She blew out the candle and rolled sharply over in the bed, trying not to answer her own question.
Chapter Fifteen
On the third day, Erskine couldn’t stay away anymore. He had thought much about Laura since their return but sneaking out of the castle to go and see her hadn’t been easy when Dearg seemed to be watching his every move.
It was only on the third day that Erskine managed to come up with a valid reason for leaving the castle, explaining that he had to see Tam to give him his wages for the journey to London and back. Erskine did not miss the way Dearg’s eyes followed him out of the castle as he went, but he brushed it off. Nothing was going to stop him today; he had to see Laura.
First, in order to keep up appearances as to why he had left, he went to see Tam, knocking on the door jovially.
“Who is it?” Tam’s voice came from the far side of the house.
“Me,” Erskine called back, to which the door opened a few seconds later. To Erskine’s surprise, Tam was not the only one standing in the doorway, but Lennox was too. Her face was quite pale compared to the pink-tinge it normally held within it, and she was not wearing the ever-permanent smile that was ordinarily in her pretty features. “Good mornin’, Lennox, how are ye today?”
“Aye, well enough,” she sighed, stepping past Tam and out of the house.
Erskine looked between the two of them; he did not miss the way Lennox could not seem to be able to raise her eyes back to look at Tam. There was an atmosphere between the two of them. Gone was the easy humor and constant jesting the two of them usually shared, replaced with what appeared to be animosity.
“Have I interrupted an argument?” Erskine asked Tam, who was now leaning on the doorframe, his arms crossed, and his gaze narrowed on Lennox.
“Of a kind,” Tam sighed.
“I can come back later—”
“Nay!” The sudden strong word came from both Tam and Lennox, urging him to look between them in surprise.
“I need to get home anyway,” Lennox said quickly, her gaze still on the ground. “Pleased to hear ye had a successful trip, Erskine,” she spoke with a little more of her usual vigor for conversation as she turned to walk away. “From what Camden said, it was quite an eventful journey.”
“Wait, Camden?” Tam suddenly stepped out of the door, urging Lennox to turn back and look at him again. “When did ye see Camden?”
“Last night at the tavern,” Lennox explained with a frown.
“Lennox, I told ye before, he’s only got one thing in mind when he talks to ye,” Tam said, his voice dark. Erskine was tempted to retreat away, seeing how private the conversation was.
“Ye daenae control who I talk to, Tam,” she snapped back and flicked her head round as she walked off. “Good day to ye both!” She marched away, her fair hair flailing behind her.
Erskine’s eyes dropped to Tam, whose shoulders now seemed to be heaving up and down with heavy breaths.
“Bad timin’?” Erskine asked warily.
“Ye could say that,” Tam barked the words as he turned back to face Erskine and returned to the door. “Did ye want to come in?”
“Nay, I have somewhere I need to be, just came to give ye yer payment for the trip,” Erskine explained as he fished in his pocket, but he could not let the matter go of what he had just seen. “Tam, why are ye and Lennox arguin’?”
“It doesnae matter,” Tam shook his head.
“Doesnae it? Seems to matter a great deal,” Erskine gestured to his face. “I have rarely ever seen ye so angry. What’s wrong?”
“Lennox’s faither,” Tam sighed as he took the money Erskine proffered to him. “He insists she is of an age to be married.”
“Aye, what is wrong with that?” Erskine’s gaze flicked to the point down the street where Lennox had disappeared before returning to look at Tam, who had still not answered him. “There’s somethin’ more ye arenae sayin’.”
“Her faither says if she doesnae become betrothed soon, he will organize a marriage for her.”
These words made Erskine shift uncomfortably, reminded of the plight that Laura was now facing. His mind went back to the image of Earl Moore in the gambling hall and the idea that Laura could be bound to him forever more. It made him sick.
“Nay lass should marry a man she doesnae want to,” Erskine said darkly.
“Aye, I agree,” Tam returned his gaze to Erskine.
