It was the sight of a castle waking, ready to face the day.
She stopped under an arch and leaned a shoulder against the stone. Then, she pressed her hands together until the tremors faded. Last night had moved too fast, yet not fast at all. She had not felt hunted by Jack like she usually did. She didn’t feel chased. She had felt seen, and that, for some reason, felt dangerous in a new way.
Lara found her there and bobbed a curtsy. “Shall I bring yer cloak, me Lady? There’s a keen wind.”
“Thank ye. I am well.”
“Would ye like the book put back in the library?” Lara asked. “I saw it on the table earlier.”
Emma kept her eyes on the courtyard, pressing her lips into a thin line. She really needed to find another place to put the book.
“I’ll see to it meself,” she said.
“Aye, me Lady.” Lara hesitated. “Will ye break yer fast now? They’ve laid out oatcakes and honey.”
“In a little while,” Emma replied.
When Lara left, Emma drew in a breath and released it. She had told Jack the truth. She would move on. Yet the words felt hollow.
She turned back toward the hall and walked inside. Catriona’s voice drifted from the nursery in a low song. Stella babbled in reply. The sound stirred a dull ache beneath Emma’s ribs, a tender ache she did not have a name for.
Jack stepped out of a side passage just as she reached the stairs. He had changed his coat and looked composed, but still tired. He paused as if to speak, but then gave her a quick nod instead.
“Two nights to go,” he murmured. “How does it feel so far?”
“How does what feel?” Emma asked, cocking her head.
“Kenning ye will be Lady MacLeod,” he said. “It must feel great.”
A snort escaped her, perhaps louder than she had intended. “Well, I daenae ken how to feel because I havenae decided to be yer wife just yet.”
He gave her a small smile, one that didn’t call for an argument. “‘Tis only a matter of time, lass.”
He moved past her right as the last word escaped his lips.
She watched him go, then looked toward the nursery door and down at her hands. She went to wash them because, once again, it gave her something to do.
By noon, she had made a list for the steward, a note for the kitchens, and a promise to Catriona to walk Stella after her nap. The tasks steadied her, yet under each one, the same thought lingered.
We cannae pretend it didnae happen.
She would try anyway. She would keep her distance, and she would keep her word, and she would keep her heart where it belonged. That was the plan. Plans held for a time.
From the nursery, a small laugh rose again. Emma closed her eyes and let the sound wash over her. Then, she turned around and went to find the steward.
CHAPTER 24
Later that afternoon,Emma made her way to the Great Hall for lunch. It was already packed when she entered.
The afternoon sun filtered through the high windows, falling across the table and painting the wooden surface a bright gold. The maids moved between the benches, setting down platters of cakes, honey, and bannocks.
The smell should have been comforting, but for some reason, it was not. Her stomach felt as though it were tied in knots.
She chose a seat by the window, where the light caught her cup, and kept her gaze on the table. She could feel Ava watching her.
Ava leaned closer, her voice low enough so that only Emma and their mother could hear. “Ye took yer time dressing. Were ye waiting for someone to notice?”
Emma’s jaw tightened. “Eat,” she muttered, then raised her voice so the others would hear. “Uncle will be on me soon about marriage again. Whether it’s to Jack or nae, I’ll need to decide. He willnae rest till we’re all settled.”
