"And what about Codie?" Iris asked suddenly. "The boy clearly adores his faither, but Elijah keeps such distance from him. If I'm buildin' a life here, I need to understand why."
"Perhaps that's somethin' ye should ask the Laird himself," Mairie said gently. "But from what I've seen, that man loves his son fiercely. He just doesnae ken how to show it properly."
"Or he's afraid to show it."
"Aye, that too. Which is why he needs someone like ye—someone who's nae afraid to push him, to make him face what he's runnin' from."
But what if I let meself love him, and he changes his mind?
It was a risk she wasn’t sure she was brave enough to take.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Who’s this, then?”
Elijah’s voice echoed through the reception hall as he and Henry entered, both men still in their riding clothes from the morning’s patrol. He’d been looking for Iris. He needed to tell her about Codie, but finding her with an unfamiliar woman gave him pause.
Iris’ head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and something flickered across her face that made his chest tighten. She wouldn’t quite meet his eyes, her cheeks flushing pink in a way that reminded him forcefully of last night—the way she’d looked beneath him, the sounds she’d made, the feel of her.
Focus. You came here for a reason.
“Elijah.” Her voice was slightly breathless, and she was definitely avoiding his gaze now. “I... this is Mairie. She was me maid at me parents’ home.”
The woman, Mairie, curtsied respectfully, though her sharp eyes were assessing him with open curiosity. “Me laird, it’s an honor.”
“She came all this way to see me,” Iris continued, her words tumbling out faster than usual. “And I was wonderin’... that is, if it’s acceptable to ye... could we hire her as me personal maid? I ken Aliana’s been helpin’ me, but Mairie and I have kent each other for years, and it’ll make me happy if she stays.”
“Do what ye wish,” Elijah interrupted, his tone perhaps sharper than he’d intended. He saw Iris flinch slightly and cursed himself. “Ye’re the lady of this castle. Ye can hire whomever ye see fit, so long as yer duties and the clan arenae affected.”
“Oh.” Iris blinked, as if surprised by his easy agreement. “Thank ye. That’s... very generous of ye.”
“It’s nae generous, it’s practical. Ye need staff ye trust.” He shifted his weight, suddenly aware of Henry’s presence beside him and the knowing smirk on his friend’s face. “I’m nae here to dictate yer household arrangements.”
An awkward silence fell over the room. Iris was still avoiding his eyes, Mairie was watching them both with obvious interest, and Henry looked like he was trying not to laugh.
“Was there somethin’ else ye needed?” Iris asked finally, her voice carefully polite.
Aye, I need to stop rememberin’ how she tasted. I need to forget the way she said me name.
“It’s Codie,” he said abruptly, pushing aside the dangerous thoughts. “He’s sick.”
The change in Iris was immediate. All awkwardness vanished as her face went pale with concern. “Sick? What do ye mean sick? What’s wrong with him?”
“I daenae ken. He woke up this mornin’ with a fever and complainin’ of pain in his stomach.” Elijah heard the tension in his own voice and tried to control it. “Aliana sent for me, said he’s been askin’ for ye.”
“How high is the fever?” Iris was already moving toward the door, all traces of embarrassment gone. “Has he been sick to his stomach? Is he keepin’ down water?”
“I... I daenae ken.” The admission felt like failure. “I came straight to find ye as soon as Aliana sent word.”
Iris paused at the doorway, finally meeting his eyes directly for the first time since he’d entered. Something in her expression softened when she saw whatever was in his face.
“I’ll go to him right now,” she said gently. “I’m sure it’s nothin’ serious. Bairns get sick all the time.”
“Aye.” But his throat felt tight, his chest constricted with a fear he didn’t know how to express.
What if it’s nae nothin’? What if he doesnae survive this?
The thought sent ice through his veins. Codie was his only family, his only real connection to anything good in this world. If something happened to him...
