“Heavens!” Avery covered her mouth as she suddenly realized what Melissa had said. “This is perfect! I knew the two of you were meant for each other, there was bound to be a reason you couldn’t stand him!” she babbled excitedly. “I just knew that something would be the catalyst between you, but I never guessed that it would be hidden ale.”
“I don’t think this means anything,” Melissa tried to reassure herself more than her sister. “We both had a bit to drink, we weren’t thinking.” She swallowed hard when she recalled the last words Daniel had uttered to her before she’d left.
You are free to do as ye please, an’ I will do the same. We are married in name alone.
“Is anything the matter?” Avery asked her again. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Just the headache returning,” Melissa lied. “Let’s carry on with our walk, that short distance seemed to do me a world of good.”
Melissa realized with sickening clarity that she had, in fact, enjoyed the kiss. She had wanted to explore the feeling of Daniel’s body against hers before he had drawn away. His words had come as a shock to her. Why? She didn’t know. All that she knew at present was that she’d need to watch her feelings around her new husband if things were to continue in name alone.
10
“Ipromise we will visit as soon as we can,” Avery said, kissing Melissa on the cheek while bouncing her youngest on her hip.
“Can’t you stay just a little longer?” Melissa asked with a great sigh of exasperation. “I really don’t know what I’m going to do with all of you gone.”
“I’m afraid we can’t stay any longer,” Avery explained. “Darragh has already spent too much time away.” She stepped aside as their mother came to greet them.
“You’re going to learn how to be the wife of a laird, dear.” Daphne kissed her daughter on the cheek after giving her a hug. “You’ll do just fine. Remember everything I’ve taught you.”
Darragh’s carriage was packed and ready to go as the family said their goodbyes in front of the castle. Melissa had enjoyed having them all around, mainly because it had served as a distraction between her and Daniel. She didn’t have to spend too much time in his company if her family was around. Something she avoided since realizing that she’d enjoyed their kiss.
“I’m afraid we cannae stay any longer, lass,” Darragh apologized as he too came to greet her after ensuring that everything had been properly loaded onto the wagon that would follow behind the carriage. “Send word if Daniel gets out of line, I’ll be here in the blink of an eye,” he whispered to her when the others left to climb into the carriage.
“Thank you.” Melissa laughed, feeling slightly more at ease with Darragh on her side. “I’m sure I’ll manage him just fine.”
“Aye, I ken ye will.” He gave her a concerned look that was barely hidden behind a smile, before climbing into the carriage. He’d become a protective figure in her life after everything they had endured together as a family.
Standing aside, she waved at the carriage as the whip cracked in the air with a sharp snap, urging the horses on as their hooves crunched the gravel beneath their iron shoes.
“What am I going to do now?” she whispered to herself as the carriage drew even further away from the castle before disappearing entirely down a hill. Turning to the right, she looked at the tall towers of the castle and the large wooden doors that lead into the main hall.
Deciding that she didn’t want to risk seeing Daniel on her own, she set off in the direction of the cherry trees that grew in an almost wild orchard behind the castle.
Her mind was filled with questions as she slowly made her way to the thicket of bright pink trees that were fully in bloom. Daniel was a conundrum to her, and even more so were her feelings toward him. The kiss they had shared in the tower had left her confused and disturbed by the fact that she had wanted more. He held an attraction for her that felt dangerous and exciting all at the same time.
“Dinnae say that.” A beautifully light feminine voice caught her attention, making her stop in her tracks on the path.
She looked around to see where the voice had come from but couldn’t make out the direction through the maze of trunks. Whoever had planted the orchard had decided that neat and orderly rows were just a suggestion, one that they had clearly decided was not for them.
A deep and rich laugh made her even more curious as she realized that it was a man whom the woman was talking to.
Spotting an almost hidden path, she decided to follow the voices and see who it was. She’d only been at the castle for a few days, which was barely enough time for her to meet all of the people in Daniel’s employ.
“I dinnae think it’s as bad as all that.” The woman laughed again as Melissa picked her way through piles of freshly picked cherries.
Some of the farm laborers must be taking a break.
Her spirits picked up. The day didn’t seem as boring as she thought it would be if she could meet a few new faces.
Stopping behind a larger tree, she made sure that her body was hidden before peering around the trunk.
The woman she had heard was standing close to a cart that had been loaded with cherries. Her light voice carried on the wind like a soft melody of a song. She was average height with strawberry blonde hair and fair skin that looked as if the slightest ray of sun would set it alight.
She picked a few cherries from the cart and placed them in the palm of her hand before popping a few into her mouth.
Melissa found her quite pretty, by all accounts. The woman was slim and slight of figure, so slight in fact that Melissa feared a small breeze would blow her away.
