A Love to Discover (Loving in the Highlands 2)

I have one entire day at this castle until I leave. I hope that she will agree to leave with me. I know that she may not love me the way that I love her, but at least, she likes me, I am sure of it. Also, Elsie needs the sense of security and protection, and she knows that she can get it from me. If I give her love, protection, and home, chances are that she will agree to become my wife.

I take a deep breath. I am sure that I will do everything to make her happy. She will love me over time. I will be the perfect husband for her whom she will certainly start to love the way that I will love her.

I do not know how much time has passed, but I cannot fall asleep. I feel as if I am losing the precious hours that I could have spent with Elsie, the ray of sun. I know that most probably she is asleep now, as it is past midnight, probably near dawn. I wonder what she is dreaming about right now. I hope she is dreaming about me.

I keep my eyes closed, hoping to sleep, so that I will be able to wake up early in the morning and see her. But the first rays of sun start appearing from the horizon and fall into my eyes through the window. I had better get up and get ready. Today is the last day, and I have to tell her about my feelings. I am leaving tomorrow morning, hopefully with her.

Elsie

I lay with my eyes open. The first sunrays peek into my eyes, informing me that it is already morning. I turn around in my bed and close my eyes. Something is happening inside of me. No, I am not falling in love. But I am a bit sad that Calem is leaving tomorrow. So today is the last day that we are together, and then he will go and become a history. And then maybe he will get married to someone and receive the lands that his laird has promised him.

I get up and walk to the mirror. I am really beautiful, and I know it. I am sure Calem likes me more than he has told me. I smile – it is so pleasant that he likes me. I feel thrill. After washing getting dressed, I make my hair and leave my room. To my surprise, Calem is standing in the corridor, right next to my bedroom door. Taken aback, I stop in my tracks and look at him questioningly.

'Good morning to the prettiest lady in this castle,' he says. I raise my eyebrows and nod.

'Good morning, Calem, it was kind of a surprise to see you outside my door…' I say, trying to hide the fact that my breathing is faster now.

'I wanted to see you first,' he says, smiling. I look at him, trying to understand if he is joking, but he sounds quite serious. And what he said is now in the list of his sayings, to which I do not have any response.

'Oh, nice,' I mumble. 'I was just heading to the dining-room for breakfast. Maybe you will join me?'

'Of course, I will join you, Elsie, it is not even a question,' he says, as we start walking down the corridor.

'So, how did you know which one was my bedroom?' I ask. He stays silent for a few seconds. I smile. I have hit a spot. Now he does not have a response. I can hardly keep from laughing.

'I asked Sloan,' he says at last. 'He told me where your bedroom was. Do you have any problems with it?'

'Problems? Oh, no, why would I have problems?' I can sense that the conversation is slowly starting to become a bit awkward. I am thankful that we reach the dining-room quickly and the conversation topic is changed.

Most of Sloan's clan members are in the dining-room already, as Forba is putting the last dishes on the table. Megan is also there, sitting next to Sloan. When she sees me entering the dining-room together with Calem, she gives me a meaningful smile and a small wave of hand, as a greeting sign. I wave back, and we go and sit together, across from Megan and Sloan.

'Yesterday we did not have time to see the tower in this castle,' I say, as we start eating. 'I will show you it today.'

'Yes, it will be good,' he replies. 'Today is my last day here, I would like to see everything before I leave.'

'Well, in that case, I can show you other things, as well,' I say hurriedly, eager to spend more time with him during today. 'For example, the barn, the pantry, the … the kitchen. We can also go to the flower park in the backside of the castle.'