"Then maybe it's time ye figured it out." Moira set down her mortar. "Before ye make a choice ye cannae take back."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
"Still awake, are ye?"
Liliane jumped at the sound of Tòrr's voice echoing into the empty corridor. She'd been walking past the library on her way back to the chamber when she'd noticed the light still burning through the open door. She’d hesitated, curious to know whether he was inside or not, when his voice had boomed over to her.
Pretend ye didnae hear him. Keep walking. Go straight tae bed and dinnae complicate things further.
But her feet stopped on their own accord. She turned, standing in the doorway, peering in at him.
Tòrr sat at the large oak desk, papers spread before him, a single candle casting shadows across his face. He looked tired, the kind of bone-deep exhaustion that came from carrying too much responsibility for too long.
"Are ye goin' tae stand there all night, or are ye goin' tae come in?"
His coolness in his voice startled her. Especially, as he hadn't even looked up from his papers.
"I was just… I didnae mean tae disturb ye."
"Ye're nae disturbin' me." He set down his quill and finally met her eyes. "Unless ye're afraid tae come near me. Is that it, lass? Afraid of what might happen if ye step through that door?"
The challenge in his tone sparked something in her chest. "I'm nae afraid of ye."
"Then prove it. Come in. Sit with me a moment."
She hesitated, every instinct screaming at her to turn and leave. But something, whether pride, or curiosity, or even the desire for his company after his coldness that morning, made her step into the library and close the door behind her.
The room smelled of old books and wood smoke. Shelves lined every wall, filled with more volumes than she'd seen her entire life. A fire crackled in the hearth, warming the space despite the late hour.
"Sit." He gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Please."
She moved cautiously, settling into the offered seat. The desk between them felt like both barrier and bridge.
"Couldnae sleep?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Nay. And ye?"
"Too much work tae be done." He gestured at the papers. "Land disputes, trade agreements, patrol schedules. The glamorous life of a laird."
Despite herself, her lips twitched. "Sounds thrillin'."
"Oh, aye.”
"I didnae come here at all tae disturb ye. I was passin' by."
"And stopped. And lingered in the doorway. And came in." His eyes held hers. "Why, Liliane?"
"I dinnae ken," she admitted quietly. "Maybe because despite everythin', me stay here has been... pleasant."
Something shifted in his expression. "Pleasant?"
"Aye. Yer siblings are kind. There's warmth in yer hall. People smile at me in the corridors, treat me with a respect I never had at Foulis. It's more than I expected. More than I thought possible."
"But nae enough tae make ye want tae stay."
She didn't answer, couldn't answer. Not when the truth was so tangled she couldn't separate want from duty anymore.
"Tell me about yer family," he said suddenly.
