Page 72 of Ruined By the Ruthless Highlander
She nodded. “Perhaps I might need something to occupy my time,” she said, leaning back against the window frame as she turned to face Lilly fully. “A suitable distraction.”
Her maid’s brow furrowed deeper. “But my Lady…” Her voice was almost a whine. “You need to regain your energy through rest, or you might fall ill. The last few days have been strenuous.”
Marian gave a little shrug, turning back to look out the window. “Well, it happens that I cannot,” she said, her voice nearly as quiet as a whisper. “I have tried all night, and I cannot continue to rot in bed. Not for a moment longer.”
Lilly’s hands fell to her sides. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
Marian stepped away from the window and went to pull open the chest that held most of her clothes. “I reckon I should study.”
“You do not need that, my Lady.” Lilly followed her. “It will only give you eye bags.”
Marian shook her head. She had already found her distraction, and now there was no changing her mind.
“I certainly do,” she said, heading toward the door. “If I am to someday run this place, I should best put my time to good use and learn.”
“It does not matter,” Marian muttered under her breath as she pushed open the door to the library.
She raised her chin as she entered, her steps light on the cold stone floor.
It is just a library.
And yet, her pulse betrayed her, quickening with each step further into the room.
She held her torch tighter, fighting to avoid glancing at the area where she and Lachlan had shared that kiss.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and her cheeks reddened, heating up faster than she could even try to force the feelings away.
Good heavens.
She released a breath she hadn’t known she had been holding, stealing a quick glance at the shelves before straightening again.
Oh my…
Her eyes fell to the floor near the shelves, and she immediately noticed the scattered books.
“What has happened here?” A frown creased her face.
She hung her torch on the wall near the entrance and bent down to pick up the books.
Lachlan would never have left the room in such disarray.
Her fingers trailed over the spine of the last book, and she stood up, immediately developing an interest in it. It was just the sort of thing she needed to learn more about the Highlands—a ledger.
She placed it on the table closest to the entrance, the dim light from her torch illuminating its pages as she flipped through them.
Her eyes widened as she reached the most recent pages.
“Not a dime recorded in the last two quarters?” she murmured to herself, her voice flattening in disappointment.
What is Lachlan up to?
Her curiosity was piqued.
She fetched the torch from where she’d hung it and held it closer to the ledger to read more. Her eyebrows rose slightly as she turned another page.
I shall get to the bottom of it.
A creak sounded at the far end of the library, and she stiffened, straightening slowly with the torch in her hand.
