Page 25 of The Highlander’s Enchanted Healer (Spellbound Hearts #2)

Ross avoided me as if I had a curse he’d catch by being around me.

Of course, I was cursed, but that was beside the point.

I was an odd mixture of hurt and relieved.

It had been six days since we’d talked in the courtyard, and I had discovered that Ross thought as my da had about women’s minds being useful.

I supposed I should be more relieved than hurt.

His avoiding me helped to loosen the hold he was developing on me.

And yet, though he’d avoided me, I knew he watched me every day.

I had not only felt his stare upon me; I’d seen him.

I’d caught a glimpse of him when I was aiding Isla at her cottage after Allan and Thor had moved a nicely recovering Tomas back into his own home.

And I’d seen him when Alba and I had taken her new puppy—I’d named him Bolt and she’d grunted her agreement—for a walk on the beach.

Ross had been standing on the stairs from the inner courtyard watching us on the sand below.

And then I had spotted him standing at the edge of the shore as I’d taken Alba out in a dinghy, so she could remember the simply joy of the water rocking her gently.

Then, when Alba and I had broken our fast early one morning in the great hall, Ross had appeared there briefly, though Isla, who was also breaking her fast, had mentioned the strangeness of him being there, as he usually broke his fast later, after training with the warriors.

I’d wondered if he’d come to see me or Alba, or mayhap both of us?

When Alba and I had climbed the rampart last night to look at the stars, Ross had been at the highest watchtower surveying the ground below, as if he’d simply been waiting for us to appear.

It was disconcerting and comforting at the same time, and to my dismay, I found myself looking forward to seeing him appear where I was, even if did not come near.

So, on the fifth night of his keeping a distance from me but appearing where I was, I was vastly disappointed when he did not appear in the great hall for supper at all. I wanted to ask Allan where Ross was, but I restrained myself.

I awoke the next morning in a grumpy mood, and I knew exactly why. I wanted to see Ross. It was much earlier than I would usually break my fast, but my stomach was growling. That was not much of a surprise, considering I’d not had much appetite last night.

After dressing, I made my way to Alba’s bedchamber, half expecting to find her still asleep, but she was awake and dressed, and it even appeared she’d attempted to wash her face.

I smiled at the progress she was making, even as worry and confusion hit me over how close I was growing to the sister of my family’s enemy.

I could not go on not knowing the truth much longer.

“Do ye wish to break yer fast with me?” I asked Alba, to which she nodded.

We made our way to the great hall in relative silence.

Normally, I would have tried to draw her out some more, but my anxiety over needing the truth but fearing it kept me quiet and lost in my own thoughts.

As we entered the great hall, which I fully expected to be empty, Ross was there as well as Allan.

A grin immediately came to my face, and I glanced at Alba to see one was on hers, but when I looked to the dais, I caught the fierce frown on Ross’s face.

He immediately rid himself of it, but I’d seen it, and I knew well the displeasure was not at the prospect of having his sister join him. It was me.

“Ye are both here early,” I said as Alba and I took our seats at the dais.

“I could say the same of ye,” Ross grumbled.

“Dunnae mind Ross,” Allan said. “He’s grumpy because he does nae like to deviate from his routine.”

“Allan,” Ross growled.

“And what is his normal routine?” I asked, ignoring Ross just as Allan seemed to be doing.

“Train with the warriors first thing, then break his fast later, but he’s early, given he missed supper last night.”

“That’s enough,” Ross snapped at his brother.

“I wonder why yer brother missed supper?” I purposely mused aloud.

“I could nae say,” Allan replied in a jovial, almost conspiratorial tone.

“If I had to guess, I’d say he was trying to avoid someone.

” Allan cut his gaze between Ross and me, which made Alba giggle and Ross scowl.

I felt suddenly bad and a tad uncomfortable myself to have started this line of conversation.

After all, I was certain it was me who Ross was avoiding.

“I’m surprised someone with your late-night habits is breaking yer fast so early,” I said to Allan to turn the conversation.

“If ye really want to ken my late-night habits,” Allan said, his tone teasing, “ye’re welcome to join me late at night.”

A blush swept over my face and neck, even as Alba guffawed and Ross growled. I cleared my throat, determined to put Allan in his place. “I ken everything I need to about yer late-night habits by seeing all the different women ye lead to the stables for the gods only ken what.”

“If ye’re jealous,” Allan said, leaning toward me, “I’ll be more than happy to lead ye to the stables and—”

“Ye’re insufferable,” I snapped, standing.

“Aye, insufferable,” Alba echoed to my shock. She stood, grinned at the three of us, then clamored off the bench, motioning for me to follow.

“I do believe yer sister wants me to join her,” I said, glancing toward Ross.

He met my gaze and nodded. “Then ye should go. Helping her is why ye are here, after all.”

The comment felt like an arrow aimed at my heart.

Later that afternoon I found myself distracted by thoughts of Ross and what he might be doing. In this distraction, I rounded the passageway from Alba’s bedchamber to the stairs and collided with Isla. I staggered backward with a grunt, and she dropped the armful of blankets she’d been carrying.

“I’m sorry!” I said, even as she did as well. We both laughed and bent down at the same time, nearly butting our heads, and we started laughing again. We crouched there, in the middle of the hall, a pile of blankets between us, and laughed until we were spent.

“What are ye doing?” I asked, motioning to the pile of blankets.

She wrinkled her nose. “The laird ordered me to take blankets to our prisoners because he feels a chill in the air and the temperature has dropped outside.”

“Who are the prisoners?” I asked, curious.

“Gordons,” Isla said, a disgusted look settling on her features.

I tensed at the news. “They are the best-treated prisoners in the Highlands, if ye ask me,” Isla continued, oblivious, thank the gods, of my discomfort and surprise.

“I personally do nae see why he keeps them alive and treats them so well,” she said, trying to gather all the blankets but failing, which gave me an idea.

“Is Ross below in the dungeon?”

“He’s training on the beach right now,” she said.

“Let me help ye carry the blankets to the prisoners,” I offered, eager to learn more about my clansmen. “’Tis too much for ye alone.”

“Thank ye,” she replied.

Once we had all the blankets picked up, we started the journey to the dungeon, and as we walked through the passageways, Isla began chatting once more.

“Does it make sense to ye for us to give food to men who tried to kill us and steal our land, when we do nae even have enough food to keep all our bellies full through the winter.”

“Would ye want yer laird to simply kill men because they were following the orders of their laird?” I asked, surprising myself.

I realized I immensely respected Ross’s decision to allow my clansmen, whom he had captured during battle, to live.

“I imagine he’s hoping they will bend the knee, and he can free them to become part of yer clan. ”

“I imagine so,” she said. “He is just…” She gave her head a shake, as if his actions still baffled her.

My thoughts clamored as we walked in silence through the courtyard and then down the dungeon stairs. He was just. There was no denying it. Every day I was here I learned something more about Ross that made it even harder to believe he would aid in killing my family.

As Isla opened the dungeon door, I fell behind her so I could press my finger to my lips while shaking my head no to my clansmen to discourage them from announcing who I was. Who really was the enemy, though, I wondered as I followed Isla down the stone steps and into the dungeon.

I was surprised to find it well lit by torches and the floors covered in fresh rushes.

As we drew near the first cell, and the three men inside came into view.

I stumbled at the sight of Munro Gordon.

How could he be here? And alive? My insides twisted into knots as my gaze locked with one of the men responsible for attacking Alba Campbell.

Munro was supposed to be dead! Ramsey had vowed he’d had both men who had attacked Alba Campbell put to death for their atrocious crimes, yet here he sat, eyes widening as he realized who I was.

My nostrils flared as bile rose in my throat.

Ramsey had lied to me. He had lied about having Munro hung for his part in ravaging Alba.

If he’d lied about that, what else had he lied about?

I gave quick shake of my head to the three men to indicate they shouldn’t speak to me.

In front of me, Isla muttered about having to provide blankets to men who had attacked her clansmen.

If she knew the truth of what Munro had done, she’d certainly be ready to kill him, as would Ross.

And it was right and fair. I had to find a way to expose Munro without rising suspicion about my own identity.

“Here are yer blankets, ye filthy, disgusting pigs,” Isla muttered and shoved the blankets she was holding through a small opening in the cell door.

I stepped forward to do the same as Isla moved back to the stairs we’d just descended, ready to depart as soon as possible.