Highland Supplanter (Book 2)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Darkness had fallen as it always did in the middle of winter, quickly and early. Fyfa had found she could not squeeze any more information about her father out of Hamish. Over the last week that they had held her father at the keep, they had not allowed her to see, talk or be anywhere near him. While she understood why they had decided such, it was still her father, at one time she had known he loved her. He may not have shown it recently, or well, for many winters now, and hurt her beyond what she could ever tell Hamish about. But he was still her father. The male who had given her life. The one she had disappointed.

The guilt was eating her up inside. She was overcompensating that feeling by trying to make everything perfection within Hamish’s home. She made sure the meals were hot, and waiting for him, either first thing in the morning, or when he was to return on the days he was on duty. He had been spending his free days at the cottage with her. Completing repairs, and working with his hands on carving little bits and pieces. But she could never make her mind up about what he was making as he made sure to lock them away before she could ever gain a proper look.

She had seen Hamish give her some strange glances over the week. Almost as if he were worried about her, but she tried to make it seem as if she was happy, that she was making herself at home, rather than just keeping busy. There had been many a time that he had physically moved her to sit and stay still when he deemed she was causing herself too much pain. And she had to admit that at times she was feeling the pain in her ribs, making her breathing laboured. Her feet ached every moment of the day, seeming to throb when she finally did let them rest, and with the heat and pain combining it was making sleep difficult. And while she had tried to hide it from Hamish, she had an inkling that he was starting to realise what was happening.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened the platters upon the table, taking note of the cleanliness of the surroundings she had once more cleaned throughout the day, with Hamish taking guard for an ill clansman, he had not be there to be able to stop her. While her body was just one large ache, she had learned over the years to smile through any agony she felt, and keeping it in place as the door opened with a blast of chilling air was harder than it had ever been before. Because the more time she spent with Hamish, the more she wanted to let him know her true emotions. But from past experience she knew, revealing true emotions meant that she was giving another the way in which to destroy her once and for all. And no matter how much she wanted to at the moment, she could not yet trust Hamish enough to let him into her deep inner emotions.

Hamish entered, bringing with him a flurry of fresh snow. Turning and snapping the door closed quickly. Finally seeing Fyfa as he hung his cloak on the hook. She looked to pale again. He had known she had not slept well again, tossing and turning constantly. He had even distracted her half way through the night, hoping to make her tired after making her seek bliss. But he awoke not long after with her still awake and turning over and over. And from the look of the cottage, with the surfaces that practically gleamed, and how she had made the wooden furniture do so he could never say, she had spent the entire time he had left her alone to be a one woman cleaning frenzy.