garden grounds arm in arm, a wave of gratitude swept over Katherine. Despite still being uneasy about the entire situation, knowing she had an ally she could rely on made her feel slightly better about it all. It wasn’t ideal and it was not a life she would have chosen for herself, but for the first time since she’d arrived, it didn’t seem to be the end of all things or like she was walking toward her doom.

“Thank ye, Adelaide,” Katherine said sincerely.

The woman gave her a warm smile. “We’re the only women in the household. We’ve got tae stick together, eh?”

Katherine smiled. “Aye. That we dae.”