“Aye.Masie’s twelve, Connor’s nine.”
“Do they ken ye’re bringin’home a governess?”
“Nay.”Elijah grimaced. “They’re goin’ to be… surprised.”
“Surprised or angry?”
“Possibly both.”He felt Piper tense. “But daenae worry. They’ll come around. Eventually.”
“Ye daenaesound very certain of that.”
“I’m nae certain of anythin’when it comes to me children, lass. But that’s why I need ye.”
They rodein silence for a while. The tension between them had eased slightly—not gone, but not as sharp as before.
Elijah foundhimself noticing things he shouldn’t: the way Piper’s hair caught the sunlight, the soft weight of her against his chest, the faint scent of her that somehow remained sweet despite everything she’d been through.
Stop it.She’s yer employee now. Nae yer… anythin’ else.
“Laird McMahon?”Piper’s voice broke into his thoughts.
“Aye?”
“Thank ye.”The words came out quietly, almost reluctantly. “For… for this. For nae lettin’ me do somethin’ foolish.”
“Ye’re welcome, lass.”Elijah tightened his arm around her waist slightly—just enough to be reassuring, not restricting. “And ye can call me Elijah. If ye want.”
“That wouldnae be proper.Ye’re a laird.”
“And ye’re goin’to be part of me household. We can worry about propriety later.”
Piper didn’t respond,but he felt her relax a fraction more against him.
It was goingto be a long journey to Castle McMahon. But for the first time since he’d found this lass running through the forest, Elijah thought maybe—just maybe—everything might actually work out.
As long ashe could keep his hands to himself and his thoughts where they belonged.
Which was goingto be significantly harder than he’d anticipated.
6
“Sweet Lord.”
The words leftPiper’s mouth before she could stop them.
They’d crestedthe final hill just as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, and there—rising from the landscape like something out of a legend—was Castle McMahon.
It wasn’t just large.It wasmassive.
Grey stone towersreached toward the sky, their peaks crowned with crenellations that caught the golden light. The main keep stood four stories high at least, with smaller buildings clustered around it like children gathered at their mother’s skirts. A thick curtain wall surrounded the entire complex, and Piper could see guards walking the ramparts.
Beyond the castle,she glimpsed gardens and orchards, a large loch glittering in the distance, and rolling green hills that seemed to stretch on forever.
“Impressive, isn’t it?”Elijah’s voice held a note of pride.
“Impressive?”Piper twisted to look at him. “It’s… it’s… I’ve never seen anythin’ like it.”
“Most people havenae.”He guided the horse down the hill toward the castle gates. “Castle McMahon has stood for over two hundred years. Me great-great-grandfaither built the original keep, and each generation has added to it.”
