Chapter 3 The Golden Rule

Skye glanced at Lennox to catch sight of his reaction. That was what interested her anyway. The sooner she was rid of his presence, the sooner she would find her peace again.

She smirked in triumph at the reddish color the guest's cheeks had taken. He was holding the cup in his hand and twirling it.

The uncle abruptly stood up from his chair and looked at Skye with narrowed eyes.

Skye prepared to face him, but Lennox stood up.

"My lord, let's put aside all this. It doesn't matter at all, and believe me, it doesn't concern me anyway. You have done an excellent job with the scotch, congratulations," he told him.

The uncle looked at him and seemed to calm down. He sat back in his chair.

"Yes, you are right, Lennox, and forgive me. I don't know what happened to me. I usually don't react like that."

Skye brought her cup to her mouth. "Right, not usually, but you always reacts that way uncle" she muttered to herself and took another sip.

"How is your father, Duke Cameron?" the uncle asked Lennox steering the conversation into calmer waters.

"He is also busy with his business. I also help him of course. He is fine with his health. Last winter he had a stomach issue that kept him in bed for a few days, but he's over it now and he's fine."

He replied, and his lips curled up slightly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry you went through such rough time. But since he got over it, everything will be fine," said the uncle in a flat voice, without convincing anyone of his supposed "sorry."

The conversation that followed was about business, making Skye feel unbearably bored.

At one point, two servants entered the dining room, bowed before the uncle, and then began to collect the dishes from the table and place them on the large silver tray they had brought.

The arrival of the servants interrupted the boring conversation between the two men, and Skye let out a sigh of relief.

Her aunt turned and looked at her giving her a fevered stare. She didn't have to say anything; she opened her eyes wide and pursed her lips.

Skye lifted her chin and turned her eyes away.

"You are unbearable," her aunt whispered in a scathing tone.

"Lord Malcolm would you like us to bring the desert now?" asked the servant while the other was already leaving the dining room carrying the heavy tray.

"Yes, of course," the uncle replied.

The servant bowed in front of the uncle and left the dining room.

Lennox, who remained straight-faced until that moment, raised his eyebrows. "Did I see correct? Did the servants just bow? This is a privilege that only King Cinaed has."

The uncle laughed merrily, but Skye could make out the drops of sweat on his forehead.

She lifted her cup to take another sip of her scotch while inwardly waiting to see how her uncle would handle the situation.

"You're right, Lennox," the uncle said, giving him a friendly pat. "I've told them a thousand times that they don't have to do it. That it is not even legal, but they insist on doing it out of respect for me. After so many times that I have told them, I got fed up and just let them do freely what they want."

Skye suddenly started coughing, drawing all eyes on her. Lennox was full of worry, unlike her uncles, who looked at her and frowned.

Lennox got up from his seat and walked over to her.

"My lady, are you all right?" he asked while patting her back gently.

"Y-yes...thank you," she replied, and she did feel herself coming to her senses after the gentle pats on her back. "My scotch didn't follow the right course, but I am fine now."

"Thank goodness, my girl. You worried us." Aunt said using the same fake sweet voice that Skye loathed.

"I am glad you are okay." Lennox told her in a gentle voice and returned to his seat.

The uncle tried to laugh, but it came out more of a nervous laugh than a hearty laugh. "Please, Lord Lennox. I wish what you saw with the servants should not be discussed outside the castle, and you don't have to worry, I will comply them. I give you my word."

Lennox looked at him and lifted a single eyebrow. He scratched his jaw without a word thinking about it. "Okay." He finally told. "Nothing is going to come out of this castle. What happened will stay here, between us, but you will keep your word."

His uncle gave him a big smile. "Thank you, Lord Lennox. Of course, it is the word of a Lord after all."

The two men picked up their conversation where they had left off as Skye recalled the scene where her uncle had gathered all the men and women who worked in the castle and demanded them bow to him whenever they stood before him and before they left his sight.

And had boldly pointed out to them that the offenders would be harshly punished. As he also pointed out to them, as he had said at the time, the 'Golden Rule' of the castle - they would not bow when the uncle received guests in the castle, and violators of this rule would be punished even more harshly.

She smirked. "My sweet uncle," she murmured and took another sip from her cup.

She suddenly remembered and stood up abruptly. Her chair creaked to the floor.

"Um... Excuse me for one moment. I will be right back." Skye said quickly and headed for the exit ignoring the lightning bolts her uncle's gaze was shooting at her.

Skye knew it was a great insult to the guest to leave the table so suddenly, but there was something she had to do before it was too late.

Before closing the door behind her, she heard Lennox say. "Don't worry, Lord Malcolm. Lady Skye has to be absent for a while. Let's not make it an issue. Although it is disrespectful to me, I assure you that I am not offended at all. Besides, she will be back soon."

Skye smiled but immediately remembered what she had to do and moved forward with quick steps.

She saw the servants carrying the trays with the platters filled with cut fruits and nuts. She approached them.

The servants wrinkled their brows. "What is the matter, my lady?"

"Tavish? Fergus? We have a guest. For God's sake, don't bow to the uncle again. Did you forget the golden rule?

The two servants looked at each other with wide eyes and swallowed hard. Yes, they had completely forgotten about it.

"Don't worry I will arrange it. You will not be punished."

The two servants looked at her with soft eyes filled with an inner glow. "Thank you, my lady. How are we ever going to pay you back?"

Skye sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you? You don't have to pay me back and now go. I have delayed you long enough. And remember, no bowing. I will come soon. If we all enter together, they will understand that this was the reason I left." She told them while the servants started to pace towards the dining room, but they had heard her every word.