Page 52 of The Highlander's Twisted Deal
Ava nodded numbly. “I’m a fool,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and careless. Of course, it was too late for that. She’d already cried herself out. “A stupid, naïve, romantic fool.”
“He’s a monster,” Elsie hissed.
Ava shook her head. “He made clear from the start what he wanted. He was very clear as to me responsibilities, and he’s held up his end of the bargain. He said that I can stay here if I like. With that money, we can go wherever we want. This is good, Ma. The three of us have the chance at a fresh start. Do ye ken how rare that is?”
Niamh pressed her lips together and shot a worried glance at Elsie. “But at what cost, love? I’ve never seen ye cry like this.”
Ava sucked in a ragged breath, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She couldn’t fall apart now. After all, she’d won. She’d gotten her family back together again, she’d gotten back her life as a healer. What more could she want?
Focus on the positives.Ye will forget him soon enough.
Even saying it in her head sounded hollow.
“I want to go and see Paisley,” she heard herself say.
Niamh flinched, glancing at Elsie. “Paisley? Are ye sure?”
Paisley, whom most people now called Lady MacLennan, felt more like a sister to Ava, just like Elsie did. Now that she’d said it aloud, Ava realized how much she ached for her old friend, longed to see her and catch up.
Paisley knew what it felt like to love someone and have no hope of them returning the sentiments. In the end, it had all worked out between Paisley and Dominic, but still, Paisley might have some advice to give.
“Ye cannae go anywhere tonight,” Elsie said, practical as always. “Look at that storm. Ye will die.”
Ava got up and moved over to the window. As Elsie had said, the storm was ripping across the landscape. She could see the tips of trees just outside the Keep walls, twisting and bowing against the gale, their sturdy trunks and deep roots holding them secure.
Even so, not even the biggest trees could stay upright in a gale like this. They all bent, just a little. That was the rule—bend or break, bend or break.
Right now, Ava felt as though she were at breaking point.
“Ava?” Niamh prompted, a touch of worry in her voice. “Ye arenae going to do anything foolish, are ye? Ye cannae leave now.”
Ava nodded. “Aye, I ken. I’ll leave in the morning.”
“Well, what can Paisley say to ye that we cannae?”
“It’s not that, Ma. It’s just that… just that I want to get away, ye ken? I cannae go home, of course nae, but Paisley will let me stay. I’d be safe with her for a while, at least. I need to clear me head. Besides, no matter how Callum puts it across, there’ll be plenty of people with plenty to say about his betrothal breaking off. I reckon I’ll get the blame for it all, too.”
Niamh sighed, raking a hand through her graying hair. “I think ye need to sit back and think this over, Ava. We’ve only just now reached a place of relative safety, and ye already want to leave?”
“I ken what she means,” Elsie murmured. “When she talks about peace of mind. Perhaps the journey will be good for her. Perhaps there’ll be a place for us all with Paisley.”
Ava drew in a breath, preparing to drop her second decision on her family.
“And… and dinnae take this personally, because it isnae, but I want to go alone.”
They both began to argue, but Ava lifted a hand, and they both quieted.
“I want to go alone,” she repeated, smiling weakly. “I need to go alone. Ye both ken that I’ve lived alone for years, and I can take care of meself to a reasonable degree. I’ll be fine, I promise. Once I reach Paisley’s, I’ll send a message back so that ye ken I am safe. Elsie, ye can have charge of the money. Ma, ye can keep me updated on what’s going on in the Keep, eh? Stay here, where it’s comfortable and safe, and decide whether ye want to stay or leave, and then we’ll talk about it when I get back. I’ll leave early, at dawn at the latest.”
Niamh bit her lip. She clearly wanted to argue, but only sighed and shook her head. She met Elsie’s eyes, and the two women shrugged at each other helplessly.
“If this is what ye want, love.” Niamh reached out, tucking a strand of Ava’s hair behind her ear.
It was a tender touch, the sort that often passed between mother and daughter, and Ava hadn’t felt it in so long. She fought against the desire to lean into her mother’s hand, to crawl into her lap and simply stay there forever.
“Thank ye, Ma.” She felt exhausted, drained. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and me conversation with Callum tonight finally convinced me that it’s the right thing to do. I always intended to go, but now, I see that sooner is better than later. I need to get away, or I dinnae ken what will happen.”
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