But… perhaps things have changed. We've been here for two years. Did I miss his change of heart?
"Ye must tell me about the manors in England," Eilidh said to Anna as they walked through the castle. "Since I'm tellin' ye so much about castles."
"I will," Anna promised, a true smile settled upon her lips. "But I don't think they're nearly as beautiful as castles." She looked around the corridor they were traversing, admiring the intricate craftsmanship of the stones. "Ye said ye've been here two years? Hugh mentioned taking over the Lairdship."
"Aye, he took it nearly two years ago," Eilidh confirmed, keeping the two of them moving. "We didnae ken his uncle well. He was me husband's brother. After me husband passed, we didnae have time to visit with family. If I wasn't workin', I was mindin' the children."
"It must have been quite hard," Anna said sympathetically. "You raised excellent children, though."
"I did, did I nae?" Eilidh replied with a fond expression. "They're more stubborn than mules, but they have good hearts. Even Marcus. I ken he's a bit… difficult at the moment. He's nae always like that. And it's nae because of ye."
Well, it seems as though it is because of me. I didn't do a thing to him, yet he looks at me with such contempt.
"I'll try to keep that in mind," Anna said after a moment. She had no reason to believe Eilidh was lying. "I'm sure that he has his reasons. I won't take it too personally."
Eilidh nodded, giving Anna's arm a grateful squeeze. "I'm sure he'll come around. He just needs time." She stopped at the mouth of a long hallway. "Now, the most important part of the tour. Ye need to pick yer chambers. Then, I'll have to tell the staff so they can bring yer things. And a few warmer cloaks that ye can use while we wait to get ye proper clothes of yer own."
Anna swallowed, blinking away the emotion that threatened to seize her and make itself seen. She'd been so worried about meeting her new family, and after Marcus's reaction, she was afraid that she would only ever be viewed as an outsider. To have Eilidh immediately stepping into a maternal role was unexpected and appreciated in a way Anna couldn't quite comprehend yet.
"Ye can take yer time pickin'," she said, letting go of Anna's arm. "Look inside them if ye want. Just let me ken."
Anna murmured, "I will," before advancing forward. She took her time, as Eilidh instructed, checking each room. Finally, she settled on one toward the end of the passageway. It faced south and had large windows that would let in sunlight. When she stepped toward them, she was enchanted by the view of the yard. It was beautiful now, especially with the fall foliage.
"This one," Anna said when she stepped out of the room. "I believe this is the one."
Eilidh came closer, a look of amusement on her lips. Her eyes flitted to the chambers just next door. "Funny ye'd pick this one."
"What do you mean?" Anna asked, looking between the room and Eilidh. "Is there something wrong with it?"
"Nay, nae a thing is wrong with choosin' this space," she said as she looked inside. "Ye just happened to pick the room right next to yer husband's. I didnae even tell ye."
Anna blushed, though she knew she didn't have a reason to. Softly, she explained, "It had the best lighting. And such a beautiful view of the gardens, I…"
"Ye daenae need to explain yerself," Eilidh laughed, her voice lacking any judgement or animosity. "I was just pointin' it out."
"Oh," Anna said shyly, the heat in her cheeks slowly dissipating.
Eilidh walked past her, straight into the chambers. Opening the top of the vanity, she retrieved a key. Then, she walked over to Anna, pressing it securely into her palm. It wasn't until Anna's fingers curled around it that she let go.
"Ye'll want to keep yer room locked, especially at night," she said, her voice gravely serious. It was a far cry from the tone she'd been using.
Anna blinked twice, a fear without source digging into her gut. For the first time since meeting Hugh, she wondered if he might be a threat. He was a complete stranger, yet she'd chosen to trust him, never stopping to assess the danger he could pose to her.
"That's…" she trailed off, unable to articulate herself, too many things swirling in her mind.
"Oh, ye daenae have to worry about Hugh," Eilidh said as if reading her thoughts. "In fact, ye're safer because ye're so close to him. If anythin' were to happen, he's right next to ye."
"Then… Why do I need to keep my door locked?" Her posture was tight, unease settling behind her breastbone. "Am I… not safe here?"
"Nay, ye're safe," Eilidh promised, grabbing hold of Anna's fingers and pressing them tighter around the key. "Ye simply never ken who's lurkin' around the castle. It's open to so many people. Best ye daenae take any chances."
"I suppose that makes sense," Anna said, forcing a smile. The thought made her feel a bit better, but she still felt as if something was off.
She told herself it was because she'd never lived in a place like this. The manor had only her, her father, and their staff. Castle McDonald, however, served the village. It wouldn't surprise her if it were entirely impossible to keep track of who was inside at any given moment.
Before Anna could get another word out, a maid approached them. She was smiling softly, her red hair pulled primly out of her face. It seemed as though she was pleased with being the one carrying out her task.
"Lady McDonald," she said, giving Anna respect she didn't feel she had earned. "I've come to fetch ye. Laird McDonald has called for ye. He'd like to see ye in his study."
