“Here.” Violet gently untied her own apron. “Take this also.”
Before Edith could protest, Violet had already fastened the apron neatly over the front of her dress, covering the dirt on the fabric.
Edith glanced down briefly. The mud hardly mattered to her, but perhaps Violet was right to hide it. If Aaron truly meant to send her away from Hallow Castle today, appearing before him in such a state would scarcely help matters.
“Thank ye, Violet,” she said softly once they stopped outside Aaron’s study. “Truly.”
Violet squeezed her hand once before hurrying back down the corridor, and finally, Edith was left alone to face whatever waited behind the heavy, wooden door.
Heaven help me.
She released a slow breath, smoothing the apron against her skirt before lifting her hand to knock.
“Come in.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Aaron’s voice from the other side. She swallowed hard and pushed the door open, ignoring the slight tremor in her hand.
The warmth of the chamber was the first thing that greeted her, followed by the weight of his presence.
She dipped into a curtsy.
“Good day, me Laird,” she said quietly. “Ye sent for me.”
Aaron did not bother returning the greeting. “Close the door.”
The command was simple, and she obeyed at once, turning to pull the door shut behind her.
When she turned back, Aaron had already risen from his seat.
He was impossibly tall, so much so that the air seemed to bend around him. He moved toward her slowly, his long strides causing the distance between them to shrink far too quickly for comfort.
Edith felt her pulse quicken as he stopped only a few paces away from her. Her chest tightened as he stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment.
“Ye ken I made a vow to me sister,” he said without preamble. “To keep ye safe here.”
I kent it.
Edith swallowed again, nodding stiffly.
He wishes to throw me out.
“I ken, me Laird,” she said quietly, choosing her words carefully. “And I thank ye for it.”
Aaron exhaled, the sound sharp enough to suggest irritation. He took a step closer to her, his jaw tightening only slightly before he spoke again.
“I must marry.”
Edith blinked.
Marry?
Her brows pulled tight into a frown, the word refusing to take shape in her understanding.
What does that have to do with me?
Her mind immediately began to race, churning out an explanation as she searched for meaning in the silence that followed.
Aaron raked a hand through his hair. The black, shiny strands drew her eye, and her frown deepened briefly at the distraction.
