My father was all about getting work done. And I know I shouldn’t be so needy, but what’s the harm in sitting beside Jude? Oh bother!
I’m not going to be able to get him out of my mind until I do something. Just a quick little peek inside his office. Maybe even have Paige bring in some food and have a little picnic inside the study next to the fire. That wouldn’t be so bad. A man does have to eat, after all.
With full determination and a new sense of purpose, Cleo knew what she wanted to do. A light rapping on the door caught her attention and she quickly opened it. Paige stood there with the bright smile and a tray full of food for her almost as if the servant had read her mind.
“Perfect timing,” Cleo said as she scooped her arm into Paige’s.
“What are we doin’?” Paige asked as Cleo spun her around and walked her out of the room.
“We are bringing that to the Laird,” Cleo said smiling brightly.
“Are we now?” Paige said as she glanced around. “Do ye ken where Felix is?”
“No, can’t say that I do,” Cleo said. “Jude has promised to keep the guards at bay. His exact orders were that I was free to roam where I pleased without an escort. Unless I want to go outside. In which case, Felix will escort me.”
“Did he now?” Paige said as her eyebrows rose. The servant glared at Cleo with a hint of skepticism.
“Oh, it’s fine,” Cleo said as they walked arm in arm down the hallway as if they were the best of friends. “You can ask him yourself when we get to the study to surprise him.”
“Daenae mind if I do,” Paige said. “And if I may be so bold, can I ask ye a few questions?”
“Go right ahead,” Cleo said. “I have nothing to hide.”
“Is it true the Laird has an eye for ye?” Paige asked. Cleo glanced over to the servant and noticed her cheeks turning a brighter shade of red.
“You could put it that way,” Cleo answered.
“Rumor has it ye’re goin’ to be the next Lady of the House,” Paige said. The fact that the servants were already gossiping about such things didn’t really surprise Cleo. After all, in her Father’s house word spread faster than fire.
“Would that be so bad?” Cleo asked glancing to the girl next to her. Paige shook her head and giggled.
“Truth is, it would be quite grand to see ye as the Mistress here. There are certain things that the Laird just doesnae understand about decoratin’. He thinks every room should look like a huntin’ party came through.”
“Yes, well, that would be one thing I would certainly change,” Cleo said as she realized almost every room did have a stuffed animal head hanging from a wall or two. She thought it was normal as she had grown up in a house that was decorated the same way.
Cleopatra stopped at the bottom of the stairs and glanced about, searching for anyone who may have been watching them. She leaned in closer to Paige and cupped her hand over her mouth to muffle her voice so that only Paige heard her. “Can I tell you a secret?”
Paige nodded slowly as she stared at Cleo.
“Jude has asked me to marry him,” Cleopatra confessed. Paige just giggled as she shook her head.
“I hate to break it to ye, but that’s nae news,” Paige said, “there are a few of us who’ve been gossipin’ about when he would pop the question.”
“How did you know? Did he tell you? Has he spoken to someone about it?” Cleopatra asked as she watched Paige.
The servant shook her head.
“The Laird hasnae said anythin’ to anybody, but it’s obvious by the way ye two have been fraternizin’ about the Castle. Everyone can see that there’s somethin’ goin’ on and just so ye ken, I bet two shillin’s that he would pop the question before winter came. And thanks to ye, I will win that bet.”
“Thanks to me?” Cleo asked in quizzically. She stared for the servant completely befuddled with the fact that she knew the secret at all.
“In truth, nobody kenned for certain until ye just said it,” Paige said with a wink. “But daenae worry, the news willnae spread beyond me until the Laird announces it himself.”
“How are you going to prove you won the bet then?” Cleo asked as she tilted her head and stared at the servant.
“Daenae ye worry about that. I will be able to hint at it ever so subtly without the other servants gettin’ too caught up in the major details.”
“Do you suppose the Laird will mention this to anybody anytime soon?” Cleo asked as she felt her heart tighten. It wasn’t that Jude had kept the secret from his servants, but more that he was keeping to himself. She wondered why news of a marriage, that was usually a happy event where she came from, had to be shrouded in secrecy here.
“Perhaps ye should talk to the Laird about that yerself,” Paige said as they moved to the closed doors of the study. Cleo sucked in a deep breath as she paused a moment. Slowly, she drew her hand up and rapped her knuckles on the door. Pressing her ear to the door, Cleo could hear the shuffle of footsteps growing closer. Her heart fluttered as she stepped back and waited for the door to open.
“Can I help ye?”
Cleo glanced through the sliver that the old man had cracked the door. “Is Jude in?”
“Nay, he’s nae here,” the Ian said sharply.
“Well, where has he gone to?” Cleo asked as she stepped back. By the glare of the old man’s eyes, she felt as if she was intruding on something.
“I daenae ken,” he said.
“Good, sir,” Paige said stepping closer to the door. “I’ve brought food. Surely ye and the Laird are hungry.”
“I told ye,” the man said as his eyes narrowed. “The Laird is nae here.
