But in my heart, I know that Marcus wouldn't do something like this. Even if he did dislike me at first, he likes me now.
Even that, though, she couldn't be sure of. If she hadn't invited him to the village, he would never have seen his lover engaged in… those activities. In a way, her actions had directly caused the darkness he'd been lingering in ever since his return.
As Anna hurried down the corridor, she heard her name. She stopped, her feet nearly skidding on the stone. Quietly, she tucked herself away, straining to make out the conversation happening nearby.
"Again?" one of the guards scoffed. "That's the third time in several days that he's gotten money for her."
"Aye, Callum says that she keeps askin' for it," the other said, not bothering to hide his distaste. "He doesnae have a clue what she could be spendin' it on, but he's nae in the business of gettin' on the Laird's bad side."
"He's been coverin' it up for her if I had to guess," the first said. "Nay wonder they had a meetin' with the villagers about finances yesterday."
Anna couldn't bear to hear any more. She needed answers, and it was clear that these two had some. So, she stepped out of hiding, smoothing out her skirts and approaching the two men as casually as she could muster.
"Excuse me," she said, smiling at the two of them. "I must have misheard you. Did you say that Callum was withdrawing money for me?"
They stared back at her, unmoving. One of them still wore disgust on his features. It was as if, overnight, the staff was turning on her.
"Ye should ken about it, aye?" the other asked, raising an eyebrow. "Nay need to interrogate us. We daenae ken a thing about that."
Her mouth opened and closed as she struggled to form a response. She hadn't felt such biting scorn in words since England. It washed over her like cold water, clouding her mind with that same familiar, unearned shame.
"Of course," she murmured, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm… looking for Callum currently. Would you be kind enough to point me in his direction?"
"He's either in his chambers or the council room," the first guard said. "Best ye check that wing of the castle."
Then, they turned and carried on. She watched them walk, trying to ignore the pangs of rejection in her chest. This was all temporary. Or at least, that's what she told herself as she went to find Callum.
She had only been to that part of the castle for the awful meeting she'd attended. It felt as if it were an unlivable place. The temperature dropped, and it seemed as though the candles here didn't give off as much light as they did in the rest of the building.
Timing was on her side, because as she turned down the corridor, Callum exited a room she hadn't been in. She had to assume it was his chambers. She almost felt bad for the man for being relegated to the darkest part of the castle.
"I'm so glad to have caught you," she called, her voice echoing off the stones.
Callum's head shot up, his eyes wide as though he'd been caught. When his gaze landed on her, it narrowed. In a faux-polite voice, he said, "Lady McDonald. What can I do for ye?"
"I'm glad to have caught you," she said, giving him no indication that she'd picked up on the oddity of his behavior. "The guards told me that you had something for me."
His jaw clenched tightly. "I have nay idea what they're talkin' about." He took a deep breath before adding, "Now, if ye'll excuse me, me Lady, I'm a bit busy at the moment."
"Of course," Anna said.
She turned and began to shuffle down the hall. When she heard him do the same, walking in an opposite direction, she tilted her head. He pulled out a key, letting himself into another room, disappearing inside.
I must see what he's doing.
As quietly as she could, she approached the room. Perhaps his servant would be there, and she could eavesdrop. If not, well… She had to try, had she not?
Her heart leapt in her chest as she drew closer. In his haste, he'd left the door ajar. A thin thread of light spilled into the corridor. His shadow flashed across it before stopping, his form dropping to one knee.
She waited. A beat. Two. Then she crept forward, her fingers curling around the door jamb. Slowly, she glanced around the corner.
At first, she couldn't make sense of what she was looking at. He was simply hunched over a chest. His hands were furiously running over the contents as though he were counting. Then, he plucked a bag from inside, and Anna nearly gasped.
She could see coins. So many of them. And, if she had to guess, that was what comprised the rest of the chest's inventory.
All of a sudden, it was clear to her. The thief wasCallum.
Hugh had spent hours poring over the ledgers. It wasn't until the numbers began to blur before his eyes that he finally went to bed. Then, as if his body understood how important his task was, he woke an hour before sunrise.
