Page 27 of The Thief
“Your uncle sends his regards and will be appearing at Ashaven within the next few days.”
Scarlett was unable to hide the sigh that slipped past her lips.
“No doubt he is coming to see if we have made any progress in finding your cousin,” he said, folding the letter back up and slipping it in his pocket.
“No doubt,” Scarlett replied, her voice quivering slightly.
“We will tell him what we know,” he said, resting his hand on hers.
She looked at him, questioning him with her eyes.
“We know nothing,” she said, sliding her hand out from underneath his.
He grabbed it tightly and held it, not letting go.
“We will tell him that we know that she is not dead. It has been at least three months now. If she was, Everett would have found out by now. Art knows more than he is telling us, and I am sure that is why he threatened you when last he came here.”
Scarlett sighed and looked out the window of the carriage and then back to Alastair.
“You think that if we tell him that, he will tell us what he is planning?” she asked him, relaxing her hand underneath his, enabling him to hold it without worry that she was going to pull it out again.
“I do,” he said, smiling at her.
“I hope you are right.”
He squeezed her hand and let go, leaning back in his seat.
Alastair looked at Scarlett, her face slightly pale with fear lingering in her eyes.
He had been planning on asking her to accompany him to a luncheon the next afternoon, but with the stress of her uncle’s impending visit, then she might not agree to it.
He looked at her, her face so sad, and he decided he would ask her anyways.
She needed a little bit of happiness in her life.
Alastair had realized that Scarlett actually liked being at the hospital every day.
It kept her mind off of Catriona, but it also made her happy.
He had been told by one of the nurses last week that Scarlett had told her that she felt needed when she was at the hospital, when before she had been useless, sitting around the castle all day and going to balls and parties that she didn’t even really need to attend.
They had all been events she had been required to attend because she was part of the royal family.
Coming to the hospital every day was her choice, and Alastair was happy to have supplied that release for her.
He cleared his throat, drawing her attention to him.
“I wanted to ask you something,” he said, folding his hands in his lap.
Scarlett looked at him curiously and he was amazed at how open she always was, even when she tried to hide it.
He smiled and inquired, “I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to lunch tomorrow. I have made arrangements for everything to be set up in the courtyard tomorrow.”
Scarlett stared at him for almost an entire minute before answering. She was instantly suspicious of him and hesitated to give him an answer. They had been getting to know one another, but she was worried that once this whole ordeal with Catriona was over, they would go their separate ways, leaving Scarlett brokenhearted if she got too close.
A small part of her thought positively about the situation, and that maybe, just maybe, things would be all right in the end if she took a chance and went for it. Catriona had told her often that she needed to take a chance or she would never fall in love. Scarlett had never been the one to take chances, but she threw caution to the wind and decided to try and take a chance this time.
“I would be glad to join you in the courtyard for lunch,” she replied, his smile growing ever bigger.
“Thank you.”
She nodded and looked back out the carriage window, bringing her fingers to her mouth to cover the relieved smile that came over her face.
