“They’re both handlin’ it well so far from what I can tell,” Lucas said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Elizabeth’s clingin’ to Matthew and Annabeth, but that’s to be expected. She’ll be back to herself in nay time, I’m sure of it.”
“And Flora?”
Lucas narrowed his eyes. “I will be checkin’ on her as soon as I finish sortin’ everythin’ out. I left her with Agnes, and a maid will be meetin’ her to lead her to her chambers.” He let his eyes linger on the man they captured for a beat. “Fetch the healer when he wakes. I daenae want him dyin’ before we’re able to get his motivations out of him. But daenae let her make him too comfortable.”
“Aye, Me Laird,” the guard said dutifully.
With a final nod, Lucas went to his study. He drafted a letter quickly, detailing the events of the afternoon and requesting Hector’s presence to assist. Then, as he went to oversee the arrangements for the men who’d lost their lives, he passed the envelope to an attendant with instructions to have it sent immediately.
There wasn’t much for Lucas to do when he walked into the courtyard. The bodies were laid out, his men already beginning preparations. Some of the deceased’s wives and lovers had already caught wind of what happened and were there crying, begging for this to have been a dream. His guards were handling them with as much tact as they could muster.
Ach, I wish that it had been. For everyone’s sake.
“We’ll report to ye tomorrow, Me Laird,” one of his senior gate guards said, walking over to him. He glanced over at where one woman’s hysterics were reaching ear-shattering levels. “Funeral preparations will need to be approved by ye, but we can handle this here. I will be gettin’ the healer shortly to help calm the women down.”
Normally, Lucas would have insisted he stay and even been offended at being dismissed. This evening, though, he had more important matters to attend to. His gaze narrowed, a signal that his guard was walking a dangerous line.
“Aye. If anythin’ pressin’ presents itself, I expect ye to inform me immediately,” Lucas said. “There will be consequences if ye daenae.”
“Of course, Me Laird.” He lowered his head, wordlessly acknowledging the concession Lucas had made.
With a final nod, Lucas went back to the castle. As he’d suspected, there was quite a bit of activity. It was well past the time that the residents would be eating or socializing, yet they were milling around the entrance of the great hall. A dark thought settled over him then, quiet and suffocating. What would this castle feel like without Flora’s presence within its walls?
I could survive losing her. But survivin’ isnae the same as livin’.
He couldn't stay away any longer. His body had already decided; it was taking him to her.
He made the journey to Flora’s chambers quickly, managing to avoid being stopped and pestered for information, though, at one point, he did have to slip into an empty room to allow a group of residents to pass. While he understood the curiosity and didn’t fault the residents for wanting to know more, they were the last thing on his mind. He needed to make sure she wasn’t left alone.
His knuckles rapped against the solid wood three times. “Flora,” he said, his voice gruff, “it’s me. I’ve come to check on ye.”
The door opened a few seconds later, revealing the woman in her dressing gown. She’d draped a robe over her frame, and it looked as though it were tied hastily, the belt sideways. Giving him a tired smile, she stepped back wordlessly, allowing him entry.
A weight he hadn’t realized he was carrying lifted off his shoulders when he saw her standing there. He’d known already that he couldn’t imagine the rest of his life without her, but that thought became even more acute. It was as though being separated from her while she was in pain caused him the same aches.
“Everythin’ went well with the healer, aye?” he asked as soon as the latch clicked into place. “Ye’re nae injured anywhere else? Nothin’ that required invasive intervention?”
“Nay,” Flora said, wrapping her arms around herself. “Me only injury is the one on me face. She believes it will heal quickly enough, though I may end up with a scar. She’s nae sure that I will, but she wanted me to be prepared for the possibility.”
Tension he hadn’t realized he was carrying drained from his body. She was whole with no life-altering injuries. In an attempt at humor, he said, “Well, if ye do end up with a scar, ye should wear it with pride. That’s what warriors do. It means ye survived and came out victorious. It warns others nae to challenge ye.”
She giggled, a light thing that made him feel much better about her mental state. There was no point in asking her how she was doing again; she’d just experienced another trauma on top of allthe others that her life had thrust upon her, but she was speaking and laughing, which had to count for something.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, perching herself on the edge of her bed. She looked down at her hands for a beat, opening and closing them slowly. Then, she looked at him as she spoke again, “Thank ye for comin’ to check on me.”
“Ye daenae have to thank me for this,” Lucas said as he settled next to her, leaving several centimeters between the two of them. “I care about ye. More than I thought I’d ever be able to care for another person again. Ye’re me heart, Flora.”
“Lucas,” she breathed, her dark eyes shining with something that he thought looked a lot like hope. “I…”
“I daenae ken how ye managed to get past the walls that I keep up, but ye’ve done it,” he said, the words flowing with no resistance. After nearly losing her, he couldn’t keep these feelings to himself. “I love ye, Flora. I love ye so much, it makes me feel like a beast kennin’ what ye’ve been through. If I could, I’d erase it all.”
She was quiet for a long moment. Then, almost shyly, she said, “I love ye, too, but I wouldnae have ye change a thing that happened to me. If it hadnae, I wouldnae have met ye. I’d do it all over again if it meant that I’d get to come to Castle McGowan and be with ye.”
Slowly and with as much gentleness as he could muster, Lucas cupped her uninjured cheek. She leaned into it, her eyelashesfluttering. She was beautiful, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and she was surrendering herself to him without any resistance.
Then, her eyes flickered down to his lips. The movement was minute, only lingering for half a second, but it was enough for him. It was a question. It was permission. He leaned forward, capturing her mouth in a kiss meant to convey all of the things that he couldn’t put into words.
Flora sighed against him, her body relaxing before returning the pressure. It wasn’t hesitant but careful, like she was proving to herself that this was real. He understood the sentiment more than he cared to admit.
