“Maither—”Elijah started, but the woman was already moving toward Piper.
“It’s solovely to meet ye! I’m Amara Quinn, Elijah’s maither, and ye must be—oh, ye must be exhausted from yer journey! Come, come, let me look at ye.”
“Maither,”Elijah said, louder this time. His voice had taken on a warning tone. “This is Miss Piper Armstrong. She’s Masie and Connor’s new governess.”
Amara froze.The brilliant smile faltered, then dimmed like a candle being snuffed out. “Governess?”
“Aye. Governess.”Elijah stood, his jaw tight. “We just signed the contract. She’ll be teachin’ the bairns startin’ tomorrow.”
“Oh.”Amara’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Of course. A governess. How… practical.”
Piper watchedthis exchange with growing confusion. Why did Elijah’s mother look so disappointed? And why was Elijah looking at her with such exasperation?
Then it clicked.Amara had thought—she’d assumed…
Oh God.She thought I was Elijah’s betrothed.
Heat flooded Piper’s cheeks.Of course, that’s what any mother would think, seeing her son arrive home with a strange woman. And Amara had probably been hoping for exactly that, a new wife for her widowed son.
“I’msorry to disappoint ye, Lady McMahon,” Piper said quietly. “I’m just the governess.”
Amara’s attentionsnapped back to her, and suddenly the older woman’s eyes sharpened, taking in details Piper hadn’t realized were visible: the dark circles under her eyes, the way her dress hung loose on her frame, the faint bruises on her wrists.
“Ye’re exhausted,”Amara said, her voice shifting from disappointed to concerned in an instant. “And ye look half-starved, poor dear. When did ye last eat a proper meal?”
“I… I daenae—”
“Never mind,daenae answer that. I can see it’s been too long.” Amara took Piper’s hand, pulling her to her feet with surprising strength. “Come with me. We’ll get ye settled in proper chambers, and I’ll have the servants prepare ye a bath. Ye’ll feel much better once ye’ve had a chance to rest and clean up.”
“Maither,she just traveled for two days—” Elijah started.
“Which is exactlywhy she needs attendin’ to immediately!” Amara shot her son a look that was pure maternal exasperation. “Honestly, Elijah. Did ye even think to stop and let the poor lass rest properly?”
“We stopped.”
“I’m sure ye did.For all of ten minutes, knowin’ ye.” Amara was already pulling Piper toward the door. “Come along, dear. Let’s get ye taken care of. Where’s yer luggage, lass?”
“I daenae have any…”Piper looked back at Elijah helplessly. “I lost me luggage.”
She couldn’t tellthem the truth, that she’d never had luggage to begin with. That she’d been dragged from her home with nothing but the clothes on her back and the necklace around her neck.
Her hand wentto that necklace now, fingers touching the familiar weight of it. The only thing she had left of Alexandra. The only thing that had survived.
“That’s nae a problem at all,”Amara said warmly. “I’ll have the servants find ye some proper clothes. We keep a few things on hand for guests, and I’m sure we can alter somethin’ to fit ye. And in a few days, we’ll have the seamstress come and make ye some gowns of yer own. How does that sound?”
Piper’s throat tightened.“Ye daenae have to! That’s too much?—”
“Nonsense.Ye’re part of the household now, and the household takes care of its own.” Amara patted her hand. “Now, let’s get ye settled before ye collapse from exhaustion. Ye look ready to fall over.”
She wasn’t wrong.Piper’s legs felt like water, and the warmth of the castle after two days of riding was making her realize just how cold and tired she actually was.
“Go on, lass,”Elijah said from behind his desk. His expression was unreadable. “Me maither will take good care of ye.”
Piper letherself be led from the study, with Amara keeping up a steady stream of cheerful chatter about the castle, the staff, and how wonderful it was to finally have a governess for the children again.
But as theywalked through the corridors, Piper’s mind was spinning.
This was real.The castle was real. The contract was real. The position was real.
