Page 43 of To Wed a Laird
She gave Rose one more tight hug, then watched her as she walked away, trying to think of what she would say to Elspeth in the morning.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Rose had not expectedsleep to come, so she was not surprised when it did not. She tossed and turned, got to her feet and paced the room, went back to bed and tried to sleep, only to repeat the whole fruitless process again and again.
At last, she gave up the fight and picked up a book she had been trying to read for the past few days, but even that was pointless, since she found herself going over the same lines again and again.
All she could think about was Cormac, the way his hands had moved on her, the touch of his lips, the feel of his tongue sweeping through the most sensitive and private parts of her body.
The sensations those thoughts aroused in her were pleasurable, but they were accompanied by a surge of frustration and futility because she knew she would never experience them again.
Somehow, Rose managed to drift away just before dawn. Later, she guessed that she had no more than two hours’ sleep, but it was two more than she expected.
At last, she rose from bed, then washed and put on her oldest and most worn-out dress. She saddled her horse and left thebuilding, looking around carefully to see that she had not alerted Elspeth. The last thing she needed was to have to explain what was happening to the person, who would react to it like a spark to a firework.
When she was a little way away, Rose looked back. All was quiet, and she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though she had escaped.
Elspeth was fizzing with excitement that morning. She had been reading one of her new French books and had managed to teach herself a few new words, and was desperate to show them off to Rose.
Perhaps Rose would reward her with a piece of tablet or some roasted chestnuts! The thought made her mouth water, and she ran to the schoolroom, eager to show off her new skills, but when she opened the door, much to her disappointment, there was no one there.
Elspeth waited for a mere few moments, reasoning that Rose must have been delayed by something extremely important because she was never late.
Elspeth was not one to sit still, and now she marched up to the library, since she knew Rose’s fondness for reading. However, she was not there, and there was no sign that she had been.
Next she tried the garden, which was a very big space with many hidden corners, particularly where the trees touched the walls. She and Rose had played hide and seek there many times. When Elspeth could find no sign of her there, she began to feel alarmed, and stood still to think for a moment.
The chapel! She had never known Rose to be a very devout person. Although she went to church on Sundays and said her prayers with Elspeth, she could not see her dropping in for a quick prayer during the day. Still, there was always a first time.
She went inside the small church, and was struck, as usual, by the feeling of quiet and peace inside its walls. Elspeth looked under every pew and peered under the altar table, but there was no sign of Rose. The stables and the turrets yielded nothing as well, and eventually, she decided it was time to give up.
However, she suspected that someone knew where she had gone, and she knew just who that someone was.
“Where is Rose?” Elspeth demanded as she marched into the kitchen, uninvited and indignant.
Nell, who had been busy with some mending, sighed and put her needle down, then held out her arms to Elspeth. Usually, Elspeth would have walked into Nell’s embrace without hesitation, but not today. Now she stood firm and crossed her arms, scowling fiercely at her.
When she had steadied herself, Nell returned the frown. “That is nae way tae behave, young lady,” she said angrily. “Calm down.”
Just then, Cormac came in. He looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes as though he had not slept, which indeed he had not. He had spent a sleepless night tossing and turning, just as Rose had. He felt listless, with no energy, and knew he needed sustenance, but he could not bear to look at food at the moment. He simply had no appetite.
“What are you doing now, Elspeth?” he asked irritably. “Have you been in trouble again?” Cormac sighed and ran his hand backward through his long black hair, which was hanging loose because he had not had the energy nor the inclination to tie it back.
He flopped down into a chair by the table, and Nell handed him a cup of warm ale, which he sipped gratefully. Her expression was one of deep concern, and Cormac took her hand and squeezed it, smiling at her faintly.
“I want to know where Rose is,” Elspeth demanded. “I have looked everywhere, and I cannot find her!”
Nell sat down and looked into her own cup of ale to avoid having to meet Elspeth’s eyes. “She has likely gone intae the village,” she said. “She had somethin’ on her mind an’ needed some time tae think.”
“What did she have on her mind?” Cormac asked anxiously. “Did she tell you?” He knew the answer to his own question, but he wanted to have it confirmed.
Nell met his eyes with a look that clearly said,Not in front of Elspeth!
“I dinnae know,” she replied, shaking her head. “She widnae tell me anythin’.”
Cormac sat thoughtfully sipping his ale as Elspeth marched around the room growling in frustration. Nell, fearing for the safety of her ornaments and trinkets, said, “Sit down, Elspeth. I am sure she will be back soon, hen.”
Elspeth whipped around to face her father, her eyes blazing with rage. “You did this!” she cried, pointing an accusing finger at Cormac. “This is all your fault. You drove her away. Rose loves me and I love her… and now she is gone, and you did it!”
