She watched him, a chill rushing over her skin. She had the strangest feeling once he walked out that door, she’d never see him again. “Iwillmiss you.”
Logan stopped and turned back to her. “What did you say?”
“I said, I will miss you. I always do.”
Logan heaved in a breath, then let it out again. He gazed at her, his blue eyes soft. He looked as if he was struggling to find the right words to tell her something, but when he did speak he said only, “I’ll miss you too, bhean ghràdhach.”
Then he was gone, and Juliana was left alone.
* * * *
Logan had been right about Grace. By mid-afternoon there wasn’t a single storybook, game, or toy left in all of Graystone Court that could distract her. She fretted and squirmed and whined like a regular demon imp until Juliana was nearly driven to distraction.
Grace was generally a sweet, cheerful child, but her aching arm and the long, dull day spent in her bed had driven her right into a temper. By the time the sun set at last, she’d worked herself into such a state there was nothing left for her to do but burst into a flood of tears.
“Where’s Grandpapa? Why hasn’t he come to see me?”
Juliana sighed. She’d explained to Grace her grandfather had died, and she knew Grace understood this meant he wasn’t coming back, but understanding a thing and feeling it in one’s heart was not the same thing. “Your grandfather is in heaven now Grace, with your papa and mama. We won’t get to see him anymore. We’ll miss him, but we can still love him even though he’s not here, and he’ll always love us and watch over us.”
Tears stained Grace’s cheeks, and her lower lip was trembling. “You mean he won’t be able to play with me anymore?”
“No, Gracie. He won’t. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Juliana gathered Grace against her and soothed her with kisses and whispered words until at last Grace cried herself into exhaustion. Juliana tucked her snugly into bed and pulled the coverlet up to her chin.
“We’re not going to live here anymore, are we?” Grace stared up at her with big, fearful dark eyes.
“No, darling, we’re not. We’re going to go live at Rosemount. You remember Rosemount, don’t you?” Juliana had taken Grace there a few times in hopes her niece would grow to love the place as much as she did. “There’s a stream with a little bridge over it, and the prettiest little walled garden.”
“The one with the yellow flowers?”
Juliana smiled. “Daffodils, yes, and dozens of other pretty ones.”
“Are there bluebells there?”
Juliana cocked her head. “Hmm. I’m not sure, but we’ll certainly go searching for them next spring. Would you like that?”
Grace didn’t answer. She was fussing with her coverlet, twisting the corner between her fingers. “Is Mr. Logan coming to Rosemount with us?”
Juliana stilled. It made her chest ache to see how much Grace already loved Logan. Grace’s heart was so open, so loving, just as her mother’s had been. But Grace had already known so much loss. If she’d learned to love Logan only to have him leave, how would she bear it? How much loss could Grace endure before her heart closed?
“Aunt Juliana? We won’t go without Mr. Logan, will we?”
Juliana didn’t know what to say. Grace was carefully avoiding her gaze, as well—a sure sign the answer mattered very, very much to her.
But Juliana didn’t know the answer.
Logan had been wonderful yesterday. If it hadn’t been for his quick actions, Grace’s injuries would have been much worse than they were. Juliana hadn’t any doubt Logan loved Grace as much as Grace loved him.
After last night, she would have sworn Logan lovedher, too—that he was as deeply in love with her as she was with him. But if he loved her as she thought he did, why was he still keeping secrets from her? She’d been asking herself that question all day, and as afternoon and early evening wore on without his return, she grew more and more disillusioned.
With every hour that passed, it became harder for Juliana to believe he’d remain in England with her. He’d have to give up everything to stay with her and Grace. Scotland, and his home and his clan. He was laird now, and Juliana knew better than anyone how devoted he was to his people, how seriously he took that obligation.
Their marriage was never meant to be forever. She was his wife now, yes, but she had no real claim on him. If Logan chose to return to Scotland, she had no right to stand in his way.
“Mr. Logan is coming to Rosemount with us, isn’t he?”
Tears were filling Grace’s eyes again, as if she dreaded hearing the answer, and it tore Juliana apart to see them. Grace had given her heart to Logan as surely as Juliana had. It would be such a cruel turn of fate if she lost him, too.
