“Well, that was before I kent ye were betrothed,” Caden drawled.
Finlay huffed, taking another sip from his glass. “I daenae want to get married,” he said. “I will never get married. Nae to Thalia or anyone else.”
Caden slapped him on the shoulder. “Just think about it. I want to see ye happy, Braither.”
Finlay shrugged him off. “Go back to yer wife. I’m happy with me life just the way it is.”
Caden sighed. “Try to get some sleep, will ye?” h
Finlay just waved him off.
Caden stepped out of the room and closed the door firmly behind him, leaving him alone.
Finlay went to sit in the chair his brother had just vacated. The candle on his table flickered in the shrinking wax. He would need to replace it soon.
He sighed, letting his head fall back against the wall, and took another sip of his drink.
Thalia woke up feeling exhausted. She rolled over in bed, scanning the room around her. The sun must just be coming up, as the room was bathed in a soft blue light that was only found at dawn and dusk.
She sat up, stretching her arms above her head, when she heard it again, the noise that had woken her up.
She crept out of bed and stepped closer to the door. A soft patter of feet passed by, and at first, Thalia assumed it was a maid doing her early morning chores. Except, it sounded like the person wasrunning.
Thalia threw open the door and caught a glimpse of a small figure rounding the corner to the hall. She moved on instinct, racing after the girl without fully understanding why. She stopped at the top of the main stairs, just as Daisy grabbed the knob of the front door.
“Daisy?” she called.
The girl whipped around. She stared up at Thalia in shock, before bursting into sobs.
Thalia ran down the stairs and hurried to the girl. She knelt before her and pulled her into a hug.
“Oh. Sweetheart, it’s all right,” she whispered, letting the girl cry on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry. I shouldnae be here. I messed up again.” Daisy hiccupped, holding on to her tightly. “Faither is mad again.”
“Nay, Daisy. He’s nae mad at ye. He’s just… irritated by the situation. If anything, I’m probably the one he’s really mad at.”
“But it’s all me fault!” Daisy cried. “I sent the letter. I brought the Lairds here. I just… I didnae want ye to leave.”
Thalia held her tighter. “I didnae want to leave ye, either. In truth, I’m actually happy ye sent that letter.”
Daisy pulled back, wiping her sleeve clumsily across her nose. “But I messed it all up. I ruined yer life. I trapped ye here, when ye’d been nothin’ but kind to me.”
“Nay, nay.” Thalia gently cupped Daisy’s face in her hands. “Ye’re nae ruinin’ anythin’, and I’m nae trapped here. Why would ye ever think that?”
Daisy sniffled. “I heard Faither and Uncle Caden talking last night. Faither kept saying that he never wants to get married. That it would just ruin yer life and trap ye here.”
Thalia frowned. “Well, I’m nae trapped. I’m the one who begged yer faither to help me, and he agreed. Ye did nothin’ wrong, Daisy. I promise.”
Daisy nodded, but she didn’t look completely convinced.
Thalia stood and offered her hand. “What do ye say we go back to bed? It’s still early, and I bet we could both use a bit more sleep.”
Daisy gave a small smile and took her hand, before they both went back up to the girl’s bedchamber.
Her room was grander than the one Thalia was staying in, though she supposed that was to be expected. A canopied bed sat in the middle, and there was a small desk and chair set up in one corner, while the other contained a rocking chair and a number of cloth dolls.
Daisy entered the room without hesitation, climbing straight into the bed.
