The bread was the best I’d ever tasted, twenty-first century included.
The note came as a pleasant surprise. All I’d seen of Adwen the day before was at the evening meal and then he was so engrossed in conversation with Isobel that he hardly noticed me. I was fine with that. To me, it meant that he was trying. After all, I didn’t see or speak to most of my friends every single day.
Cooper, on the other hand, I did speak with every single day, and I found it hard not to take his sudden disinterest in me too personally. Normally, I couldn’t pull him from my side, but since meeting Orick, I’d become far less interesting. The only interaction I had with him at all the day before was when he came to show me the fresh fish he caught and gutted clean. It stunk worse than a men’s locker room, but he was so proud of it, I couldn’t help but smile when he showed it to me. But afterwards, he ran back to Orick, making himself suspiciously vacant for the rest of the evening.
I tried to tell myself not to be bothered by it. It only made sense for him to enjoy all of the new people there were around him. I was still his constant. When we returned home, I’d be fun Aunt Jane to him once again.
Finishing my breakfast, I dressed and readied myself for the day. While I was unsure of how I would fill most of my day, I knew exactly what I wanted to do first.
*
The tallest tower sat directly on top of my room, and the winding stone steps that led up to it were many. The trip to the top was worth it every single time. I smiled as I rounded the last step, landing in the doorway of the windowed room.
The room was completely round and long. The tall windows normally flooded the room with light but, on this morning, the clouds were too thick and stormy for much sun to shine through. Even without the sun, it provided spectacular views of the ocean, and I walked over to the windows to look down at the rocks below.
The waves rose high onto the rocks, fierce with their fury. I shivered as I watched the storm pick up speed. It was storms such as this that could make the bridge impassable, not because of rising water, but the winds would cause great buildups of snow that would make travel nearly impossible. I found myself hoping that no one was out in such weather. Just as I turned to track down Cooper to make sure he was safely inside, Adwen appeared in the doorway.
“Orick has gone to take all of yer horses into the village. The storm will frighten them in the stables here; there is a place in town where they will be safe.”
“And where is Cooper?” I held my breath. Surely, Orick hadn’t taken Cooper with him.
“Charming Isobel and pestering Gregor. He’s fine, lass, safe within the castle walls.”
I nodded. As long as Orick made it back safely and I knew everyone was out of harm’s way, the storm could go on as long as it wished, but I wouldn’t be able to relax completely until everyone was accounted for. The air held a nervous edge to it. As the rain beat against the windows, I couldn’t shake the ominous feeling settling deep inside my abdomen.
As Adwen stepped inside, I tried to distract myself from my worry. “I wanted to thank you for suggesting that Cooper’s fish be cooked for dinner last night. He was so proud…seeing us all eat it made his week.”
“’Twas my pleasure, Jane. I am no really such a bad man.”
“No. Just a sex-crazed one.”
I watched as his eyes flashed dark, and I immediately regretted my quick clip at him.
“Enough, Jane. How can ye expect me to try or to even believe myself that I can behave differently with ye when ye doona believe it yerself?”
I moved toward him, embarrassed by how impulsive and inconsiderate my words could sometimes be. “I’m sorry. Really. There’s just something about you that just brings it out of me.” I reached out to squeeze his hand in apology, immediately jerking back once our fingers made contact. “Eeek. Why are your fingers so freezing?”
He shrugged, confused as he held his fingers up to examine them. “I doona know, lass. Why doona ye warm them for me?”
I stood back and stared at him. His eyes held a mischievous glint, and I knew he didn’t really care at all if his fingers were cold. I only hesitated a brief moment before taking his large hands in my own, blowing them with warm air before rubbing my palms back and forth across his hands.