Page 37 of When the Laird Claims
It tore something in her heart to think about the fact that one day soon, she would no longer be able to look at his face whenever she chose. She would not have him lingering in doorways and his arms to keep her feeling safe.
After all, it was all just words, was it not? She could not keep him; they were from two wholly separate worlds. She forced a small smile onto her face, hoping that it looked a good deal more convincing than it actually felt from her end.
“I hope that, now, you will give my idea some serious thought… and I shall let you return to your work. I am certain that it is most important.”
Arran nodded, his hand rubbing at the lower half of his face with an expression that she could not fully read. “Right, work,” he answered noncommittally and gestured to the study door.
She did not need to be told twice.
But walking out of that room? The tension that she felt? She might as well be breaking her own heart in two.
17
“Anything?” Victoria asked ahead of any greetings, as she burst into Kristin’s chambers.
Barely startled by the intrusion, Kristin and Ruby both turned to look at her. As the latter babbled, the former replied with a faint laugh, “Ye’d be the first to hear, since ye’re back and forth from that courtyard more than a maither who has sent her son to war for the first time.”
It had been almost ten days since the rumor was set loose into the world, and still nothing had been heard from the Earl.
“Do you think Arranactuallysent the messenger, or do you think he has just been humoring me?” Victoria went to the window and stared out at the rocky coastline, as if a ship or a rider might suddenly come into view, simply by the force of her will. “I mean, hehasbeen avoiding me. Maybe that is why.”
Arran had not come to her bedchamber at all since she had departed his study, nearly a fortnight ago. He had been absent at meals, spending all of his time behind the closed door of his study or out in the training yard. In fact, the only time she had spoken to him was when he had approached her to inform her that he would use her plan, after all.
“I daenae like it,”he had made a point of saying,“but if ye agree and me sister does, then I cannae reject it. I’ll send word of me plan to kill ye this afternoon.”
It had been a rather shocking statement.
“So soon? Will you not allow me to say farewell to my loved ones first? Oh, what a tragedy!”she had joked, but he had not laughed.
“I’ll inform ye if any news arrives,”was all he had said, before excusing himself.
That was the last time she had seen him, and though she told herself that it was probably for the best if her stay here would soon be at an end, her wayward heart yearned for the comfort of him all the same. Her bed felt so very empty, her nights not nearly as restful without him to help her into that deep relaxation.
“He’s avoidin’ ye because ye’ll distract him,” Kristin said with a smirk. “And he might have ye wantin’ to stay with us heathens, if ye’re nae careful. Still, at least ye’ve developed better taste in men.”
Heat rushed into Victoria’s face, and she focused on playing with Ruby in a vain attempt to hide it. “How many times must I tell you, there isnothingbetween your brother and me!” She cleared her throat. “Although, you and this little one are assuredly reasons that I shall miss this place.”
I shall miss him more than I will be able to bear.How was she supposed to find a new husband among thetonwhen no man could measure up to the one who was right here?
“Ye can keep tellin’ me, and I still willnae believe ye,” Kristin replied, chuckling. “Me braither hasneveravoided anything or anyone before. That tells me everythin’ I need to ken, if yer blushes hadnae told me first.”
“I amnotblushing; it is feverishly hot in here,” Victoria protested, gesturing at the blazing fire that did, indeed, have her sweltering.
Kristin smiled, but it was sadder than before. “Yecouldstay, ye ken?”
“I cannot,” Victoria replied, her tone tinged with a mirrored melancholy. “My sister needs me and, when all of this is ever, she will need me even more. There will be a lot to do, a lot to remedy, a lot to… begin again.”
Despite sending a letter to Melody, she had received no reply. Still, she had to presume that her sister was safe, or else the Earlabsolutelywould have used Melody as leverage to get Victoriahome. It would have worked, too. She would have absolutely insisted upon it.
“What if I was wrong?” she said quietly. “What if my plan is failing?”
Reaching over to give Victoria’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, Kristin shook her head. “Impossible, lass. We just need to be patient. That bastard has to hear the rumor, gather his resources, andthencome to retrieve ye. That doesnae happen overnight; remember that.”
Itshouldhave soothed Victoria, but she could not help thinking that she was missing something, her nerves on edge. Or, perhaps, it was the thought of Charles actually arriving that sent her nerves into a frenzy.
“Of course,” she said tightly. “Yes, of course. We must be patient.”
And I must prepare, in case this goes awry.
