Page 17 of See A Highlander (A Highlander Across Time #10)

CHAPTER 17

T he next morning Annie woke with a headache. She didn't feel very well overall and assumed that it was the stress from dealing with Bella. She decided that she needed to talk to Tom again so that he fully understood her feelings about her cousin and why it made her feel suspicious and insecure about whatever was happening between them. She didn’t know for sure what Tom wanted from her, but she knew that she had deep feelings for him and hoped that he had the same.

Annie got dressed and left her room. She went downstairs to look for Tom in his office, but he wasn’t there. As she headed for the courtyard, she caught the scent of breakfast wafting from the kitchen. Usually the smell of warm porridge and fresh baked bread was heavenly to her but this time it made her stomach turn. The moment the smell hit her nose, she felt very ill. Quickly she ran for the door and outside. She hurried around the corner of the castle, leaned her hand against the wall and bent over to vomit.

This was very unusual for Annie. She was rarely sick, if ever. Once her stomach calmed, she decided to give up her hunt for Tom and went back to her room. She drank some water and laid down. Without realizing how tired she still was, she quickly fell asleep for a mid-morning nap.

When she woke up again, she felt refreshed, so confused about this morning’s events. She thought maybe she had eaten something at last night’s feast that her stomach didn’t agree with.

Now that she felt better, she decided that she would look for Tom once again. He hadn’t come to her bedchamber since the day before and she needed to talk to him and find out where they stood and share her thoughts on Bella. Until she did that, she felt she couldn’t focus on her research.

She headed for his office and just as she turned down the hall, he came out of the room. Seeing her, a wide smile crossed his face and his eyes lit up with pleasure. She was glad that this was his reaction considering that she felt that any moment Bella could get through to him and take him away.

“There is my beautiful lass,” he said.

“Hi,” she said. But before she could finish her greeting, he put his hands on her waist and pulled her to him and kissed her passionately.

Annie felt her body respond to him as it always did. He simply had a way of making her knees weak and making her forget everything in her mind except for him. Her fingers moved from his strong stomach up his chest to his broad shoulders.

“There you are. I have been looking all over for you,” Bella said coming down the corridor.

She’d interrupted their kiss. She always seemed to be able to do that. She had a knack for finding them and always when they seemed to be sharing an intimate moment.

Tom pulled away from Annie. Annie rolled her eyes and turned to Bella.

"What is it now?” she said.

“Don't be frustrated with me. I’m only the messenger,” Bella said with a smirk.

"Messenger? What message?” Annie asked suspiciously.

"Lady Maria has been searching for you. I saw her when she knocked on your door. Then she asked me to find you and tell you that she wants to see you in her room,” Bella said.

Annie looked at Bella suspiciously. She could never truly trust her anymore no matter what. It was entirely possible that Maria wanted to see her, since they’d spoken the day before, but she also knew that Bella was full of tricks.

"All right I’ll go visit her a little later, I’m busy right now.” Annie turned her attention back to Tom.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Lady Maria seemed as though there was some urgency to her message. You wouldn't want to upset the wife of the Laird now, would you?” Bella said.

“Perhaps you should go see her, lass. Tis Lady Maria after all, and it could be important,” Tom said, his brow furrowed.

This only frustrated Annie more because Tom didn’t know Bella and her tricks. He was only thinking about the fact that the Laird and Maria were basically the head of the family and everyone in the castle.

"Fine, I’ll go. Bella, why don't you come with me,” Annie said.

"Me? Why me? I don't need to go. If Lady Maria wanted to see me she would have said so when I saw her,” Bella said.

"Then just walk with me to her rooms. Tom is very busy anyway, and on his way out,” Annie said, trying to get Bella away from him.

"You don't order me about, Annie. I don't work for you anymore, remember?” Bella crossed her arms and leaned against the wall not budging.

Annie look to Tom hoping he’d help her encourage Bella to go with her, but he just watched with a look of confusion on his face. She sighed. He didn’t get that Bella was probably just up to her tricks, trying to separate them. She shook her head in frustration.

"Fine, I’m going. Tom, I will talk to you later,” Annie said.

"I look forward to it, lass,” he said giving her a smile.

Annie gave Bella a scornful look and then walked away. Bella wasn’t to be trusted and she didn't know if any man were truly immune from her act of seduction.

She turned down another corridor and as she did so she could hear Bella laughing. It was a flirty laugh that echoed toward her. It made her feel sick all over again. This struggle with her emotions couldn’t go on forever. Bella was determined to make her life unbearable as punishment, but there had to be something that she could do to get Bella off her back. She didn't know what that could be. To Annie having a life spent looking over her shoulder and constantly suspicious of the man she had feelings for wasn’t a life to live at all not even in this time. Something had to change.

Annie made her way to Maria's rooms. She stood in the hallway and knocked on the door. A servant girl opened the door.

“Hi. I'm Annie. Lady Maria sent word that she wanted to see me,” Annie said.

“Just one moment, Miss. I will check,” the girl said. She closed the door on Annie leaving her to wait in the corridor.

Annie waited and while she did so she couldn’t fathom what Maria wanted to see her about since she had just spoke with her the day before. Maybe she had come across some information about Tom since she had asked about his background. Suddenly she felt a little more invigorated and excited to hear what she had to say.

The door opened and Maria stood on the other side. Her eyes were wide with a little bit of surprise.

“Annie. What is it?” she asked.

"I came to ask you the same. I was told you wanted to see me in your rooms urgently,” Annie said.

“You did? From which servant? I didn’t send any message your way,” Maria said.

“You didn't?” Annie said.

“No I didn’t. Come in though. I was just about to sit down to a cup of tea and some bread. You are welcome to join me,” Maria said, opening the door wider.

Annie was frozen stiff. A pit in her stomach grew as she realize that Bella had tricked her. “Damn it, Bella,” she muttered.

She needed to get back to Tom immediately. Who knew what Bella was up to.

“Ah, your cousin said there was a message from me. What a shit. You’re still welcome though,” Maria said.

“Thank you for the offer, but no. Now that I know you didn’t call for me, there is something I have to go do. Thank you, Maria,” Annie said and quickly turned around walking so fast it was practically a job down the corridor.

“Try not to kill her, okay?” Maria called after her.

Annie didn't have any time to answer and even if she could, she couldn’t make that promise. She needed to get to Tom and fast.