“I ken.”
Nessa might not know of the secret passages, but she knew of Lara’s obsession with her older brother. Well, mayhap obsession wasn’t the right word. What would be the correct word for thinking of a man all the time, and imagining his hands on her body when she touched herself, and occasionally sneaking along the castle’s secret passages to spy on him doing naked calisthenics?
Obsession works, aye.
“He’s fine,” Lara mumbled, knowing ‘twas true. Alistair was verra fine indeed. “Could we please change the subject?”
Chuckling again, Nessa nodded, folding her embroidery. “Aright. I just had to ask, since we rarely get time alone these days.”
Her friend was right. Today they’d met in Nessa’s room just so they could have the chance to talk uninterrupted. The laird’s aunt, Lady Agatha, was holding her usual court in the ladies’ solar down the hall. At least two of Nessa’s sisters-in-law would likely be there, mayhap more. But ‘twas nice to be able to laugh freely about penises and such with her friend.
“And what are the ladies discussing today?” Lara asked, pretending the question actually mattered to her.
“Likely Da’s birthday celebration,” came the reply. “Ye’ve heard of it, I presume?”
Finally, something safe to discuss which didn’t involve her unfortunately voyeuristic one-sided love affair.
“Have I heard of it?” Lara nodded to the now-blank slate across the room. “What do ye think I was mulling on over there? I’m to plan the menu,” she stated proudly. Her mother had told her that very morning, and Lara was excited for the chance to show the clan her culinary expertise.
“That is wonderful news, Lara!” Beaming, Nessa leaned over and grabbed Lara’s hand to squeeze it. “I’m happy for ye, and I cannae wait to see what ye come up with. Da will surely love it.”
“Do ye think so?” ‘Twas the one thing worrying Lara most at that point. “Ye dinnae think he’d prefer something more traditional? Something, like Mam would plan?”
Nessa winked. “I think Da would like anything yer mother came up with, if ye ken my meaning. But aye, since Moira vouched for ye, I’m sure he’d be happy.”
Lara’s eyes widened as she realized her friend’s meaning. “Ye think…my mother and yer father…?”
The look her friend gave her was entirely too skeptical. “Ye dinnae?”
Actually, Lara had long suspected that her widowed mother had found love. The two women shared a room after all, and there have been many nights when Mam wouldn’t join her in the bed at all, but would appear refreshed and invigorated in the kitchens in the morning.
Lara had assumed she was sleeping—or not sleeping—in some mysterious man’s bed and didn’t begrudge her mother the happiness one bit. ‘Twas impossible to ignore the spring in the older woman’s step after an evening away from their shared room, and Lara benefitted from the absence as well, because it had allowed her the chance to explore her own body.
Aye, Mam had definitely taken a lover, but was the mystery lover the laird?
Lara shook her head in disbelief. “
This would bear some study.
But Nessa had apparently moved on to a different thought. “I’m excited to see what ye and Alistair come up with for the celebration.”
Lara’s head whipped around. “What?”
When her friend blinked innocently, ‘twas obvious to Lara that Nessa had made the seemingly casual announcement just to see the effect it had on her. “Oh, did ye no’ ken? Da has put ye in charge of the menu and Alistair in charge of planning.”
Frowning, Lara pushed herself to her feet. “Yer brother is already overworked as is!”
Nessa shrugged. “ ’Tis the laird’s will, and ye ken Alistair will be able to handle it.”
“Aye, of course he can!” There was naught the poor man couldn’t do, which is why he was always being asked to do it! “But he already shoulders too much responsibility.”
Her friend shrugged again, still too nonchalant. “What can be done? At least ye’re there to help shoulder this burden this time.”
Huffing, Lara slammed her hands against her hips and whirled around. Alistair Oliphant practically ran the clan’s business as ‘twas; he didn’t need one more thing added to his list! He had to be the most uptight and stressed man she knew, and now he’d been given an additional burden to deal with.
As she paced, she fumed. The man was under so much pressure, with so little time, he rarely had time to train with the other warriors. She knew for a fact he’d had to give up his regular morning rides a few years ago when his father had turned the clan business over to him.
He didn’t have any chance to just relax, which is why he’d taken to doing those naked pushy-clapping calisthenics she liked so much.
“ ’Tis intolerable!” she muttered. “One more thing for him to worry about! Just let the poor man rest, by the Virgin! He does far more than anyone else!”
Nessa was watching Lara, her hands folded in her lap and a secret smile on her face. “So help him.”
“With the planning?” Lara swung around. “Aye, I will.”
“Nay—I mean, aye, with the planning.” Nessa’s grin grew. “But I also meant help him relax.”
Lara narrowed her eyes. “What do ye mean?”
“I mean, go talk to him. Ye could use the celebration as an excuse, but ye could also see how he’s feeling. Talk to him, Lara. Make him laugh. Teach him how to relax.”
Part of her wondered if her friend had set this all up, but that part was quickly being drowned out by a bigger part of her—a screaming, whooping voice—which was hollering, Talk to him! Talk to him!
She’d grown up with the man, and despite her secret spying on him, he likely didn’t even know who she was any longer. She’d said so little to him over the last few years, since she understood the feelings she had for him, and she wasn’t certain he even knew she existed.
“Go,” Nessa whispered. Then, louder, with a little shooing motion, “Go. He’s likely in his solar, as
