Page 25 of The Beast of the Highlands
“Aye, she’s wonderful.” Leighton beamed. “I never liked learnin’ much until she arrived.”
The baroness rested a hand on Autumn’s shoulder. “I would invite you to join us for dinner, but we were not expecting company at this precise hour. And I would not wish to delay your journey, for you must be eager to return home.”
“Was that a jibe at my expense?” the baron fumed abruptly. “Have I not taken excellent care of you all for countless years? Suddenly, I am mud beneath your shoes because I have neglected to send someone to purchase provisions once or twice?”
Judging by the state of Autumn’s family, it had been more than once or twice. Autumn was of slender build, but she looked almost plump beside the others. A prickle of irritation bristled through Flynn as he observed them. No family should be left to suffer for the sins of their patriarch. And if they did suffer, the head of the household had a duty to take responsibility.
My da would never have let this happen. Even if he’d had to sell the castle, he’d have done it so his love and his bairns dinnae waste to nothin’.
“Of course not, Darling.” The baroness gave Autumn a slight push forward, clearly fearing the baron might intervene out of spite if they did not leave immediately. “But our dinner will turn cold if we do not let Autumn go now. Laurel, say your farewells. You will see her soon.”
Laurel ran out and wrapped her arms around Autumn. “At night, look at the moon. I will be looking, too, and it will be as if we are together again. I told Orwell to do the same thing, so we will all be gazing at the same fixed mark.”
“I will, my Sweet Sister.” Autumn dipped her head to kiss Laurel’s head. “And I promise, I will return before you know it.” She bent lower to hug her sister, and Flynn noticed her whisper something in the girl’s ear.
Laurel smiled sadly. “I miss you already.”
“I miss you more,” Autumn replied, placing one last kiss on Laurel’s cheek. “I love you, Sweet Sister.”
Laurel wiped a tear off her cheek. “I love you more.”
With that, Autumn released her sister and walked toward Flynn. He offered her his arm and, together, they walked to the stables to collect Seashell.
As they passed the hayloft, Flynn turned to plant a discreet kiss upon Autumn’s cheek. She flushed, her eyes sparkling with a bittersweet glint. Evidently, she did not know what they would do when they returned to the castle, either. Though he doubted that was why she seemed hesitant to leave this place.
“I’ll make sure they dinnae starve, lass,” Flynn whispered. “I’ll speak with one of me most trusted soldiers. I’ll have him bring provisions every week, and I’ll tell him to be subtle about it, so yer sister and yer ma dinnae go hungry, and yer pa doesnae fly into a rage and take it as an insult.”
Autumn’s face crumpled. “You would do that for me?”
“Aye, lass.”
I’d do anythin’ for ye. Except the one thing I want to do most of all… Make ye me wife.
16
The following three weeks rushed by as if time itself was trying to avoid calamity, by separating the helpless lovers as soon as it could. A day seemed crammed into too small a space, an hour feeling like a minute, a minute feeling like a second. And every time Autumn and Flynn found themselves alone together; in the library, or on a walk through Ettrick Forest, or at dinner, or after Leighton’s lessons, they snatched kisses and explorations wherever possible, blurring the lines of Autumn’s strict boundaries with every frantic encounter. But they were never enough.
Sooner than they would have liked, the eve of Autumn’s homeward journey rolled around again. When morning came, she would depart with an actual escort, for Flynn had decided to allow her to go home for two days, this time. And he could not afford to be away for that long.
“These two days will be the longest of me life, after the whirlwind of the last three weeks,” Flynn said, looking up from his book as they sat together in the library.
Autumn smiled. “Should I ask you to look up at the moon at night, so we will be gazing at the same moon, at the same time?”
“Aye, I think ye should.”
“I never thought I would be reluctant to return home,” she continued. “Of course, I am eager to see Laurel, but I am no longer terrified of seeing her in a state of emaciation. I owe that peace of mind to you.”
Flynn set down his book and leaned forward in his chair, taking hold of her hand. “I told ye, there’s nothin’ I wouldnae do for ye. And I rest easier, knowin’ ye’re nae frettin’ over Laurel and yer ma.”
“This soldier of yours must think you a madman.” Autumn chuckled, squeezing his hands. “I only hope he does not think you some kind of traitor.”
Flynn shook his head. “He’s one of me oldest friends, as well as me man-at-arms. And he’s taken a likin’ to ye, after all ye’ve done for Leighton, so he doesnae mind.” He paused. “I daenae ken what I’m goin’ to do with me evenings while ye’re gone.”
“Read. Pace. Fret. Stare at the moon. Howl at it, if you feel so inclined.” Autumn grinned mischievously. “Perhaps, that is when this soldier of yours will begin to think you have taken leave of your senses.”
She adored these moments more than anything, when they could laugh, and smile, and tease, and be at peace in their own private realm. And yet, these were also the moments when concerns would creep back in. She was too happy, too at ease, too bold, considering Flynn was not hers to keep.
It is the calm before the storm. The mirror-still waters before the turbulent tides. And when you are taken from me, my darling, I know it will break me into driftwood.
