Talia tried to calm herself becausehisname sent a thrill through her.
“Darragh’s been speaking to some investors in the railroad sector. He is looking to buy back the land me husband has lost. With the money from his inheritance, he can save the clan. He says the industry is quite competitive, so he is desperate. He has made some investments in new technologies, but they wouldnae start generating income for years now.”
“He told me about his faither.”
“He usually doesnae like to talk about him. I am surprised.”
“It was in the midst of an argument.”
Orlagh recounted what she had heard from Darragh and more: the gambling, debts, lost lands, broken alliances. The formerLaird had wreaked havoc on their clan, and Darragh was now shouldering the burden alone.
In the heat of the moment, Talia had told him that she did not care about his people. It had been a lie she had said to spite him. And now she regretted ever having said it to him.
Orlagh let out a motherly laugh. “I see. I understand he has sequestered himself away for days now. Ye have the right to feel insulted, but please daenae misunderstand him. He isnae avoiding ye. He is just overwhelmed at the moment. When he is feeling better, I am sure he would resume chaperoning ye.”
Talia found that hard to believe. It was too coincidental that he kissed her and then became busy with duties. If he did not want her to misunderstand him, he should never have left her in the room as he had. He should have taken a moment to seek her out and explain things.
Nevertheless, her mind was made up. Since it was a marriage he needed, it was a marriage he would get, and she would do it with or without him.
“I cannae tell if yer disposition has worsened or if those men are the worst of the lot.”
Talia fixed her gaze on the fountain in the garden. When it was quiet enough and the cicadas had gone to sleep, it was possibleto hear the water gushing. The window in the morning room offered a full view of the garden, and of the retreating figure of her last suitor.
Moments ago, the man had made a fool of himself and gotten himself kicked out. He made repeated requests for spirits despite several rebuffs. When he realized their resolve was stone cold, he produced a flask from his boots and filled a teacup.
Talia had thought him audacious and wanted to see how much more entertaining things he had up his sleeves, but Amber had been unamused, immediately requesting that he be thrown out.
“Ye should ken, ye threw out the last one.”
She had said it as a joke but there was no humor in her words because Amber was right. Her disposition had worsened. She felt barren, confused even.
“Ye’ve been upset. Tell me what bothers ye.”
Talia opened her mouth to refute her claims, but Amber predicted it.
She wagged one reproachful finger. “Daenae tell me a lie.”
The room did not have a fireplace, but Talia found herself growing hot. Was she about to confide in Amber about childish feelings like a schoolgirl? She was twenty-three, too old for pettyromance, if she could call it that. One did not call a kiss stolen on a whim ‘romance.’
“Darragh is avoiding me.”
“Oh, daenae take it to heart. The Laird avoids everyone when he gets in one of his moods.”
“Now he’s avoiding me on purpose.” Talia said joining her on the sofa. “Daenae tell anyone this, but he kissed me.”
She shouldn’t have waited for Amber to drink her cider. She spluttered, coughing out the sweet liquid. “Who. Kissed. ye?”
Talia leaned into her ear and lowered her voice. “We were in his study, and we were arguin’ about one of me suitors and he came closer and it was as though I couldnae breathe and then…” She mimed the action, puckering her lips.
“Surely ye must have dreamed it!”
“Me imagination could never have conceived something so… exhilarating.”
Even when her mind dredged it, played it out so it was more than a three-second caress, it paled in comparison to the real thing. Maybe that was why she was so haunted, because she craved therealthing.
“Do ye realize how exciting this is? The Laird has fallen in love. He is sulkin’ because he doesnae ken how to handle his feelings.”
“Amber, did ye nae hear me? I said he was avoiding me. How could he have fallen in love with me if he’s choosing to avoid me?”
