To Love A Myth - Book 2: Mr. Higgs and the Lady 🎩✔️

35

"WHAT?!"

Gretchen flinched in surprise and looked over at her lady.

"Ms. Elizabeth?"

"Gretchen, fetch my riding cloak."

"Alright... is everything alright?"

"Hell no! Cancel that luncheon that I had today."

She nodded and got Elizabeth's cloak, telling someone to send word to her lunch partner that she wouldn't be there. She followed her out to the stables to grab a horse.

"Lady Hinkley?" the stablehand said in confusion.

"I need Grace."

"But you aren't dressed to ride."

"Obviously I need to get somewhere."

"But don't you usually take-" Elizabeth glared at the young man and he cleared his throat. "I'll go get her for you."

Elizabeth tapped her foot as she waited for the horse. Gretchen walked up and gave her lady her cloak. Elizabeth threw it on as the stableboy came back with Grace, her hunting horse.

"You're taking Grace? Don't you usually take Scarlet for a casual ride?"

"I need speed." She said, getting on the horse.

"You don't want your riding pants?"

"It's not like I've never ridden a horse in a dress, Gretchen."

"You just haven't done it in a long time."

"It's not different, I just have to move the dress around. I will be back later."

She kicked the horse to go and Gretchen watched her ride off. She pulled out the paper that she had swiped from the table and read over it to see what had made her lady react in such a way. She couldn't keep a smirk from forming; even she knew that her lady would lose.

*****************

Merida opened her eyes and sat up, instantly feeling cold, and looked down. She gasped, pulling the covers over her bare chest, and looked beside her. Sure enough, Higgs was laying on his stomach next to her. Merida ran her fingers through her hair when there was a knock at the door. She waited for Higgs to wake up but he didn't, so she found his robe and opened the door. A tray was shoved into her ribs.

"Breakfast."

"Edgar."

"Good morning."

"What's got ye so surly, child?" she said, grabbing the tray from him.

"This. I wanted you to be with Mr. Higgs but not like this." he said, motioning to her in Higgs' robes.

"Make up yer bloody mind, lad." She snapped.

Edgar sighed. "I guess what I mean is just... please make sure he isn't using you. Don't let him do that."

"Youngin, ye ken I'd know an he was, right?"

"You didn't for four years."

"He wasnae using me, he was just an idiot. I ken I've said it afore but this is different. What happened before had to do with Elizabeth. Whatever it was is gone now and things are the way they should have been months ago. There's a different feel in the air."

"He going to marry you?"

"I'm not getting ahead of myself. That's his choice to make. He's the laird, not me."

Edgar sighed, crossing his arms. "I'm happy that you're happy but I just... it's just that after all this wishy-washy mess and now suddenly it's like it never happened?"