Her fingers tightened around her gloves. “To see my father.”
His gaze moved over her face. “Without telling me.”
A laugh nearly escaped her, though there was no humor in it. “Am I required to report my movements now?”
His jaw tightened. “You know that is not what I meant.”
“I no longer know what you mean, Rowan. You asked for formality. I am trying to oblige.”
Something moved across his face. Pain, perhaps. It was gone too quickly. “Do not twist my words.”
“I have been living inside them for days.”
He stepped closer, and the air changed at once. Her body knew him too well. It remembered before pride could intervene. The scent of him reached her, clean linen and cedar, and beneath it the masculine warmth that had once filled her bed and made her forget every sensible fear she had ever possessed.
His eyes dropped briefly to her mouth. Her breath caught, and she hated herself for it.
His voice lowered. “You look unwell.”
“Do not.”
“Do not what?”
“Sound concerned only when it costs you nothing.”
His expression hardened. “You think my concern costs me nothing?”
“I think you have found a way to care from a distance. It must be very comfortable.”
The blow landed. She saw it in the tightening around his eyes.
Before he could answer, small footsteps sounded down the corridor.
“Are you arguing?”
They both turned.
Aaron stood a few paces away, Biscuit at his heels, his face pale with worry. He looked from Rowan to Emmeline and back again, and the sight of his fear cut through her anger at once.
“No,” Emmeline said quickly.
“Yes,” Rowan said at the same time.
Aaron’s mouth parted. “Why?”
Emmeline forced herself to smile, though it felt fragile enough to crack. “We are only discussing something difficult.”
Rowan’s voice came colder. “Adults disagree sometimes.”
Aaron looked at him. “But you are angry at her.”
Rowan went still.
“She is not the only one at fault,” Aaron added, and the words were small but brave.
Emmeline’s heart lurched. “Aaron, darling?—”
“No,” Rowan said sharply, though not loudly. “You will not involve yourself in matters you do not understand.”
