Page 21 of The Highlander’s Auctioned Hellion (Auctioned Highland Brides #4)

If my friends in London could see this sky, they would wish to live here, too.

Lydia stood at the window of her room, staring upward at the night sky. The swirling, sparkling dots felt even more beautiful tonight, perhaps because she had shared them with others for the first time.

She wished they had had longer on the parapet. A part of her had wanted to show off her knowledge to Callum and point out all the different constellations to him, to explain to him about the planets that formed a world far beyond their reach.

Her thoughts were now as disparate as the stars above her head, and although she was dressed for bed and had lain down to sleep, she was wide awake.

The wind outside whistled around the corner of the castle, and the tops of the trees ahead of her swayed violently in the breeze. She opened the window, inhaling the scents of the land around her and listening to it with a happy smile.

In London, at this time of night, it was never quiet. Silence in the city tended to feel eerie, as if there were people nearby but they were choosing to make no noise.

Here, it was a blissful peace that she had come to love. The tall shapes of the forest swayed and moved, the wind whistling off the hills and through the corridors of the castle like a lion, just as the girls had said.

Lydia frowned.

But it was not just the wind she could hear any longer. Just at the edge of hearing, there was something else. It was a new sound, rhythmic and unusual. It had a cadence to it, but was irregular.

She turned, straining to hear where it was coming from, and realized that it was outside her room.

Tiptoeing forward and feeling a little nervous about anything that might be lurking in the castle unseen, she placed a hand on the door handle of her room.

She hoped it was merely a servant or a guard on patrol. But it did not seem to fit the pattern—it was too irregular and insistent.

Lydia opened her bedroom door, looking outward at the dark corridor. There was not a soul in sight.

The torches sputtered against the wall, making her jump as she squinted into the darkness, trying to discern what it was.

Then, finally, a shadow leaped upward in her periphery, and she looked at the floor opposite her door.

At the edge of the wall, tangled in shadows, there was a tiny black lump, skirting along the length of the corridor and leaping upward at a velvet curtain that hung down before her.

Lydia watched for a few seconds as the shadow continued to leap ineffectually upward. Then, she stepped across the flagstones and bent down to pick up the kitten. Raven’s tiny legs spun in place as he tried to find purchase on thin air, and Lydia held him close to her body.

The kitten mewed in protest, his tiny claws reaching for purchase until he found the sleeve of her nightgown and settled down to sleep. Lydia glanced at the girls’ room, wondering how he had gotten out and if she should return him to one of their beds.

The kitten had a habit of sleeping on their pillows, curled up beside one of the girls’ heads.

But Raven felt very thin in her arms, and she decided that she would get him something to eat to fatten him up.

Even if it was just a small item from the kitchen, it might help to tire them both out enough for sleep.

Her eyes felt heavy, but she knew she would not find any rest until she had taken part in an activity of some kind.

At home, she would have snuck into the library for a book, but now she had another mission.

Closing her bedroom door, she walked along the corridor to the staircase and made her way downstairs to the kitchen.

Just as Callum had said, there were three bolts on the doors in this part of the castle, and it helped to guide her along the passageways that they had followed together.

It was quite a different experience going down the corridors without him. Lydia had never had such a foolish notion as to be afraid of the dark, but the gaps between the torches felt a lot wider at night.

It is amazing how safe I feel in Callum’s presence. Even right at the beginning, it felt as if he would protect me.

Finally, at the end of the long corridor was the thick door she had been through before. She opened it to the silent, cavernous space of the kitchen.

It was very neat and tidy, pots and pans gleaming from the walls, the central table spotless, ready for the day ahead.

There were no staff about, and no servants preparing for the day at this early hour. She placed the kitten on the table, going to the cold store to fetch some cream for him.

Returning, she looked for a bowl that he would not drown in and noticed some egg cups lined along the shelf to her left.

Lifting one down, she poured a small amount of cream into the bottom and walked back over to the kitten. Raven was sitting in what appeared to be a pile of discarded flour, and his little black tail had turned white at the tip.

She smiled as he began lapping at the cream, little flecks of white flicking over his black fur as his tongue extended into the cup.

I wonder if they have any biscuits about this place. It is not just the kitten who is in need of a snack before bed.

Callum and Alexander made their way back inside once they had circled the entire perimeter. The castle was quiet as the grave, and that was just what Callum had hoped. He felt as if he might be able to sleep now that he had checked the lands himself.

As they walked back through the gates, he nodded his farewell to Alexander as the man-at-arms headed to his own room.

Callum yawned widely, looking up at the stars and wondering what time it was. He headed back inside, scratching at his jaw, his body languid and relaxed and ready for sleep.

Then, as he passed into the main hall, something shattered in the kitchen.

He stopped, listening intently. It was unusual for servants to be up at this time of night.

Drawing his dagger, he walked quietly along the corridor to the kitchen, the stillness of the house pressing in around him.

Could someone have found his way into me kitchen without me seein’ him? If so, he is the loudest thief I’ve ever heard.

As he reached the kitchen door, he could hear movement inside and burst inside as a wild scream echoed around the walls.

Callum staggered to a stop at the picture that greeted him.

Lydia was standing beside the table, a china plate broken into pieces on the floor below her, while the kitten lapped happily at an egg cup full of cream on the table.

Callum’s shoulder lowered with relief as he put his knife back in its scabbard.

“I am sorry,” Lydia said. “It slipped out of my hand.”

He frowned at her bare feet amidst a sea of broken china shards.

“Stay where ye are, lass,” he said firmly, and stepped over the plate, placing his hands on Lydia’s waist.

Lydia let out a little cry of surprise as he lifted her onto the bench in one movement.

“Stay there, ye will cut yer feet to ribbons,” he grumbled.

Lydia sat on the table, stroking the kitten, as Callum searched for a broom to sweep up the mess. He could feel her eyes on him as he walked about the room.

“I didn’t know that Lairds cleared up their own kitchens,” she said lightly, and he flicked her an irritated glare as he swept up the tiny pieces.

“They dinnae, but needs must when me bride is sneakin’ around at night. What were ye doin’ anyway?”

“I was getting the kitten something to drink.”

Callum raised an eyebrow. “Did he tell ye he was thirsty?”

“Well, he is so thin.”

“He’s a kitten.”

“Kittens should be fat.”

“Only the ones they have in London. We dinnae want a fat cat. We need him for mousin’. If ye start givin’ him cream, he will get ideas above his station.”

Callum leaned forward to take the cream away, and Lydia snatched up both the cat and the egg cup and glared at him, scandalized.

“He is having a treat. You would not take it away from him when he has not even finished!”

“I dinnae see much cream left in the pot. Ye should both go to bed.”

Lydia shifted in place, chewing her lip. “If you must know, I was searching for biscuits, and when I opened the cupboard, the plate flew out and almost hit me on the head.”

“Bannocks.”

“What?”

“Bannocks nae biscuits, and yes, we have some. But dinnae let the cook ken that you’ve been into her stores at night, or she will feed ye moldy bread and drippin’ for the rest of yer days.”

Callum looked about at the various pots and pans all over the surface, wondering if the cupboard he had raided so often as a child would still house the same things.

“I’ll get ye some honey to go with them.”

“Does honey go with bannocks?” Lydia asked, her brows knitting together as if he had suggested mixing jam with salt.

“Only if ye dae it right,” Callum said, heading to the highest cupboard in the kitchen where he knew the cook kept the bannocks away from the mice.

Usually, she didn’t allow him in the kitchen for any length of time, complaining that he was too big and always ‘got under her feet’. He was enjoying being free to roam—it was like being a boy again.

“Ah!” he said, as he found the jar filled with bannocks at the back of the cupboard, alongside some honey. “Here we are.”

He turned, his heart warming to see the little domestic scene as Raven strained to get to the remainder of the cream and Lydia wrestled to keep him held in her arms.

Her bare feet were curled over the bench, and he fixated for a moment on her perfect, milky white toes.

“Did you find them?” she asked. “I would never have looked in that cupboard. It is far too high.”

“I have been raidin’ that thing since I was a boy,” Callum looked down at the bannocks, a memory sparking as a slow smile spread over his face. “But there is only one place to have a midnight feast.”

Lydia looked up at him. “Where’s that?”

“Outside.”

After they had returned the kitten to the girls’ room, warm and cozy with a belly full of cream, Callum led Lydia back up the stairs toward the tallest tower.

He appeared to be in a more relaxed mood tonight, his brow less heavy than it had been in the past few days.

As they climbed upward, she could feel the soft breeze from the mountains coming down toward them, and the smell of heather in the air.

As they emerged into the darkness of the tower, Lydia could see the telescope left just where it had been before.

She was excited to show Callum the night sky in all its glory, wondering how much he would already know.

Stepping round him, she headed toward the telescope, just as Callum spread out a blanket over the stone at their feet.

“Do you not wish to look at the sky?” she asked, her shoulders lowering with disappointment.

“Aye, but I am hungry now, and ye made me climb all those godforsaken stairs.”

“I did no such thing. This was your idea.”

“Sit down, woman.”

Lydia rolled her eyes at him, but she did sit down on the rug, the cold seeping into her legs as she did so.

It was a scratchy material and not overly comfortable on the rough stone beneath. She hugged her robe around her, shivering slightly.

“Now, take a bannock,” Callum said, handing her one. “Then drizzle some honey in the center. Aye, like that. Now push the other bannock against it, and bite into it.”

Lydia glanced at him skeptically but did as he asked. The biscuit was crumbling all over the place, but the honey helped to keep it together.

The thick liquid oozed out of the inside, and as she bit into it, the result was quite pleasing. Honey burst from between the bannocks onto her tongue, and she moaned as she swallowed.

“Oh, that is very good,” she said, looking back at him.

Callum’s eyes were fixed on her mouth as Lydia swiped at the loose crumbs with her tongue, and he made a grunting sound in the back of his throat.

The Laird made his own bannock creation, but in his case, he swallowed it in one bite. Rubbing his hands together, he nodded in satisfaction.

“That’s the way to eat them. We used to do that in me youth.”

“Who?”

“Me and Angus.”

“I imagine you were a menace to the poor cook.”

Callum gave a small huff of laughter. “Mainly Angus. He was far more mischievous than me, liked to get himself into a spot of bother every week to keep the household on its toes.”

Lydia opened her mouth to ask another question, but Callum’s expression closed off abruptly, and he rose to his feet.

“Come on then, lass, what are these stars ye said ye would be showin’ me? I wasnae very impressed with a single North star.”

Lydia glared at him irritably. “You barely gave me a chance to show you anything because the girls fell asleep.”

“Ah, so it was their fault, was it?”

Lydia rose, walking over to the telescope, fiddling with the dials, and raising it higher so that it was more comfortable for Callum to use.

She angled it so that she had the correct constellation in her sights and then stood back proudly.

“Have a look there,” she said, thrilled that her plan from earlier in the evening had come to fruition. They could not have timed it better.

Callum still didn’t look sure, but did as she asked. He was bent over the telescope for only a moment before he stepped back, staring up at the sky.

“My God, what is that?”

Lydia grinned, staring upward as tiny spots began appearing above them, accompanied by streaks of light, like angels descending from heaven.

“It was one of the few things my father ever told me that I have remembered. Star fire, he named them.”

“It’s beautiful,” Callum said, his voice filled with awe as they both stood beneath the huge black sky and watched the tiny lights appear and disappear.

“These are the lights that fall to earth in April, are they?” Callum asked.

She smiled. “And you said I was filling the girls’ heads with nonsense! We are very privileged to see them. I never believed I would in my lifetime. London is far too bright for such a phenomenon.”

Callum was quiet for some time, and when she turned back to him, he was no longer looking at the stars, but at her.

He turned to face her, gathering her into his arms, and Lydia sucked in a breath of surprise.

There was a wistful look on his face that she had never seen before, the lights behind him making him look otherworldly.

“Are ye sayin’ ye are glad ye came?” he said. “Oh, bride of mine.”

Lydia laughed. “I am not your bride yet.”

“One more day, and then ye will be. Let me remind ye of that whilst I have ye all to meself,” he said gently and bent his head, capturing her mouth in a soulful kiss, as the meteors rained down above them.