The library door was slightly ajar when Liliane reached it. She paused, hand raised to knock, when she started having second thoughts.
Ye should go. Come back later.
But before she could retreat, Tòrr's voice called out, "I ken ye're there, lass. Come in."
She pushed the door open slowly. Tòrr stood by the map table, still dressed in the clothes he'd hastily pulled on that morning.
Tòrr was looking at her with concern. "Are ye alright? Ye look pale."
"I'm fine. I just..." She moved into the room, wrapping her arms around herself. "I needed tae speak with ye. About last night. About everythin'."
His expression softened immediately. "Did I hurt ye? Push too far?"
"Nay! Nay, it was..." Heat flooded her face. "It was beautiful. Perfect. I just... I'm confused and I need tae talk tae ye and I dinnae ken where tae start."
He crossed the room in three strides, pulling her into his arms. "Then dinnae start anywhere. Just breathe." His hand stroked through her hair. "Ye're safe. Whatever ye need tae say, I'll listen."
She pressed her face against his chest, breathing in his scent. After a moment, she pulled back.
"Yer sisters found me before. They were worried about me. About the attack."
"I'm sorry. I should have told them tae give ye space."
"Nay, they were kind. Wonderful, actually." She managed a small smile. "They made me feel like I belonged here. Like I was truly family."
"Ye are family."
"But I've nae earned it. Nae really." She stepped back, putting distance between them so she could think clearly. "And there are things ye dinnae ken. Things about me and why I was at that auction and what I need from this marriage."
"Then tell me." He moved to the door, opening it to call out, "Agnes! Bring breakfast tae the library. Enough fer two." Then he closed the door again and turned back to her. "We'll eat. We'll talk. And whatever ye need tae say, I'll listen without judgment."
"Ye might judge after ye hear it all."
"I doubt that very much." He gestured to the chairs by the hearth. "Sit. Tell me everythin'."
She settled into the chair, her hands twisting in her lap. He took the seat across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, giving her his complete attention.
"I never wanted tae get married," she began. "Nae tae anyone. It wasnae because I'm opposed tae marriage itself, but because..." She drew a breath. "Because me biggest dream has always been tae become a healer. A real one, trained proper, able tae help people. Me maither taught me the basics before she died, and I've been learnin' what I could from books and the village healer at Foulis. But as a woman, especially as a laird's daughter, that path wasnae open tae me. Ye already ken all this. But bear with me, fer I want ye tae hear the whole story, even if ye ken most of it, tae really understand how I felt when ye bought me."
"Aye, I will."
"I thought that, if I could convince me faither tae let me study with the healers at one of the abbeys, or even just let me work with our village healer full time..." She shook her head. "But he had other plans. The Pact. The alliance he desperately wanted. He saw me and Nessa as tools tae secure his position, nothin' more."
"When he announced the auction, I refused. Told him I wouldnae participate, that he couldnae force me tae stand on a platform and let men bid on me like livestock." Her voice hardened. "So he threatened tae send Nessa instead. Said if I wouldnae cooperate, he'd put me fourteen-year-old sister up there. Let her be bought by whatever man had the most coin."
"I had nay choice after that. I couldnae let him dae that tae her. So I agreed. Stood on that platform and tried tae pretend I wasnae dyin' inside as strange men assessed me worth." She methis eyes. "And then ye bid. Outbid everyone else. Took me away from the alliance me faither wanted and ruined all his plans."
"And ye hated me fer it."
"I didnae ken ye. All I kent was that I'd been bought by a stranger and dragged away from the only chance I had tae protect me sister." She leaned forward. "That's why I tried tae escape. Nae because I wanted tae go back tae me faither, but because I needed tae reach Nessa. Get her out before he could use her tae replace me in his schemes."
"I can see yer reasons and yer behavior in a much clearer way. And ye're here now. Ye agreed tae stay. "
"Because ye promised tae help me get her tae safety. Because ye showed me that maybe this marriage could be more than I thought." Her voice dropped. "Because since I arrived, and especially last night, ye showed me that nae all men are like me faither. That there can be gentleness and care, nae just violence and pain."
He reached across the space between them, taking her hand. "Liliane."
A knock interrupted whatever he'd been about to say. Agnes entered with a tray laden with fresh bread, cheese, cold meat, and fruit. She set it on the small table between them and departed, after a curtsy.
