“And what?”
Her sister smiled gently. “And ye’ve thought about his arms around ye once or twice. Ye’ve pictured how he’d look, propped over ye in bed. Ye’ve wondered if his fingers are callused, and how they’d feel against yer nipples. Go on. I’m a healer, ye cannae shock me. Admit it.”
Wynda swallowed.
She took a deep breath.
She nodded. “Aye.”
“Aye, what?”
“Aye, all that.”
Nichola burst into laughter. “Excellent! I kenned ye had feelings, under all that logic—nay, dinnae be hurt, I’m no’ teasing ye.”
Her cheeks warm from her embarrassed flush, Wynda focused on putting away her scribe tools. “It sounds as if ye’re teasing me,” she mumbled.
Still chuckling, Nichola turned back to her own work. “Well, I’m sorry. I’m just glad to ken ye’re no’ broken, and ye can appreciate a fine-looking man when ye see one. Robena told me ye were always so flustered whenever Pherson’s name came up, I had to be certain.”
“And…ye’ll tell everyone I assume?”
Nichola spun around, a look of genuine hurt on her face. “I understand confidences, Wynda. I’ll no’ spill yer secrets…unless I see another lass moving in on yer man.”
“He’s no’ my man,” mumbled Wynda, capping the ink. “But…thank ye.”
“Ye’ve naught to worry about from me, and unless I’m mistaken, Robena has her eye on that fine-looking Laird MacBain who’s still visiting.”
He was attractive, in a big, well-muscled sort of way.
Naught at all in a wiry, lean, callused hands and ropey forearm sort of way, eh?
Wynda closed her eyes on a silent groan, irritated that her own subconscious couldn’t cease teasing her.
Conveniently—or inconveniently, depending if ye actually liked yer eardrums—her awkwardness was interrupted by a blaring screech of sound.
Both sisters winced and tilted their heads to glare up at the ceiling.
“I hate the bagpipes,” muttered Nichola. “Speaking of haunting, eh?”
Wynda stuck a finger in her right ear, her right eye still closed, as if that would help block out the offending noise. “At least the pipes are way up on the upper battlements.” She raised her voice to be heard. “‘Tis nae as if they were, say, right here in the solar.”
Heaven knew they’d all been subjected to enough noise here, what with Robena’s practicing and Leanna’s shenanigans.
Nichola sighed. “Ye’re right. I just wish that was one ghost we could excise to the Great Beyond.”
Tsking, Wynda lowered her hand. “Shame on ye!” She had to hide her smile. “The music’s much improved, ye have to admit. Practice makes perfect.”
Her sister just shook her head, her eyes twinkling. “Never let it be said I tease my younger sisters—“
“Ye just teased me!”
“And, to make up for my teasing…” Nichola smiled. “I should tell ye that I saw the falconer and his wee one in the meadow, north of the castle.”
Really?
She slowly opened her eyes. She’d have to go right past the north wall, on her way out to the courtyard. Mayhap she should just…sort of…pass by?
Wynda cleared her throat. “I’m leaving now.”