Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6) - Paula Quinn Page 0,37
room, my lady?”
“Down the right hall. Third door on the left,” she told them.
“Nay,” Silene paused, digging in her heels when he would lead her. “I can find the room on my own.”
“What is it?” Matilda asked, narrowing her eyes on Silene. “Why are ye so determined to be out of the captain’s care?”
“What?” Silene blinked at her and uncurled her arm from his. “Nay. I have imposed too much.”
“Do ye love him, Silene?”
Silene almost reached for the bedpost to hold on to. Something. Anything. Why had she let him go? She was slipping off the precipice. What kind of question was this?
“My lady!” the captain objected, moving closer. He held up his palm to Matilda. “That is enough!”
Silene knew she had to say something. Denying it was pointless. Matilda would see right through her. She would not lie. She knew that no matter what she said, Matilda would not understand.
“My lady, I love everyone the Lord puts in my path. I love Mac and Morgann. I love them all. They are good, compassionate men who treated me with dignity and honor, especially this man.” She looked up at him then quickly looked away, lest the lady see more.
“And even if she did love me,” the captain told Matilda, silencing her with his angry stare, “’tis not wise to blurt it oot—fer someone comin’ in or listenin’ to hear. It could cause her harm.”
“Aye. Ye are correct.” The steward’s wife nodded and gave Silene a happier look. “Fergive my rash tongue. I didna mean—”
“Of course.” Silene smiled at her.
“I know where the room is,” the captain told them and motioned to Silene to follow him.
She went.
“Ye shouldna fight so passionately to stay away from me,” he admonished when they were alone. “John suspects it and, now, so does his wife.”
Her eyes opened wider. What kind of trouble had she gotten him in to? “Why do you believe that John suspects anything?”
“Because he asked me a dozen questions aboot what went on between us?”
“Between us?” Her heart slammed in her chest. Their kiss! Had the captain told him that they shared a passionate kiss? She wanted to ask him, but she couldn’t bring herself to mention it. Besides that, she didn’t believe he would tell.
“Aye. Between us,” he told her. “I canna deny that there is somethin’. Can ye?”
He didn’t give her time to answer but continued speaking. She was glad he was doing the talking. She wasn’t sure how much she would admit to.
“We dinna realize that we are starin’ at each other or sharin’ intimate smiles until ’tis brought to our attention. We panic over things involvin’ the other, and we dinna know it until ’tis too late.”
She nodded, pale-faced and guilty. “What do we do now?”
She looked away and closed her eyes. She hated to admit that there was something between them.
“Be aware of how we react to each other.”
“It frightens me, Captain,” she said in a hushed, quavering voice, looking at him again. “’Tis like an uncontrolled wind.”
His wide, emerald eyes grew wider. “Fergive me.”
“For what?”
He didn’t tell her. He picked up his steps and continued down the hall without another word.
When they reached the third door on the left, he pushed it open. A woman inside screamed and then greeted the captain when she saw it was him. He apologized profusely and then did the same after opening two more doors that were someone else’s room.
He was mortified and frustrated, but he never cursed Matilda for giving him the incorrect directions. They ended up laughing together when he finally opened the correct door—after knocking at least ten times.
“I will see ye la—” He stopped, likely realizing as was she, that they would probably not see each other much. “Farewell, Silene.” He bowed before her and looked into her eyes when he straightened. “If ye need me, lass, I will come.”
“I need you, Captain.” She said it but she shook her head at the same time. She knew she should have remained silent. “Nay. I am wrong.” She backed up and shut the door.
Alone, she leaned her back against the door between them.
“Forgive me,” she prayed. “Oh, forgive me.”
Outside her door, Galeren heard her cry and muttered a soft, miserable oath.
When he stepped into the main hall, he was stopped by two soldiers from the garrison.
“Greetin’s, Captain. ’Tis good to have ye back,” said one of the men. Alistair Desmond was his name. He hailed from Perth and arrived at the garrison in Dundonald six months ago.