Scot to the Touch (The Hots for Scots #7) - Caroline Lee Page 0,28

his defense. “He told me he’s heard the drummer. Have ye?”

“Och, of course I have,” Agatha snapped.

Nessa nodded. “We keep telling her that means she’s doomed to fall in love, but she claims she has nae need to marry and is content to live in sin.”

To Kat’s surprise, Davina looked up then, a small smile on her lips. “Grandda is too, and he’s mentioned Lady Agatha’s name more than once to me. I think he finds ye quite interesting.”

As both Nessa and Lara’s mouths dropped open in surprise, Agatha Oliphant blushed. She blushed and tittered, looking for all the world like a young lassie caught in the bloom of first love.

When the younger women burst into giggles, Katlyn joined them.

“I wonder if Grandda has heard the drummer?” she asked Davina with a wink.

Davina shrugged. “I dinnae believe the ghost exists.” She’d been standing beside Katlyn when they’d both heard the drumming from the walls, so why was she denying it? Mayhap for the same reason Katlyn had demurred earlier.

“So ye havenae heard him either?” Lara asked shrewdly. “That means ye arenae doooooomed to fall in love!”

“At least no’ with Kiergan,” Agatha pointed out matter-of-factly. “If he’s heard the drummer already, I mean.”

I havenae heard the drummer either, but I’m half in love with Kiergan already.

“Doooooomed” was right.

“Oh, for fook’s sake,” muttered Nessa, frowning down at her embroidery. “I cannae get this arm right.”

Lara moved wee Tomas to her shoulder and leaned over. “Here, let me see. Och, there’s yer problem.” She tapped at the linen. “It’s way down here.”

“That’s the point,” Nessa said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “It’s severed. I’ll add the blood here and here.”

Lara hummed. “Then why the look of ecstasy on his wee tiny face?”

“Ecstasy?” Nessa lifted the linen and frowned at it. “ ’Tis pain. His arm’s been severed, Lara.”

Shrugging, Lara sat back in her chair, patting the bairn’s back. “I’m just saying, ‘tis hard to tell. Mayhap once the blood’s been added.”

From his spot by the hearth, Liam spoke up. “What does for fox’s sake mean, Aunt Agatha?”

As the other women tried to stifle their giggles, Katlyn turned a bright smile to the lad, remembering a similar question from yesterday’s morning meal. “If yer mother asks ye where ye learned that, remind her of Uncle Kiergan’s naughty tongue, aye?”

The naughty tongue reminded her of unimaginable pleasure.

“But Aunt Nessa said it too,” Liam pointed out.

“Aye, but—” Lara said, before dissolving into giggles once more.

“Aye, but she learned it from Kiergan,” Katlyn improvised. “She’s his sister, ye ken.”

As the boy slowly nodded, considering her words, Nessa gasped for air. “Nay! Nay, if Evie asks, Liam, ye tell her that ye learned it from Uncle Duncan, aye?”

Katlyn’s lips pulled into a frown as she shot the auburn-headed woman a glance. “Why Duncan? ‘Twas Kiergan who said it—”

“Mayhap, but Duncan would never say such a thing in front of Liam,” Nessa hissed, her eyes darting between Liam and Kat. “So Evie will ken ‘tis ridiculous.”

The lad nodded solemnly. “Uncle Duncle and Da are always reminding me to mind my manners, but Uncle Duncle does an awful lot of punching.”

“ ’Tis because ye call him Uncle Duncle, lad, and he kens who to blame.” Nessa grinned wickedly. “Dinnae stop. My brothers need a good punching every now and then.”

Liam jumped to his feet, fluffed out his kilt, and gave an elaborate bow, the kind a courtier might give a queen. “Yer wish is my command, milady.”

Agatha burst into delighted cackles along with Nessa and Lara. Even Davina giggled, and it made Katlyn’s heart happy. She might’ve not learned much about her sister’s secret but spending time with the Oliphant ladies was fun.

She could imagine sitting here in this solar, sewing and chatting with them in between her duties, for years to come. They’d giggle about their families and the men in their lives, and after, she’d rest in Kiergan’s arms and tell him—

Nay.

She wasn’t destined to marry Kiergan. Davina was the hope of the MacKinnons, and Kat was the sister who bore the devil’s curse.

And Kiergan called her friend. Partner.

A hidden place in her heart hummed at the thought of being his partner, of working with him to make him better, make them both better. They were stronger together.

But that’s all they’d ever be.

Kiergan was in a foul mood, and he suspected he knew the cause: Katlyn.

Nay, not because of something she’d done, but because—after spending all of yesterday with her, holding her hand, declaring themselves to be friends