The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 16: Amani

Amani stared at the three little dots on her phone as she waited for his reply. She decided to text him to see if that was a better way of communicating with him. It was definitely a safer way to talk to him without her knees shaking, but it didn't calm her heart.

She'd been staring at those stupid dots for five minutes. Was he going to respond? He didn't have to. It wasn't like she asked him a question. She shoved her phone in her pocket. She really needed to get over this! She came here for adventure, a different scenery. Not to find her boss attractive or fall in love. Absolutely not. This wasn't what this was about. She looked out the window and watched the rolling hills pass by.

But it would be nice. She smiled as her mind drifted to her favorite novel, The Duke of Stornoway - Aberdeen! 

What the hell is my problem?! I need to get that man out of my mind.

He was clearly incapable of human interaction and he was so confusing! She definitely shouldn't be fantasizing about a man she'd just met, but those beautiful green eyes were something else. They were like the sea and the forest swirled into one and she couldn't get the sight of him lifting that saddle over his shoulder. The way his biceps strained against his shirt...

For heaven's sake, Amani! Get it together.

He was her boss and a Goddamn Lord. She had no business thinking of him like that. She was an assistant and she didn't belong in his world. She needed to remember her damn place.

But still...

She wished he'd at least acknowledge her message. She knew he'd read it. It would've been nice to know if he'd liked that kind of information.

"Where are we off to today, Miss Blake?" Gerard said interrupting her thoughts. 

She jumped and cleared her throat as she pulled her notebook out of her purse. "Well, I need to go somewhere to get golfing attire for myself and Lord Blarcum. I'm hoping you know a place."

His eyes crinkled at the corners and his face broke into a smile. "Of course I do. Is there anywhere else you need to go?"

"No, not really, but can I ask you something about Lord Blarcum?" Maybe Gerard could shed some light on why he was so...standoffish to everyone. She'd asked Benny, but he was so vague about it.

'That's just the way he is,' he told her, but she didn't believe it. There was no way someone of his stature had always been adverse to people like that.

"Sure, what would you like to know, love?" 

"Well, is he always so distant to everyone? He doesn't talk to any of the staff very much. He's always in the stables. I just don't know how I'm supposed to do my job if I can't talk to him." It still bothered her that he dismissed her and hadn't really spoken to her since then. She shouldn't have to go through Benny to get her assignments. It made her feel inadequate, that she couldn't do her job properly.

"I've been Lord Blarcum's driver for ten years now and he wasn't always like this. He didn't talk to us staff very much, but he wasn't this cold to everyone."

"What happened?"

Gerard shook his head. "I don't know much about it, Miss Blake, all I know is, he was planning a wedding and the next thing we knew it was called off. He's been cold and distant ever since."

So, Lord Blarcum had a broken heart and probably some trust issues.

Damn it.

She knew there was something wrong with him. She was hoping Gerald would 've said Lord Blarcum had developed some narcissism and had a superiority complex, but a broken heart. That was something she couldn't ignore.

"Well, that explains his mood. How long ago was this?" she said and flipped over from her to-do list to a clean sheet of paper. She was in full counselor mode now. If she could learn more about his emotional hang-ups, she could learn how to deal with him and his cold demeanor.

"Mm, about five years ago, methinks. Why do you ask?" He frowned at her as she scribbled down the information.

"Just trying to understand my boss." This would at least help her communicate. She did a lot of research in counseling relationships and attachment theory. She had always been fascinated by the theory of love and how it affected the mind. Lord Blarcum could be a nice little project for her and treating him like a client or a research subject would keep herself from finding him attractive.

This is genius, girl!

"That's probably a good idea," he chuckled. "You're the only one he's been decent to lately."

She put down her pen and frowned at him. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because you're the only one he responds to besides Mr. Auld."

Before she could argue, her watch vibrated on her wrist. She looked at the name scrolling across the screen. One message from Lord Blarcum. Her heart thumped and a smile spread across her face as she read the message.

Lord Blarcum >>Thank you.<<

Maybe there was some truth to what everyone said.