Page 60 of A Scot on Duchess Square
“I might have known,” she grumbled. “What did she try to do?”
“She was beside yer bags, searching through them.” He held up the silver heart locket she had removed earlier and placed in its box in her travel bag. “This is what she was after.”
He then handed it back to her while he checked her ribs to make certain there was no additional damage.
“I’m fine,” she assured him. “Just a passing discomfort when she elbowed me. It was more to push me out of the way than a purposeful attempt to hurt me.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her back into his suite, setting her down gently on the sofa. “Stay put while I check to make certain she didna do something more.”
“You slept in your clothes,” she remarked, relieved that he had not chased the culprit down the hall while stark naked.
He nodded. “I thought I’d stay prepared, but ye’d better no’ sneak into my bedchamber, because I always do sleep naked. Dinna put it to the test or ye’ll face the consequences.”
“I’m sure I would enjoy the consequences with you.”
He groaned and shook his head. “Aye, lass. Ye would. So would I.”
As he raked a hand through his hair, she noticed a trickle of blood at the corner of his eye. “Wait! You’re bleeding.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” She held him back when he attempted to rise. “How did this happen?”
He grinned. “She tossed one of yer knitting books at me. Who knew knitting could be so dangerous?”
“Honestly,” she said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. “Her aim was very good.”
“Aye, I’m sure she makes a habit of tossing objects at anyone who displeases her. She must be a crack marksman by now.”
“Yes, her aim is always piercingly accurate. Sit down, Solway. I’ll—”
“Bram. Ye need to call me Bram.”
She sighed. “Fine, Bram. Stay put and I’ll clean off the blood.”
“I can do it myself.”
Miranda smiled but held firm. “Now you are sounding like me. Sit still,Bram. You cannot go into the suite’s bedroom because Gwenys is sleeping in there. I’ll fetch a clean cloth andthe ewer of water. You can fetch that bottle of brandy on the mantel.”
“I will, but after I lock up yer guest room so that the witch does no’ think to sneak in again. I had it locked, but she must have stolen the innkeeper’s spare key. She dropped it while escaping.” He dipped into his pocket, took it out to show her, and then placed the key in his pocket again.
Shaking his head, he left her side to return to the other room.
Since he had left her holding the heart necklace, she clasped it around her neck and resolved not to take it off at all for the rest of their journey.
Upon his return, Miranda tended to him. The gash above his eye was not deep, more of a scrape than an actual cut. There was also a slight amount of swelling around the area of the injury, but she knew the small lump would subside in a day or two.
After washing away the thin trail of blood, she cleansed it with brandy. “There, done,” she said quietly, not wishing to wake up Gwenys, although it was beyond her how the girl could sleep so soundly.
“Thank ye,” he said in a whisper, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “Lock up after me. Place that chair against the door. I’ll see ye in the morning.”
“I’m sorry about tonight.”
He shrugged and then fingered the silver heart necklace she had put around her neck again. “Wasn’t yer fault. This looks nice on ye. Perhaps when we get to London, I’ll have it engraved.”
“If it is important to you.” Miranda ran her own fingers lightly over the heart. “I know who gave it to me and shall never forget.”
He kissed her softly again. “Sweet dreams, Miranda.”
