“To my room.” She hesitated, her hand on the latch to the room that adjoined his. His wife’s room. She looked at him over her shoulder. “It’s where I’ve been staying. Mrs. Mac put me in there. If you’d prefer, I can take a room elsewhere.”
He stood, adjusting his plaid. “Nay, that’l be fine, lass. Aileanna, I’m—”
She shook her head, closing the door firmly behind her. Rory cursed. He ignored the burning pain in his side as he wrenched the door to his chambers open. He barely ac
knowledged the greetings of his men gathered at the bottom of the staircase as he made his way to the study. Once inside, he rummaged through the desk for a piece of parchment and his quil . Finding what he required, he sat down to compose a letter to Angus Graham inquiring into the identity of one Aileanna Graham.
Chapter 5
Ali rested her forehead against the rough wood-planked door, softly cursing the man on the other side and her reac tion to him. His tender kisses and heated caresses had turned her into a quivering mass of boneless desire. Her brain had stopped working, and she was lucky he hadn’t prodded further with his questions. She slapped a hand to the door, pretending it was his broad, muscular, and total y gorgeous chest. Typical man; seducing her with his tempting kisses only to get the answers he wanted. It would serve him right if she told him the truth. But Ali couldn’t, not without break
ing her promise to Iain, and his only crime was that he loved his brother. She envied them that. No, she wouldn’t reveal his secret. She’d find the fairy flag on her own and no one would be the wiser.
noying voice in her head reminded her. Ali grimaced at the thought of the MacLeods’ suffering because of what she planned to do. But it couldn’t be helped. She had to find a way home.
Al right, so her personal and professional lives were a mess. But at least she’d be back where she belonged.
“My lady?”
Ali whirled around to face Mari, who hesitated in the doorway to her room, a wary expression on the young maid’s face. “Ah, hi. I didn’t hear you come in.”
The young girl dipped her head. “I’m sorry, my lady. I didna’ mean to disturb ye.”
Ali waved off her apology, hoping Mari hadn’t been there long enough to witness her hitting the door and talk ing to herself. “You didn’t.” She smiled in an attempt to ease the young girl’s discomfort. Mrs. Macpherson had persuaded Ali to take Mari on as her maid. She’d resisted at first; she didn’t have any idea what she was supposed to do with a lady’s maid and didn’t plan on being here long enough to find out. But the older woman was nothing if not tenacious. And Ali had given in, once Mrs. Mac explained that because of Mari’s appear ance, and the clan’s superstitious tendencies, the girl would have a difficult time of it if she didn’t. Ali knew how it felt to be on the outside looking in, and she wasn’t about to al ow Mari to suffer the same fate. Not if she could help it.
“Come in, Mari. Is Mrs. Mac looking for me?”
“Nay, she said to tel ye the last of the men have been seen to and ye can have yerself a wee rest.”
“Wel , I don’t know about taking a nap.” She wouldn’t. Now was the perfect opportunity to search the castle. Too busy during the last week seeing to the men of Dunvegan, Ali hadn’t had a chance to look for the fairy flag. With LORD OF THE ISLES
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Mrs. Mac occupied, and Rory MacLeod tucked away in his room, she could search at her leisure.
“My lady, what have ye done?”
Ali fol owed the direction of Mari’s stricken gaze. “Ah, this?” She touched the tear in her gown. Her face flushed, remembering who put it there. “I caught it on . . . on the chair when I was seeing to Lord MacLeod. Do you know how to sew, Mari?”
“Aye, my lady. I’l take care of it fer ye. I’l find ye an
other gown,” the girl said. She bent over the trunk and pul ed out a gown of robin’s egg blue. “’Twil look bonny on ye, my lady.” Mari held up the dress, a wistful expres
sion on her young face.
Ali’s heart clenched. She couldn’t help but notice the sharp contrast between the beautiful gown Mari held out to her, and the threadbare brown woolen dress the girl wore.
“I don’t know, I think the color would be perfect on you, Mari. Why don’t you try it on?”
Mari gasped. “Nay, my lady. I canna’ do that. ’Tis no’
right.”
“Don’t be sil y. Mrs. Mac said you’re my maid, so there’s no reason you can’t wear what I want you to.”
