Page 10 of Hunted By the Hard Highlander

They left slowly, though. Their carts and mounts moved in a single-file procession. To Aurora’s paranoid mind, it looked like indecision. She did not have the mental capacity to consider any other explanations.

Before she could overwhelm herself with impossible scenarios, there was a knock at her door. She jumped, spinning around and staring at the handle as though she expected whoever was on the other side to push their way in. When she did not respond immediately, the knock came again.

“Ye may enter,” Aurora called out, placing a hand on her chest as she willed her heart to calm itself.

“I hope I dinnae frighten ye,” a kind-looking woman said, stepping into the room but staying close to the exit. “I was just comin’ to speak with ye before me husband, and I travel back to our lands. I am Lady MacGregor, but I would prefer if ye call me Alba.”

“Ye dinnae frighten me too badly, Alba,” Aurora said, forcing a kind smile onto her face. She did not want anyone to believe she was unkind. It had been a long time since she had been a part of polite society, but she remembered that first impressions were the most important. “I am Aurora, though I’m quite sure ye have already heard me name.”

“I have, but I would much prefer to hear it from yer mouth,” the other woman said. Her presence was calming and genuine. Despite herself, Aurora relaxed a little, feeling as if she had met a potential ally. “I want ye to ken that I am quite sorry that I dinnae have the chance to spend more time with ye before I left, but I will be back in three weeks' time.”

“Ye will be attendin’ the bindin’?” Aurora asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. It would be nice to have someone there for her, even if the connection was formed through the stranger she had agreed to tie herself to.

“Aye, I wouldnae miss it for anythin’,” Alba said, and it was hard not to believe her. “And I’m takin’ it upon meself to help ye settle into yer role as Lady Anderson. It seems ye have enough to worry about as it is. I would like to make yer transition a wee bit easier if I can.”

“Ye're too kind,” Aurora said, resting her hand against the wall beside her. She felt almost like she was lightheaded from the thoughtfulness. “I hadnae even considered how I would balance me new duties with everythin’ else.”

“Marriage is wonderful.” Alba held her gaze, something knowing flashing in her eyes. “But everythin’ leadin’ up to it can be overwhelmin’. Especially when yer marriage comes as a surprise to ye.”

“Ye are right,” Aurora said, a subtle warmth at being seen blooming in her stomach. “I am tellin’ meself that things will settle, but it is difficult to believe right now.”

“It may be difficult to believe, but it is the truth,” Alba told her, giving her a reassuring smile. “If ye need anythin’ at all in the next three weeks, ye can write to me.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Aurora said, unsure of how to truly convey her gratitude. “I appreciate ye comin’ to introduce yerself, and I will be lookin’ forward to seein’ ye again in three weeks.”

“Likewise, Lady Aurora,” Alba said, giving Aurora a small curtsey before resting her hand on the door handle again. “I bid ye farewell for now.”

As Aurora wished her safe travels, Alba slipped back into the corridor. Though she was alone once more, Aurora felt a little steadier. For so long, she had been handling every terrible thing on her own, shielding Adair from the harshest realities of the world. In the last twenty-four hours, she had forged two alliances. She did not yet know if she had made the right choices, but for now, she let herself feel a bit of comfort.

Not ten minutes after Aurora had watched Alba and Laird MacGregor leave in their carriage, another knock came at her door. This one was very different from Alba’s, surer of itself, more commanding. She already knew who was there before she crossed the room and opened it.

Still, seeing Hendry standing in front of her, so terribly tall and imposing, made her jump. Digging her fingernails into the wood, she said, “I wasnae expectin’ to see ye again today.”

“Come with me,” Hendry said, offering no further explanation. “There is somethin’ that I would like ye to see.”

Then, without waiting for her response, he turned around and began marching down the corridor. She watched his retreating figure for a few seconds before she took off after him, letting the door fall closed behind her. As she followed, she admired the line of his shoulders, silently marveling at the strength woven through his form.

She wondered how someone as rugged as him had learned to use his hands so gently. He looked as if he could dismantle entire armies on his own, yet she had only seen him nursing her brother back to health or careful mixing together tinctures. Though she had shared her secrets, it was clear that he harbored his own.

Ye are an enigma, Laird Anderson.

Chapter Six

“Bella.”

Hendry’s voice vibrated into the core of Aurora’s being. She wondered if he would ever stop making her breath stutter. She was not sure if it was fear or something else, but she did not have the time to pick the feeling apart.

“Aye, me Laird?” the healer asked as she dabbed at the boy’s cheeks with a flannel.

Color was beginning to return to his face, and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. It settled something in her spirit. He would make a full recovery, and it was all because of Laird Anderson.

“I would like ye to give Lady Aurora the same report that ye just gave me,” he instructed, stepping to the side and gesturing to Aurora.

“His fever has broken,” Isabella said, her voice carefully devoid of inflection. “He will still need time to recover his strength, and he may still suffer from a few mild symptoms, but I believe he is through the worst of it.”

“I have done me own assessment,” Hendry added, his arms crossed over his chest, his voice taking on the same professional tone as Bella. “I am inclined to agree. His temperature is normal, and his sleep has been uninterrupted. I can confirm he has been keeping down fluids as well.”

“Ye mean that?” Aurora whispered as she crept forward, her fingers twitching at her sides.