“Certainly,” Bridgette replied before turning and walking away with Graham.
Hunger ripped through him as he watched her retreating form. What he felt for Bridgette was a mad sort of lust.
Lachlan watched as Bridgette and Graham made their way slowly through the crowd. He did not blink, nor move, nor breathe until they disappeared.
“Ye’re staring at that woman,” Helena said evenly, her voice displaying only a hint of anger. It occurred to him that these words were likely the first honest ones she’d spoken to him.
Lachlan met Rory Mac’s amused gaze and then looked at Helena. “She’s a beautiful woman,” he said simply.
“I’ma beautiful woman,” she replied with ire.
Rory Mac let out a cough that did not fully cover his muffled laughter. Lachlan shot his friend, who believed Lachlan had temporarily bound himself to Helena out of lust, a warning look.
“Ye are, lass. More beautiful,” Lachlan added.
A smirk came to Helena’s lips. “Now ye’re lying.”
He quirked his eyebrows. “What makes ye say such a thing?”
She pressed a finger to his bottom lip, looked as if she was about to admit something, and then gave a false laugh. “Because I have eyes. Bridgette MacLean is the sort of beauty minstrels sing about. My brother said so and I did nae believe him, but he was right.”
“So are ye,” Rory Mac said.
Lachlan frowned as he thought of what Helena had just said. He despised the thought of her brother fantasizing about Bridgette, but more than that, he wondered if Helena being here could have something to do with Bridgette. Tension radiated through him causing knots in his shoulders and neck. He didn’t believe for a breath that the Campbell laird really wanted a union between Lachlan and his daughter, but he knew the man had wanted a union between Bridgette and Colin. The Campbell was cunning and knew that such a union would mean Alex, as Bridgette’s loving brother, would not wish to raise forces against the Campbell if the king ever requested it.
Was Helena here to get information from Lachlan, or was she here to somehow help Colin wed Bridgette? Or was it both? Until he knew for certain, he would need to keep a very close watch on Bridgette.
The idea of having an excuse to observe her both excited him and made him fearful. He would need to guard her from a distance, so as to keep the temptation she presented away.
Lachlan knew Colin was traveling with King David and that the king was making his way here, and suddenly Lachlan had a deep, uneasy feeling about it. He glanced at Helena. Somehow he had to get the information he needed from her. “I imagine yer brother was verra angry after Bridgette refused his offer of marriage. Yer father, as well, I suspect.”
A flash of fear appeared in Helena’s eyes before it was gone. She stared steadily at him, proving she was quite adept at recovering from her stumble. “Och, nay. Allegiances are made and broken every day.”
“That belief does nae bode well for our allegiance, does it?” he said, studying Helena for her reaction.
She fidgeted with her gown. “I dunnae mean us, of course,” she replied sweetly, offering a smile that did not reach her eyes. “I’m verra tired.”
He imagined she was. Being deceptive was rather exhausting.
“Are ye, lass?” he asked mildly.
She nodded. “I’m sure ye wish to visit yer clansmen. Would ye mind a servant showing me to a bedchamber?”
He noted that she’d not saidhisbedchamber, and he was glad of it. He’d get no rest if he had to be on constant guard with her in his room.
He caught one of the servant’s attention, a girl called Lillias who often flirted with him but with whom he had never dallied. He waved her over. “Lillias, this is Helena Campbell. We’re pledged to marry.”
Lillias gaped at him, then her mouth set into a pout. He tugged a hand through his hair, aware of Rory Mac grinning like a clot-heid beside him. “Will ye show Helena to a guest bedchamber?”
“Aye, my lord.”
As the two women turned and started to walk away, Lillias suddenly looked back at Lachlan and winked before batting her eyelashes at him and continuing on her way.
Rory Mac burst out laughing. “It seems Lillias still wants ye in spite of ye being pledged to marry Helena.”
Lachlan rubbed at the knots in his neck. “So it seems,” he replied, distracted by trying to determine how he could get information from Helena.
“What’s the matter?” Rory Mac asked, suddenly serious. “Are things unwell with Helena?”
