“It was Marjory.” It was his turn to be shocked. He drew back to gape at her. “I was coming to tell you, but your father said you were in a meeting and could not be disturbed.” Now she knew why.More secrets.
“How do you know?”
“Eachann saw her going into the room with a ‘gift.’ He asked her about it today when Marjory came to spend the afternoon with your mother working on the new tapestry.”
He swore.
“Your mother had much the same reaction, although not so plainly put. I’ve never seen her so angry. I took Eachann from the room, but Marjory left a short while later in tears. I’m sure the incident will not be repeated.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie.” He shook his head, furious. “Damn it, my own sister!”
“You have nothing for which to apologize. Marjory is not your responsibility.”
“I’ll speak with Fin, when I get back.”
“Don’t. It will only make it worse. Besides, I suspect your sister’s marriage doesn’t need any more challenges.”
Perhaps the same could be said of hers. She wanted desperately for Eoin to trust her, but maybe she was asking too much. Maybe forgiveness was all she could expect?
Would that be enough?
In her heart she knew it wouldn’t. She did not need to know all the details, but he could not cut her out of half his life as he had before. Not when she knew the difference now. There was something he was hiding. Something important. But she could not force him to trust her.
She turned away. “I will see you when you return.”
He grabbed her elbow to turn her back. “Don’t be like this, Maggie. I want to tell you, but I can’t.”
She dipped her face so he wouldn’t see her disappointment and hurt. “I understand.”
“No, you don’t,” he said, turning her face back to his. “Nor should you. It’s just... damn it, it’s complicated.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She didn’t know whether she’d start sobbing or start hurling demands and accusations at him. But neither would do either of them any good. It would only make it worse.
Patience, she reminded herself. But how long would it take?
Eoin made it as far as the dock before he turned around. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave her like this.
It felt too much like last time—except maybe this time it was worse. He didn’t have accusations and demands to fuel his anger, distracting him and helping him convince himself he was doing the right thing.
He wasn’t doing the right thing. All he could think about was the hurt and disappointment in her eyes when he’d told her. A stony lump had formed in his chest, and it had only grown heavier as he’d left her standing in thebarmkinbeside his parents, clutching Eachann’s hand like a lifeline. Seeing her so vulnerable ate at him. Margaret was strong, confident, irrepressible. He was breaking her heart, damn it. Just like he’d done six years ago.
“It can’t work...”
She was right, if they were going to have a chance, he needed to trust her. “I have to go back,” he said.
Campbell had already jumped in thebirlinnand was readying the ship for voyage. Oddly enough, he didn’t look all that surprised by Eoin’s pronouncement. “Forget something?”
“Aye, to tell my wife where I’m going.” The blunt admission elicited only a quirked brow from Campbell. “Do you have an objection to that?”
The other man shrugged. “Not if you don’t.”
In other words, Campbell trusted his judgment. Eoin knew that—they’d all had their lives in each other’s hands at some point over the last seven and a half years—but somehow this felt different. He acknowledged the show of faith with a nod.
Campbell’s mouth lifted in a wry smile. “Marrying the enemy’s daughter isn’t easy, is it?”
Eoin smiled back at him, appreciating the understanding that could only come from someone in the same position. “You can sure as hell say that again. Give me a few minutes.”
He took the stairs two at a time, hoping to catch her in the yard, but the small group that’d bid him farewell on what was allegedly a short trip to Dunstaffnage had already dispersed.
