The legs of his chair scraped against the stone flooring as he pushed himself to his feet. As his footsteps receded, Flora let out a long, slow breath. When she raised her head, Annabeth was watching her with an amused smile. Matthew, wearing alopsided grin, stood up as well, nodding at the two women before he followed after his brother.
“Ye ken, he’s tryin’,” Annabeth said softly, looking down at her book as if trying to soften the blow, “in his own way.”
“Aye,” Flora said quietly. “But I daenae ken if me heart can take it.”
Annabeth hummed thoughtfully before murmuring, “I think ye can take anythin’ if ye put yer mind to it. Besides, perhaps ye’d welcome the distraction of learnin’ to ride. I find it far more compellin’ than balancin’ numbers.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Are ye finally goin’ to tell me what ye’re up to with Flora?”
Lucas looked at Matthew from across his desk. He shut the ledger he’d been looking over and let out a long breath. “Ye really arenae goin’ to drop this, are ye?”
“Well, ye daenae seem as if ye’re goin’ to drop it, so I daenae have a choice other than to investigate,” Matthew said easily, leaning back in his chair. “I’ve watched ye get turned down by her several times when ye tried to teach her to ride and give her more lessons with her knife and take her around the grounds. Certainly, ye must have a reason for yer behavior.”
“Ach, I’m finished with me attempts, so ye can drop yer investigation,” Lucas replied. “If ye daenae have anythin’ else to discuss about our actual operations, ye can leave.”
“So ye have been makin’ attempts,” Matthew said, radiating smug satisfaction. “Why give up? Ye ken she’s likely just nervous. She speaks more to ye than she does any of the other men in the castle.”
Lucas steepled his hands on the desk, resting his chin against the tips of his fingers. “Because she seems to understand that I’m a monster and too cold for anyone, especially someone as sweet as her.”
Despite believing the truth in his words, Lucas knew that he wouldn’t be able to let Flora go. It would be easier if the woman had family. She didn’t, though, so he’d spend the rest of his days wishing that he could be better for her.
“Are ye on this again?” Matthew groaned. “I get that ye’re nae exactly the warmest person in the castle, but ye’re nae unfeelin’, and ye’re nae a monster. Look at how ye interact with Elizabeth. And Leo worshipped the ground ye walked on.”
“Daenae bring him up,” Lucas snapped, slamming a fist on the desk. “I failed him, and I failed Maggie. It’s best that I daenae create a situation where I can fail someone else like that again!”
“Ye willnae,” Matthew said, not reacting to the outburst outwardly. “What happened to Leo was an accident. Nay one could have predicted it. And what Maggie did to herself… that wasnae yer fault. She handled her own situation poorly.”
“Daenae speak like?—”
“Nay, Lucas,” Matthew said sharply. “I ken that ye’re blamin’ yerself, but it was Maggie’s decision. She dinnae want to explore any other options. She chose the most permanent one.”
“I daenae?—”
Lucas was cut off again by three weak knocks at his door. Matthew’s brow furrowed, silently asking if Lucas was expecting anyone.
“Ye may enter,” Lucas said in lieu of answering Matthew.
“Uncle Lucas?” Elizabeth asked as she shuffled into the room. She glanced between her father and Lucas. “Are ye too busy for me?”
“Nay, Elizabeth,” Lucas said, glad to have a reason to get out of the conversation that he and Matthew had been having a few moments before. “We were just finishin’ up.”
“I willnae take much time,” she vowed in her most polite voice, “but Maither said that it will be clear tonight, and the moon will be full. I wanted to ken if ye would go stargazin’ with me.”
“Well, I daenae see why he couldnae,” Matthew said, looking at Lucas pointedly as if challenging him to deny Elizabeth’s request.
“I suppose I could find time,” Lucas agreed. Even if Matthew hadn’t offered him up, he wouldn’t have been able to say no tothe girl. “If the sky’s goin’ to be clear and bonnie, and I’ll be spendin’ time with me niece, I cannae say nay to that.”
A giddy grin lit up Elizabeth’s face. She clapped her hands together and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Oh, good! Meet me at the entrance hall at nightfall.”
Then, before Lucas could say anything else to her, she fled the room, giggling. He looked at the place she’d vacated for a long moment before turning to Matthew and asking, “What was all that about?”
“I cannae tell ye,” Matthew said with a chuckle as he stood up. “She’s probably just excited to be spendin’ time with ye. Ye’ve been so busy lately that any time she can get with ye means a lot.”
“Ach, I suppose ye’re right,” Lucas said, though as Matthew left the study, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his niece was up to something.
“Excuse me,” Flora said to a maid passing by. “I daenae mean to bother ye, but have ye seen Elizabeth?”
