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CHAPTER TEN

T here was a knock on the door, and Valora didn’t know whether or not she should open it.

She was still in Torrin’s chambers, now dried off and dressed, with ointment applied over her forehead where she had been injured but still feeling terribly vulnerable. This was a strange place filled with strange people, and more than ever she felt like she was the odd one out.

Everyone had treated her with kindness so far, though—even Torrin himself, who could have been unnecessarily cruel, just like Laird Keith had been. Torrin, who had even promised her ten days to consider their situation and decide whether or not she wanted to marry him.

Now she had more immediate problems—whether or not to open the door to someone else’s chambers.

She was being foolish, she decided. It could have been Torrin himself, asking for her permission to enter after catching her in the bathtub.

Pushing herself off the cozy armchair that had become her nest in the time she had spent there, she walked over to the door and opened it, only to find a young woman standing there.

This woman looked like a noble, much like herself, and Valora’s first thought was that she might have been Torrin’s paramour, someone kept in the castle for his amusement.

It would be far from unheard of. Valora knew what happened behind closed doors in such places, and it would not surprise her.

But this girl had the same eyes as Torrin—the same stormy gray color that reminded her of clouds heavy with rain.

"Good evenin’," said the girl cheerfully, strolling right inside Torrin’s chambers as if she was used to being there. "Ye must be Miss Valora MacNeacail."

"Aye, I am," said Valora, a little guarded as she looked at the woman from the corner of her eye. "How may I help ye?" Is she a noble? Am I being rude with this answer?

"Me name’s Daisy," said the girl. "Daisy Cameron. I’m Torrin’s cousin."

Ach, that would explain the eyes.

"Good evenin’, Miss Cameron," said Valora, giving the woman a short curtsy. She only laughed, though, and took her hand as if they had been friends for years.

"Please, call me Daisy," she said. "May I call ye Valora?"

There was something about Daisy that instantly put Valora at ease. Something about her smile and the way she looked at her with kindness that seemed entirely sincere, and not just a way to placate or deceive. In fact, from the first glance, everything about her seemed entirely genuine.

"Aye," said Valora, instantly taken by her. "Aye, o’ course."

As Daisy looked at her, she gave a small frown, leaning closer. "What happened tae yer head?"

"Ach," said Valora, waving her free hand dismissively. "It’s naethin’. I tripped an’ fell, but it is naethin’ major."

"Will ye allow me tae look at it? I’m a healer," said Daisy, much to Valora’s surprise and delight. Already, they had something important in common, and Valora couldn’t hide her excitement as she gasped and gave a small jump.

"Ye are? So am I!"

Daisy, grinning from ear to ear, tightened her hold on her hand.

"Och! That is wonderful! Ye ken, I always wished tae have a sister, but instead I have me braither who is always away on missions, an’ Torrin, who is always busy.

An’ neither o’ them cares as much about healin’ as they dae about fightin’, so I never had anyone tae share this with.

Only me teacher, but she’s long gone now. "

I suppose men are like that, preferrin’ a battle over healin’. Destroyin’ over fixin’.

Valora had learned as much from her father and the men who surrounded him—his advisors, his family, all those people who constantly talked about war and gain. Daisy’s comment was lighthearted, a joke, but even jokes carried some truth in them.

Is Laird Gunn hidin’ a side like that? Daisy would ken him best, but I cannae ask her, nae outright. She might take offence.

If Valora wanted to know the truth, she would have to observe Torrin and everyone else around him carefully for the ten days she had been afforded.

"Well, ye can talk tae me about it now," Valora assured her.

She was glad to have already made a friend in this place, that there was someone she could spend her days with, as she doubted she would be spending much time with Torrin.

But then again, she had to get to know him somehow.

If she was going to make a decision, she needed to know what kind of man he was.

It would be easy to dismiss him entirely, to make her decision based on the fact that she didn’t wish to marry, especially not in this way.

For how could she possibly return home after her father had given her away like this, so easily, with no remorse over the fact that she didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to Althea?

Her father had shown her time and time again that he didn’t care about either of them.

Returning home would only make her life a living hell, since her father would never change, and on top of it he would resent her for ruining such an advantageous alliance.

Not to mention that eventually she would be married off to some other stranger.

Perhaps Laird Gunn isnae that bad. Perhaps he’s a better choice than anyone else.

So far, at least, he had been kind. But there were still so many things she didn’t know; so many things she had yet to discover, which could paint him in a different light.

There was another knock on the door, and this time, it was Daisy who called out to the visitor, letting them in. When the door opened, it revealed none other than Torrin, standing there stiffly as he looked at the two of them.

"I see ye have already been acquainted," he said. "Daisy, I thought ye would at least give Miss MacNeacail a night tae herself afore ye visited her."

"I was curious!" said Daisy, easily dismissing him. Valora doubted there was anyone else in the castle who could do the same, but if there was, she would love to meet them. "Well, it is gettin’ late, so I shall leave Valora tae rest, but I will return on the morrow! I’m curious tae find out more about ye, Valora. "

"An’ I’ll be happy tae tell ye everythin’," said Valora with a smile, as Daisy walked to the door and left the room with a final, cheery wave of her hand.

Then, it was only her and Torrin. Slowly, he closed the door, and Valora couldn’t help but frown.

Surely, he cannae wish tae speak again! What else daes he have tae say? It is so very late.

Valora desperately wished to go to sleep after such a long and stressful day, but it seemed like Torrin had different ideas. Perhaps she could convince him that whatever he wanted to speak to her about could wait until the following day, showing him just how tired she was.

"I think it is gettin’ quite late, indeed," said Valora.

"Och aye," said Torrin with a small nod. "Ye should go tae bed soon. Ye are beginnin’ tae look half dead."

Torrin’s words hit Valora like a wagon and she stood there, in stunned silence, looking at him with her mouth hanging open.

What a terrible thing tae say!

Torrin must have realized his words had a different effect than the one he intended, as he was quick to say, "I only mean ye look positively exhausted! Just… pallid an’ tired an’—"

The more he spoke, the more Valora’s indignation grew. She couldn’t help it. She scoffed, shaking her head at Torrin’s rudeness, and he was quick to wave his hands in front of her as if to try and say that wasn’t what he meant.

"I didnae… I dinnae ken why I said that!" he said, his voice taking on an embarrassed, slightly higher tone than his usual gravely baritone. "Fergive me. Ye’re a very attractive lass, dinnae misunderstand me, in fact, ye’re one o’ the most attractive lasses I’ve ever seen, so…"

Torrin let his words trail off, as he perhaps suddenly realized that he was not helping himself at all. Valora watched him, half in confusion and half in amusement as he struggled with himself, pacing in small circles in front of the door.

It was a relief, at least, to know that he found her attractive. If she was going to end up married to him, then they should be attracted to each other, she supposed.

And attracted to him she was. There was no denying Torrin was a handsome man, his features strong and masculine, the scars from the battles he had fought only adding to his allure.

His eyes were what had caught Valora’s attention at first and even now, after looking at them for so long, during every conversation they had had, she could hardly tear her gaze away.

But a handsome face did not a good husband make. There was much more to a marriage than being attracted to one’s spouse, and Valora would not settle for a man who, despite his good looks, did not fulfil her in any other ways.

"What I’m tryin’ tae say is that ye should rest," was what Torrin settled on at last. "We can discuss everythin’ else on the morrow."

"I agree," said Valora. "Will someone show me tae me chambers?"

Torrin gave her a small frown, one Valora did not like at all due to what it seemed to imply. "Ye will be sleepin’ here, I decided," he said, much to her surprise.

"An’ when, precisely, did ye decide that?

" Valora asked, her hands finding her hips as she stared him down—or tried to, something that was impossible with their height difference.

If anything, it must have looked a little comical to Torrin, as he chuckled at her antics, much to her chagrin.

"Why would I sleep here? Where will ye sleep?’

"Also here," Torrin said. "In the next ten days, we should act like we are wedded, so ye can see if it is somethin’ ye’d want."

When he put it like that, it sounded if not reasonable, then at least logical, and there was no doubt in Valora’s mind that to Torrin, it sounded perfectly reasonable indeed. But when taking everything else into account, it was nothing but pure madness.

"We dinnae ken each other at all!" Valora pointed out. "How can ye think that I would agree tae sleep in the same chambers as ye?"