Page 32 of Taken by the Ruthless Highlander (Taken by Highland Devils #6)

32

“O h my, I’m terribly sorry,” the maid gasped as she stepped into the room.

Morgana smiled sheepishly, pulling the covers to her chest to hide her nakedness. The door closed before she could utter a single word.

The flash of embarrassment was overshadowed by the joy swelling within her. She squealed into the pillow, feeling like she was floating in the air.

Throwing the blankets off her, she slipped out of bed and stepped into the golden beams of light. Their warmth seeped into her very soul as she stretched the sleep from her bones.

She had never thought she could be so content. It didn’t even bother her to find the bed empty; she’d grown accustomed to Ryder’s bouts of moodiness and vowed nothing was going to ruin her day.

She dressed quickly, eager to catch her husband in his study or maybe out on the pitch, practicing his archery. Either way, the thought of seeing him made her pulse quicken and her skin tingle. She craved to feel his lips on hers once again.

“Where are ye goin’ in such a rush?” Poppy called as she passed by the sitting room.

“To see Ryder,” Morgana answered as she paused to hug Poppy the moment she stepped out.

The world felt different to her, as if a light had been turned on. Even the colors seemed more vibrant than before.

“But if ye need me to do somethin’ for ye, tell me.”

“If ye could get me out of my studies,” Poppy complained. She glanced over her shoulder at the young tutor sitting on the couch, patiently waiting for her to return. “That would be fantastic.”

“When did ye get a tutor?” Morgana asked, her heart stuttering.

A wave of confusion and doubt washed over her. Was she spending too much of her time with Ryder? Is that why he hired a tutor?

She felt a pang of disappointment in her chest.

“Today,” Poppy answered. “Eloise is supposed to be here too, but I havenae seen her all mornin’. And it’s nae fair that I’m here when she’s nae.”

“Aye, ye’re right.” Morgana glanced down the hall, expecting to see Eloise poke her head out of one of the other rooms. “It’s nae fair. And as soon as I find her, I’ll let her ken that she’ll be stayin’ later with the tutor to make up for the hours she skipped.”

“Ye mean when the lesson is over, I can leave and she’ll have to stay?” Poppy asked, her eyes widening with hope.

“That’s right,” Morgana answered. “Dinnae ye worry yer little head. I’ll see this made right.”

She planted a kiss on the top of Poppy’s head and nudged her back into the room and to her tutor.

She shouldn’t help but smile. The fact that Ryder had hired a tutor for her sisters thrilled her. And the fact that he did not wait for her to ask made it even more special. Her heart swelled.

She didn’t have a real reason to see him before, but now she was eager to thank him for everything he had done.

As she approached his study, her heart drummed wildly. She felt as if lightning had struck her, causing every nerve in her body to tingle. The excitement and thrill of seeing her husband overwhelmed her as she lifted her hand to knock on his closed door.

“Aye?” Felix towered over her as he opened the door. “Can I help ye?”

“Is Ryder in? I’d like to speak with him.” Morgana craned her neck to glance into the room.

Felix’s eyes softened. He dropped his shoulders and shook his head. “Sorry, the Laird is tied up at the moment.”

Just then, Morgana caught sight of Ryder sitting behind his desk, looking like the stern Laird he was.

“Is there a message ye want me to give him?”

She shook her head.

Her heart sank at the realization that Ryder wasn’t busy; he was just too busy for her . Rejection jabbed her in the heart as his icy glare fell on her.

She pulled in a sharp breath, shocked by the sudden distance between them. It was as if Ryder was on an island all by himself, with no way for her to reach him.

Uncertainty seeped into her like a dense fog covering the coastline.

“Have I done somethin’ to displease the Laird?” Morgana asked, trying to ignore the frigidness of his attitude.

She racked her brain, trying to figure out what she had done wrong to make him so upset. After all, they had just shared an amazing night. But the distance between them was unsettling.

“That’s nae for me to say,” Felix answered. “But I’m sure if ye give him some time, he’ll come around.”

Before Morgana could protest, he closed the door.

She stumbled back, the shock rattling her like an earthquake. Her heart ached with the sting of his rejection. Tears pooled in her eyes as she glanced around at the servants who had witnessed Ryder publicly dismiss her.

She swallowed hard, her mind a flurry of questions. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what it was she had done to displease him. Had she said something in her sleep that pushed him away?

Unable to wrap her head around the situation, a fire sparked within her. She was never one to just let things go. Ryder was being distant, and she needed to know why.

“If I may have a word, My Lady?” a voice suddenly asked.

Her hand froze above the doorknob. She glanced over her shoulder to find Cohen standing behind her. His smile looked strained and out of place.

“I’m sorry to bother ye, My Lady, but I have somethin’ very important to talk to ye about.”

“Cohen, I’m sorry, but can this wait?” Morgana asked as she turned back to the closed door.

It wasn’t Cohen’s attention she was seeking, but her husband’s.

“As it stands, nay, it cannae,” Cohen answered gravely. “For I have news of yer sister.”

Morgana’s heart leaped into her throat as she spun around, giving him her full attention. “I’m sorry, what?”

Cohen’s smile widened as he took her by the elbow and guided her away from the study. Morgana’s thoughts shifted instantly.

“I have news about yer sister, Feya,” he said as they turned the corner. “She’s been found.”

“That’s fantastic!” Morgana gushed. “Where is she?”

“Ye’ll have to come with me,” Cohen said.

Morgana paused and glanced down the hall. “Wait, shouldnae we inform Ryder and my braithers? Surely, they’ll want to see her too.”

Cohen shook his head as his grip on her elbow tightened. “I’ve already informed him,” he answered. “Ryder and Felix ken. Which is why they had me come to tell ye. After all, it was my men who found Feya—she is shaken by the ordeal, the poor thing. She asked to see ye first.”

Chewing on her lower lip, Morgana couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in her stomach. She remembered Ryder’s icy glare as she stood at the door to his study and the way he looked at her. Was it him giving her this time? Or was it something else? And if they had known about Feya, why didn’t Felix say anything?

With the questions mounting, Morgana was at a crossroads.

“My Lady, Feya is waitin’ for ye. Are ye comin’? Or shall I tell her ye were too busy for her at the moment? Besides, the horses are bein’ prepared for the others as we speak. I promise they’ll be right behind us. If we leave now, ye’ll have a moment alone with her before the questionin’ starts,” Cohen pressed.

His words should have reassured her, but she couldn’t understand the rising anxiety in her chest.

She rolled her shoulders back. With Feya’s return, there would be questions asked, and it would be a madhouse trying to get her siblings to give them a moment alone.

“Let’s go,” she said. “Are ye certain the others will follow?”

“Aye, My Lady,” Cohen answered as he escorted her out of the castle and to the stables.

Morgana’s heart fluttered with excitement. She had known today was going to be special the moment she woke up. She just never thought it would have anything to do with Feya’s return. Overjoyed with the idea of seeing her sister again, she walked faster to the stables.

“Yer sister’s in a little cottage nae far from here,” Cohen explained as he lifted her into the saddle and mounted behind her.

“What are ye doin’?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable in his proximity.

She didn’t like being between his thighs nor the prospect of what Ryder would do to him if he saw them together like that.

“The other horses are bein’ readied for the Laird and his men,” Cohen said as he turned the horse to the open stable doors. “My horse is by far faster than the lot of them, and I doubt ye can handle him on yer own. Scribe here likes to buck other riders, and I willnae let my horse harm ye, so I ride with ye.”

Alarm bells went off in Morgana’s head. She wasn’t sure why she was feeling such an overwhelming sense of dread as they headed out. One thing was certain, though—her nerves were on edge, and she wasn’t about to miss the chance to see her sister once again.

As they charged out of the stables, she glanced at the gray walls of the castle. She searched the dark windows, wondering if Ryder was standing behind the glass, watching her.

Sorry, my love, but I have to go.