Devil of the Highlands Page 0,72

but then he turned to shout over his shoulder. "Bring me a torch."

Tavis appeared behind them shortly after that carrying a lit torch in hand. At a gesture from Cullen, he moved around them and stepped onto the landing.

"Wait," Cullen said, when Tavis started to lead the way to the bedchamber. "Move the torch over the landing before the stairs."

Evelinde saw an eyebrow rise on the man's forehead, but he lowered the torch, lighting up the floor before them. Evelinde frowned on seeing that there was nothing there to see. The way was clear.

"But I tripped over something," she muttered, and twisted in Cullen's arms, trying to look at the top few stairs. It was possible she'd sent whatever she'd tripped on skittering down the stairs ahead of her as she stumbled over it.

"Settle yerself," Cullen ordered, and nodded to Tavis to continue forward.

"But I really did trip over something," she insisted.

"Probably yer own feet," Tavis teased as he led the way up the hall.

Evelinde's alarmed gaze slid between the fair-haired man and her husband. Cullen's face was its usual unreadable self, even his eyes were giving nothing away, and she feared he agreed with Tavis's teasing and thought she'd just tripped over her own feet. But she really had tripped over something and couldn't for the life of her sort out where that something had disappeared to.

It must have rolled down the steps, Evelinde thought with frustration.

"Thank ye," Cullen rumbled, and Evelinde glanced around to find that they'd reached their bedchamber. Tavis had opened the door and now stood aside for Cullen to enter.

Her husband's cousin began to close the door behind them once they'd passed him, but before he could, Cullen ordered, "I want torches in the hall from now on."

Tavis paused, eyebrows rising slightly "We've never had torches in the hall here before."

"We will now," Cullen said firmly. "And I want them lit each morning and kept lit until we are abed. Tell Fergus, and make sure he arranges it."

The man's eyes slid to Evelinde, a curious expression on his face, but he nodded, then pulled the door closed.

"Thank you," Evelinde said quietly as he set her on the bed. It seemed her near fall had done what her own requests had not. There would be light in the hall.

Cullen's answer was a grunt as he turned away and headed for the door.

Evelinde heaved a sigh as the door closed behind him, sure he didn't believe she'd tripped over anything but her own feet. She supposed she couldn't blame him. There had been nothing that he could see for her to trip over. Making a face, Evelinde slid her feet off the bed. She was perfectly fine. Her arm muscles were a little tender, but that would pass quickly, and she had no intention of "resting." She had a plan of action she wished to set in motion and now, more than ever, was determined to follow it.

Chapter Twelve

"Yer plan is working like a charm."

Evelinde smiled at that gleeful greeting from Biddy as she entered the kitchen and paused to peer toward where Fergus and another man were carrying in large cloth bags of vegetables that were to be prepared for the evening meal.

"Good," she said with a pleased sigh. It was her first success at Donnachaidh, but Evelinde sincerely hoped not her last.

"In fact, I've more help than I can use at times," Biddy added wryly, her lips curving into a smile when Fergus grinned around the pasty in his mouth as he passed.

Evelinde peered after the man curiously. It wasn't the first time she'd seen him smile, but she'd come to realize he only seemed to do it around Biddy. The rest of the time he was as grim-faced as Cullen normally was.

Dragging her attention back to what Biddy had said, Evelinde suggested, "If you've more help than you need, then only make the pasties every other day. Or perhaps only when you think you'll need the help."

"Aye. I'll do that," Biddy decided, and shook her head. "I should have thought to use bribery years ago. 'Twould have eased our burden mightily these years." She peered at Evelinde solemnly. "Yer a clever, lass."

Evelinde flushed at the compliment. " 'Tisn't bribery. 'Tis a bit of sweet to tempt them is all."

Biddy chuckled at her discomfort, and said, " 'Tis bribery, and it works, and no one is hurt by it, so…" She shrugged, then asked, "Were ye lookin' to break yer fast? I've made a