The sun was barely up. The sunrise was a weak, watery thing, barely lighting the sky. It was going to be a windy, rainy day. The sky was heavy with clouds, threatening sleet. The best coach hadbeen chosen to take her home. It stood shivering on its axles in the wind, with hardly any luggage. It would take her all the way home, Melody had been told, not just to the borders of England. That was a relief, knowing she wouldn’t have to worry about public stagecoaches or missing the coach she needed.
“I wish ye would reconsider,” Sophie quavered, the old woman nearly blown off her feet by the wind. “The weather is bad. Stay for a few hours, wait and see if it’ll clear up.”
Melody gave a faint smile. “If I wait, I won’t leave today. Putting off this journey till tomorrow won’t do me any good.”
“Well, I daenae think ye should go at all,” Jane stated firmly. Stepping forward, she pushed a hamper into Melody’s hands. “But since ye insist upon goin’, I’ve packed ye some food. It’ll be enough for the first day, at least.”
Sophie shook her head. “I wish ye would at least take yer gowns with ye, lass. Ye did nae even have the chance to wear them all.”
Melody smiled faintly. “It was so kind of you to give them to me. I… I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer, but I suspect I’ve worn out my welcome already.”
“Daenae be daft,” Sophie sniffed. “Come here, lass. Give me a hug.”
Melody was happy to oblige. She wrapped her arms around the older woman, breathing in the scent of mint. Perhaps that was where Callum got his warm, fresh scent from.
Enough. Don’t think of him.
She pulled back, offering a misty smile.
“And you’ll be sure that my letter reaches Victoria soon?” she added, smiling hopefully at Lucas. “I don’t want her to worry.”
“I’ll see it delivered meself,” Lucas promised. His face was tight and miserable. “And the men travelin’ with ye are our finest soldiers. Ye will be safe on the road, and they’ll get ye home in good time.”
Melody nodded tightly. “Thank you. I… I appreciate it. You’ll all write to me, won’t you, to let me know how things are going? I’ll want to hear about it all.”
She received a chorus of ayes. Last of all, Melody turned to Kat.
Kat wasn’t happy. She’d made no secret of the fact that she thought Melody should stay. Right now, she had her arms folded tight across her chest and had a pinched, tired look on her face.
“You’re upset with me, aren’t you?” Melody murmured.
“I wish ye were nae givin’ up,” Kat responded bluntly. “But nor can I tell ye what to do. I hope ye find happiness in England. And put that salve on yer scratches.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Kat sighed, shifting a little, and unfolded her arms. “Did ye at least find what ye were lookin’ for?”
Melody blinked, frowning. Sophie and Jane turned to talk to each other as Lucas gave last-minute instructions to the coach driver. That left Melody and Kat free to talk privately.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that ye snuck into this castle for a reason,” Kat responded pointedly. “Did ye find what ye were lookin’ for, at least?”
At once, Melody thought of her sketch. She had finished it last night, but as she put the final strokes on the picture, she realized that she couldn’t take it with her. It didn’t matter what the Marzipan Twins thought of her. It didn’t matter what anybody thought of Callum.He’dnever cared, and now she would have to learn not to care, either.
She’d considered destroying the sketch, but that felt far too wasteful and violent. Instead, Melody had rolled it up and tied it in the middle with a ribbon. Somebody would find it, probably.Perhaps they’d throw it out, perhaps they would frame it. Did it matter? Probably, but not to her.
I’ll never find out what happens to it. I’ll be in England, apologizing to my father for my long absence and trying desperately to find a place for myself in society once more. If they’ll even accept me, that is, which is unlikely.
“I suppose I did find what I was looking for, in a way,” she answered at last. Sunlight crawled across the courtyard, lighting up the cobbles at her feet.
I’ve already delayed enough.
“I suppose I should get going, then,” Melody managed at last, hating how her voice caught in her throat. The others pretended not to notice. They’d mostly given up on begging her to stay. She turned to Lucas, smiling hopefully.
“Will Callum be joining us soon? Surely he’ll…” she trailed off.
Surely he’ll say goodbye.
