A Forbidden Night with a Scot (Sins in a Kilt #1)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

S amuel could hardly believe just how much Alicia had feared that bee, but then again, he hadn’t managed to overcome his fear of water, either. It wasn’t so much that he feared water himself—no, he could still be out at sea, he could still swim in lochs and rivers. He simply couldn’t stomach the thought of someone else doing it, and the moment he saw anyone jump in the water, he was instantly filled with a roiling panic.

In the end, he couldn’t blame her. They were both fearful of things that had taken the people they loved.

To calm her, Samuel pulled her brooch out of his cloak as they rode, handing it to her. “Here,” he said. “Wear this, it will help protect ye.”

Alicia reached for it tentatively, holding it in her hand as she examined the geometric pattern of twisting circles. It was wrought in silver, a heavy thing polished to a shine, and it sparkled in Alicia’s hand under the sun.

“Why?” she asked, still holding it—neither trying to give it back nor pinning it on her own cloak. “Why would ye simply give it tae me?”

“Well, sometimes a n object, something symbolic can help us overcome some of our fears,” Samuel said with a small shrug.

Alicia smiled and pinned the brooch on her cloak and the two of them spent the rest of their short ride to the castle in a comfortable silence, one neither of them felt the need to fill.

Seeing her pin that brooch to her cloak stirred something inside Samuel that startled him for a moment. He didn’t know what, precisely, it was, but now an image of her flashed in his mind, Alicia wearing his shirt and nothing else, the creamy skin of her calves and thighs on display for him as she lounged in his bed.

Shocked by his own thoughts, Samuel quickly changed his train of thought, bringing his mind back to the topic of her marriage. That vision of her quickly faded, much to his relief, though the echo of it still lingered in his mind, terrifying him like few things had before.

Had he lost his mind? What was it that he was thinking?

The weddin’, that is what matters now. Findin’ a way tae stop it. Such a shame fer this lass tae be wedded tae that man.

But Samuel still held hope that he and Gavin could find a way to avoid it. He wasn’t going to give up so easily. He wasn’t going to let Laird MacTavish do as he pleased, simply because he could.

When they reached the castle, Samuel made to walk to the healer’s quarters, Alicia following close behind, but something gave him pause. The entire castle seemed to be in a state of alarm, people rushing back and forth—servants and guards alike.

Samuel grabbed the first man in his path, a young guard who was rushing to the gates, stopping him dead in his tracks. “What happened?” he asked. “Was there an attack?”

Unlikely as it sounded in the short time Samuel and Alicia had been away, he couldn’t disregard the possibility entirely. Perhaps it had been a small mission, one meant to cause some damage before the main event.

“Nay, me laird!” said the man. He sounded out of breath, chest heaving wildly as he spoke. “It’s a wee lassie, one o’ the servants’ bairns. We cannae find her anywhere.”

Next to him, Alicia gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. “Who is the bairn?”

“Doirin’s lassie, wee Mairead,” said the guard. “Doirin’s mad with worry. She’s inconsolable.”

“We’ll look fer Mairead,” said Alicia without hesitation. “We’ll all help ye look.”

“Where was she last seen?” Samuel asked, hoping that nothing had happened to the child. If she had strayed too far, perhaps she had gotten lost or perhaps brigands had taken her, even if the MacCallum lands were generally safe.

“She was playin’ by the kitchens, me laird,” said the guard. “But after that, I dinnae ken. Nae one has seen her since. Laird MacCallum has sent us all out tae look fer her.”

“Alicia!” a familiar voice called and Samuel turned around to see Katherine waving at her sister as she rushed towards them, holding up her dress to make sure she wouldn’t stumble and fall. “Did ye hear?”

“We did,” said Alicia. “We are goin’ tae look fer her.”

“I’ll come with ye.”

Samuel nodded at the guard as he and the two girls left the castle in search of the child. “We should head tae the back,” he said. “That’s where the kitchens are. Perhaps she is still somewhere there.”

“Dae ye think somethin’ has happened tae her?” Katherine asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Dae ye think perhaps…”

“Naething has happened tae her,” Samuel assured her, because it was the only thing he could do in that moment. It would do no good, letting Katherine and Alicia wonder if the child was well or if something terrible had happened to her. In fact, it wouldn’t do him any good either.

“Wait,” Alicia said before the three of them could head off. “Samuel, ye’re hurt. The bee sting, ye must see the healer first.”

Samuel had forgotten all about the bee sting, even though it still hurt a bit. However, he had had much worse injuries in his life, and a little sting was certainly not as important as finding the child.

“I can assure ye, I am fine,” he said. “Come, let us search.”

“Nay,” Alicia insisted. “Katherine an’ I can search while ye visit the healer.”

“The healer is probably searchin’ fer the bairn, too,” Samuel pointed out, but no matter what he said, the panic still lingered in Alicia’s eyes. She truly was terrified for him still, thinking that something would happen to him. “Naething has happened tae me so far, right?”

“But somethin’ may happen.”

The last thing Samuel wanted was for Alicia to fear for him, but he couldn’t simply visit the healer while everyone else was looking for the little girl. Instead, he decided on a compromise, one he hoped would work.

“I promise ye, I will visit the healer once we find the bairn,” he said. “I will go right away.”

Alicia was hesitant at first to accept the suggestion, but then she nodded. “Alright,” she said. “As long as ye promise.”

“I promise,” said Samuel, and the three of them set off to comb the grounds.

It was no easy task, holding himself together as the three of them circled the castle walls. The only things that kept the memories from flooding back into his mind were the need to find the little girl and the knowledge that he had to keep Alicia and Katherine calm. He didn’t want them to fear. He didn’t want them to be so worried about the girl that they’d end up putting themselves in danger.

As they came to the back of the castle, Samuel saw that people were already searching there, calling out Mairead’s name only to receive no response. Guards and servants alike were there, working in small groups, but the girl was nowhere to be found.

“Ye go ahead,” Katherine said. “I will speak tae the servants an’ see where else they’ve searched, an’ I will find ye.”

Samuel nodded, thinking it was a good plan. There was no point in looking where others had already searched, and so he and Alicia walked farther into the forest that stretched behind the castle. There, the trees were still sparse, but for a small child, it could be disorienting. She could have easily gotten lost, Samuel thought, not knowing how to find her way back to the castle.

“Mairead!” Alicia called, her voice echoing around the forest. “Are ye here? Mairead?”

Once again, there was no response, at least none they could hear. Samuel’s chest tightened at the thought that maybe they truly were too late and something had happened to the girl, but he did his best to distract himself and tell himself that she was alright.

“Wait,” Samuel said then, putting a hand on Alicia’s shoulder to stop her. “Listen.”

It sounded distant, but Samuel could have sworn he could hear a child’s cry, somewhere a little deeper in the forest. His gaze met Alicia’s, and he knew she was thinking the same thing as he did when she took off, running towards the source of the sound, Samuel following close behind.

“There!” called Alicia, pointing up at a nearby tree, where Samuel could see a small girl, nestled among the branches. She was holding onto one of the thicker ones desperately, her arms wrapped tightly around it as she wailed. “Mairead! It’s alright! We’re here!”

The child only cried harder upon seeing them, inconsolable. Between sobs, she managed to say, “I cannae get down!”

“I’ll go an’ get her,” said Samuel, but Alicia was quick to shake her head.

“Ye cannae,” she said. “Look at the branches, they willnae hold ye. Ye’ll fall right down.”

Samuel couldn’t help but think that she had a point, but what other choice did they have? They could wait, of course, until someone brought a ladder, but the child was so panicked and fearful that he didn’t want her to spend another moment up there.

“I’ll go,” said Alicia, and before Samuel could protest, she had already set off, nimbly climbing up the tree.

“Alicia!” Samuel called, now as panicked as the child. “What are ye doin’? What if ye fall?”

“I willnae,” Alicia called down to him. “Dinnae fash, I’ve been climbin’ trees all me life.”

It was true. Many times had she gotten in trouble for climbing trees when her father had forbidden it and nothing had ever happened to her. She was agile in her climb, knowing precisely where to place her feet and which branches to grab to hoist herself up, but worry settled heavy in Samuel’s stomach regardless. A fall from that height probably wouldn’t kill her, but it could still hurt her badly, and the last thing he wanted was to see her hurt.

Within a couple of minutes, though, Alicia was up on the tree along with Mairead, holding onto the trunk to take some of her weight off the branch where she stood as she comforted her.

“Ach, Mairead, how did ye get up here?” Alicia asked, her tone light and teasing, though Samuel knew she must have been worries. “Ye’re like a wee squirrel! I was like ye at yer age too.”

The little girl didn’t speak, but her crying ceased as she looked at Alicia with wide eyes. One of her hands reached for Alicia, holding onto the hem of her dress, and Alicia ran a hand through Mairead’s blonde hair.

“Let us get down now, aye?” said Alicia.

“I cannae,” said Mairead, shaking her head vehemently. “It’s too high.”

“I’ll help ye,” Alicia promised. “That’s why I came all the way here! Dae ye think I would let anythin’ happen tae ye?”

The girl seemed to consider the question for a moment, before she shook her head. Alicia smiled and slid down to a lower branch, holding out her free hand for Mairead to take. “Slowly now,” she told her. “Grab me hand an’ then grab that branch over there too.”

Samuel watched as Alicia guided Mairead down the tree, helping her whenever she got too scared. She really was fearless, Samuel thought, going up and down that tree without hesitation, just as she had gone to that tavern without a second thought to get what she wanted.

It wasn’t always the greatest quality to have. It meant that she put herself in danger too often for his liking, but it also meant that she was strong and courageous.

It took some coaxing from Alicia’s part, but soon, they were both standing on solid ground once more, Mairead rushing into Alicia’s arms. Laughing, Alicia lifted her up, holding her against her hip as she walked over to Samuel once more, who reached into his pocket and grabbed a small coin.

“What’s that behind ye, lassie?” he asked Mairead, who glanced over her shoulder before looking back at Samuel, puzzled.

“What?” she asked.

Samuel pretended to reach behind her and then revealed the coin in his fingers, holding it out in front of Mairead’s wide eyes. “Well, how did that find its way there, I wonder? Here, take it. It’s yers.”

Alicia chuckled softly as Mairead grabbed the coin, looking at its shiny surface, just as puzzled and amazed as she had looked at Samuel. The three of them walked back to the castle and Mairead, upon seeing her mother in the crowd, jumped out of Alicia’s arms to run to her.

“That was very sweet o’ ye,” Alicia said and Samuel gave her a small shrug.

“It was the least I could dae tae distract the bairn,” he said. “Ye were the one who saved her.”

“Me lady!” Doirin called, her eyes filled with tears as she ran over to Alicia, falling to her knees in front of her. “Thank ye. Thank ye. I dinnae ken how tae repay ye.”

“Ach, Doirin, stand,” Alicia said, taking the woman’s hands to pull her up. “Ye dinnae have tae thank me. I’m only glad Mairead is fine.”

As she stood, Doirin wiped her tears hastily but then she froze, grabbing Alicia’s arm. “Me lady! Yer bleedin’!”

Alarmed, Samuel looked at Alicia’s arm, where something had cut through the sleeve of her dress and then her skin. The fabric around the wound was soaked in blood, and Samuel cursed himself for having missed it.

“It’s naething,” said Alicia. “I cut meself while I was climbin’ down. Dinnae fash, Doirin.”

“But me lady?—”

“I’ll take her tae the healer,” Samuel assured the woman, wrapping an arm around Alicia’s shoulders to pull her away. “Why didnae ye tell me ye hurt yerself?”

“Because it’s naething, truly,” Alicia said with a roll of her eyes and an exasperated sigh. “I planned tae simply go tae the healer, just like I’m doin’.”

“Ye’re bleedin’,” Samuel pointed out, which perhaps wasn’t the most revolutionary observation he had ever made.

Alicia gave him a look that seemed to tell him she wondered why she ever put up with him. “I am aware. But like I said, I am goin’ tae the healer. And ye are comin’ with me fer that sting.”

Before they could get too far, Katherine caught up with them, falling into step next to Alicia. “Where are ye goin’?” she asked.

“Alicia cut herself so I am takin’ her tae the healer,” said Samuel. “But she doesnae seem tae think it is necessary.”

“Because it isnae,” said Alicia.

“Ach, she cuts herself all the time,” said Katherine, seemingly just as unbothered by this as her sister. Perhaps Samuel was the odd one there, he began to suspect—the one who had suddenly become overprotective. “What is that?”

Samuel followed Katherine’s gaze to the brooch he had given Alicia and he laughed, some of the tension finally seeping out of him. “That’s me brooch,” he said. “I gave it tae her because she got scared by a bee, tae distract her.”

Under the light of the sun, Samuel could have sworn that Alicia blushed a faint red. It only added to her beauty, this faint blush, making her even more doll-like, and Samuel realized a little too late that he had been staring, when he saw that both Alicia and Katherine were looking at him a little oddly.

Before he could make up an excuse for himself, Alicia said, “And ye are coming with me, as that bee ye mentioned stung ye. And, by the way, I’ve never seen ye around bairns afore. Ye were very sweet with Mairead.”

Glad to have a change in the subject, Samuel shrugged a shoulder and said, “It was naething. She was scared an’ I wished tae calm her.”

“I’m sure she appreciated it,” Alicia said. “Is it hard fer ye? Because o’ yer son?”

That was a question Samuel had not expected to hear and it stopped him dead in his tracks, his feet coming to a stop on their own accord. Alicia stopped next to him, but Samuel let his hand fall off her shoulders, taking a few steps back.

Even now, the mention of his son was enough to render him speechless, to fill him with the same kind of grief and despair he had felt that fateful day. There was that familiar knot in his throat once more, the one that threatened to choke him and leave him on the ground, gasping for air.

He couldn’t be around Alicia then. He couldn’t be around anyone.

“I must…” he said, not quite knowing how to finish his sentence, “…go.”

He didn’t wait for Alicia’s response. He couldn’t hear it either way over the rush of blood to his ears as he all but fled, heading back to the castle alone, eyes stinging with unshed tears.