Eleanor made her way from her chambers, taking care not to make a sound as she quietly walked down the hall and oriented herself in the direction of the study. Her pulse quickened when she once again thought of being alone with Callum when the rest of the castle had gone to sleep.
Ye have been alone with him before.
She reminded herself of the time she had spent with him in the cabin, the ride to the castle, and even the endless hours she had spent speaking to him in the study. Yet somehow, the meeting felt different when there were no maids or members of the clan walking about the castle.
Taking a deep breath, she composed herself and stopped in front of the study door. Her hand lingered in the air above the handle as her mind raced with the scandal that would unfold if she were caught alone with the man she had not yet married.
Ye have to do this, Eleanor.
She talked herself into turning the handle and opened the door.
To her great surprise, Callum was seated in front of the fire with a mug of ale in his hands, yet he was not alone.
Iain smiled up at her before adding a conspiratorial wink. “Just in time. I shall be takin’ me leave then.” He pressed his hands against the armrests of his chair and pushed himself up.
Confusion had quickly given way to relief, but was subverted by panic once again as Eleanor held onto the door. “Where are ye goin’? Should ye nae stay and discuss the matter with us?” She looked from Callum to Iain.
Taking a moment, Iain looked at Callum before turning back to her. “Callum has told me everything that I need to hear. I shall stand guard in the hall in case any prowling ears were to pass by.” He walked past her, placing his hand on the edge of the door.
Eleanor’s grip tightened on the handle at first, but she reluctantly let go and stepped aside.
Why am I so anxious to nae be alone with him?
She forced a smile as she looked at Callum. Did she fear another awkward moment between them? Or was she worried that something more might happen if they were left alone for far too long? Images of the cabin and Fiona walking in on the massage flashed across her mind. She had not thought of that moment in a while, but she suddenly wondered what would have happened if they had not been interrupted.
Do I nae trust meself, or him?
“Have a seat, lass, there is much that we need to discuss,” Callum suddenly spoke up and gestured to the seat opposite his that Iain had been using.
Steadying her nerves, Eleanor clenched the tips of her fingers into her palms as she walked across the room and took her seat. Her cloak still felt like protection, yet the effects were beginning to wear off as she waited to hear what he had to say.
He swirled the ale in his mug and watched the forth before looking up again and speaking. “Hamish was a member of the council when me father was still alive. He was one of the men who came under suspicion, but he was cleared in the end when Steward was driven off by the clan.”
Eleanor sat pensively listening as her mind began to race for entirely different matters. Had the man been involved in the matter all along? And if he had been, what were his intentionsnow? Had he been behind or at least part of the plan to kill off Callum?
“Ye think he is involved?” she asked quietly when the silence between them continued for too long.
Callum took a slow drink before setting the mug aside. “I daenae ken.” The admission surprised her.
“I thought ye believed he was involved. At least, that is what I thought ye were thinkin’.” She searched his face, hoping to see even an inkling of an answer to the questions that were plaguing her mind. What had she gotten herself into by agreeing to become the man’s bride?
“I believe he kens more than he should,” Callum corrected. “That is nae the same thing. A man can ken what is happenin’ without bein’ directly involved. It doesnae make him any less guilty, but it does pose a problem for us and how we deal with him goin’ forward.”
The fire crackled between them as Eleanor sat in the aftermath of his words. What could they do if he truly did know more than he was saying? Could they confront him, or would there need to be a more delicate plan? Eleanor studied him carefully. There was tension in his shoulders she had not noticed before, and shadows lingered beneath his eyes. For all his confidence during the day, he looked weary now. “How did he react when Steward was driven away?” She prompted him to continue.
Callum leaned back in his chair. “He celebrated with the rest of the clan. Swore loyalty. Spoke of justice.” His mouth twisted into an uncertain grimace. “Much the same as everyone else.”
“That tells us nothin’.” She whispered.”
“Aye.” Callum clenched his jaw, looking just as frustrated as she felt.
Silence settled once more between them as she adjusted her position in her seat.
“Why did everyone react so strangely to the toast?” Eleanor frowned. “It was almost as if even the clan was questionin’ his intentions.”
Callum's expression darkened, and she thought that he would refuse to answer, but he let out a heavy breath before speaking again. “Because when me father was killed, I was the first to come up against Hamish. I made it known that I suspected him, if not of killin’ but of being a part of the plan. He was me father’s right-hand man. It made sense that he would have access nae only to me father, but to everyone around him.”
“He was what Iain is to ye,” Eleanor breathed quietly.
