Page 30 of Defy the Highlander

“Where is the broth?” Colly asked, looking up from the tray.

Lilia pointed to the hearth behind her. “There,” she said. “I was looking for a bowl.”

“Then find it quickly. Dunna make Lady Currie wait.”

Lilia didn’t move. She wasn’t sure why Colly was there, but she knew she didn’t like it. “Why did ye come down here?” she asked. “Did m’lady send ye for something else?”

Colly shook her head, but her dark-eyed gaze was riveted to Lilia. “I came tae ensure ye brought her the right food,” she said. “Ye canna be trusted, Lilia.”

Lilia fought off her natural reaction to Colly, which was to argue with her. But it wasn’t safe to do that in a kitchen with sharp things around. In fact, Lilia glanced around, quickly, looking for the knives, which fortunately were closer to her than they were to Colly. That made her feel a little better.

But only marginally.

She was on edge.

“At least I dunna lie tae m’lady like ye do,” she said. “Why do ye do that? Don’t ye know that the servants would respect ye more if ye were simply fair and honest with them? Ye dunna need tae frighten everyone half tae death.”

Colly lifted a bushy eyebrow. “Ye foolish chit,” she muttered. “Ye willna last long here. Ye’ll be gone soon enough.”

Lilia shook her head sadly. “Colly, I’ve been here for nearly two years and ye’ve done nothing but vex me since the day I arrived,” she said. “Did ye not stop tae think that if ye dunna bother me, I willna bother ye? I have no choice but tae be here. Believe me, if I could leave, I would. We have tae make the best of it.”

Colly stepped away from the tray as if contemplating what Lilia was saying. “Ye dunna belong with Lady Currie,” she said. “I know that yer father gave ye over tae Laird Currie tae pay off a debt.”

“That is true. Everyone knows.”

“But ye should serve Laird Currie, not his wife.”

Lilia threw up her hands. “I have no choice,” she said. “I go where I’m told tae go and ye know that Lady Currie likes for me tae accompany her tae the Ludus Caledonia when she goes. I wish I dinna have tae go, Colly, believe me. None of this is my choice.”

Colly continued to move away from the tray, heading in her direction. “Ye set a bad example for all of the servants,” she said. “Ye’re bold and ye have an unruly tongue. Lady Currie is too fine a lady for the likes of ye. Ye should have never come here.”

Lilia had nothing more to say to a woman in this increasingly circular argument. Even though she understood that Lilia was here against her will, still, she seemed to expect her to flee or hide or otherwise make herself scarce. But it simply proved to Lilia that the woman wanted to control everyone around Lady Currie.

Was Lilia a bad influence? Not at all. But she was invited to go to the Ludus Caledonia with Lady Currie and Colly was not. Colly was always left behind.

Lilia suspected that might be the root of the jealousy.

Without another word, she turned around and began hunting for a bowl for the broth even though she knew Tynan had one. But the child was hiding, so she fumbled around until she came across a big, wooden bowl.

Bent over a series of stacking shelves, she was just putting her hands on the bowl when she heard something behind her. She caught sight of a foot, Colly’s foot, before a sharp pain to her head knocked her to her knees.

In a panic, she knew that Colly was trying to kill her and she cursed herself for turning her back on the woman. It had been a mistake.

A mistake that was going to cost her.

Another blow to her head and the world went black.

CHAPTER NINE

It had been three long days since Brody had seen Lilia and as the sun rose on the fourth day, something told him this day, too, would pass without seeing her.

It was just a feeling he had.

Something was wrong.

He’d been to The Sticky Wick three days in a row, remaining from morning until very late in the evening, watching the alley behind the place for Lady Currie’s fine carriage to roll in. But it never did. Meanwhile, he’d asked the tavernkeep about the Ludus Caledonia and was met with stony silence. Either the man didn’t know or didn’t want to answer.

Brody suspected it was the latter.