“Are you ready?” he asked in a low voice, taking her hand.
“Not in the slightest,” Emma answered. “I’m terrified.”
She would give anything if she could push the fear aside. She wanted to take his hand, walk inside as the new Countess of Dunmeath, and be a wife he could be proud of.
Even so, they both knew it was a role to play. She was pretending to be like any other lady, a bride filled with excitement to be at her new home, yet she couldn’t even see the dwelling. She didn’t know the voices of the servants or how many steps took her to each room.
Her heart was pounding as the footman opened the carriage door, and Cormac reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Part of her wished she could remain inside the vehicle while he greeted everyone, but she couldn’t. She’d made a promise to be his wife and live in Ireland at his family home. That meant setting aside her fear and learning to live here.
Cormac escorted her from the carriage, and he murmured, “Twelve steps, I think.” She counted along the way, and he was right.
A footman opened the door and greeted him with a warm voice. “Welcome home, my lord. It’s so very good to see you again.”
“And you, Stephens,” he answered. To Emma, he said, “Stephens is one of our footmen, and behind him is Barton, my butler.” Then he introduced her to the servants, saying, “Your new countess, Lady Dunmeath.”
They murmured words of congratulations and welcome. Emma turned in the direction of the servants and said, “I’m glad to meet you.”
She took a deep breath, trying to learn this space. There were familiar scents, of flowers, fresh air, and the faint traces of tea. Beneath her feet, she thought it might be a marble floor.
“Have our belongings arrived from England?” Cormac asked.
“They have, my lord. But only a few hours ago. We didn’t know when you’d be coming home, and we’ve not had time to unpack.”
“We’ll handle the matter later,” he said. “For now, I want to introduce my wife to her new home.”
Emma tried to brave a smile, but as she took Cormac’s arm, she had to push back her nerves. She’d been so accustomed to remaining in the shadows, being overlooked. Now, she had to face the prospect of becoming a true countess. For some young ladies, it would be a dream fulfilled. For her, it was the beginning of a nightmare.
One step at a time,she told herself.
Before she could take her bearings, she heard footsteps hurrying toward them. Then a woman blurted out, “Cormac, why did you come back?” Her voice sounded as if she were aghast at what he’d done.
“Mother, allow me to introduce you to my wife.” Cormac held her hand in his and said, “This is Emma. Emma, may I present my mother Josephine Ormond, the Dowager Countess of Dunmeath.”
She extended out her hand to Cormac’s mother, but instead of greeting her, the woman seemed to take a step backward.
“No. I sent you away to get well. You weren’t supposed to come back. It’s not safe.”
The woman’s words held a dire warning—and Emma recalled Cormac saying that Lady Dunmeath believed he was being poisoned. And although it was a morbid thought, she rather hoped it was true—because then there was a chance it could be stopped and he could be well again.
She sensed that his illness was not what he thought it was, but she had no proof one way or the other. She’d had a few blissful weeks of traveling with him. He’d not been ill once, and seeing him grow strong, eating well, and using up his energy at night loving her had been a welcome respite of healing—for both of them.
“You know I had to return,” he said to his mother. “I have responsibilities here.”
“It’s too soon.”
Emma was starting to feel as if she ought to say something, so she greeted the dowager, extending her hand again. “I’m very glad to meet you, Lady Dunmeath.”
Josephine ignored the greeting and Emma faltered, uncertain of what to do next. Instead, she lowered her hand and fell silent. But she caught the faint scent of verbena from the older woman as she took another step away.
“Well, it seems you’ve gone and disrupted all our plans by getting married, Cormac.” The dowager sighed. “Why would you do such a thing?”
Emma could feel the tension tightening within her husband, and he spoke to his mother with coolness. “We both know I need an heir.”
“We could have made other arrangements,” she said. It made Emma wonder if Cormac had been betrothed to someone else. Had he left Ireland for another reason?
“It’s sorry I am if I’ve inconvenienced you by returning,” he said. “I suppose you were hoping I would die instead?”
Emma heard Josephine’s sharp intake of breath. “Don’t be saying such things, Cormac. It’s bad luck.”
