The clansmen rose from their seats. “Me Laird.”
Adair stepped into the Great Hall looking as though he had raced through a storm. But to her, he had never been as handsome as he looked at that moment. His usually tame brown hair was blown in careless waves and fell loosely over his forehead, and his cheeks and jaw were shadowed with stubble he hadn’t shaved.
Her heart throbbed in her chest at the darkness in his eyes. She wondered what he had endured to put such a look in his otherwise kind eyes. Still, she was elated that he was back. She didn’t realize how much she had missed him until this moment, seeing him close enough to touch.
She ached to run to him, but she gripped the edge of the table as hard as she could to stop herself. He didn’t look at his people but kept his eyes on her, and her heart soared as he walked over to her.
She swallowed, remembering they weren’t alone. Looking into his eyes simply made her forget the other people in the hall.
It seemed everyone in the hall was waiting to see what he would do, for they all fell silent.
“Good evening, me Laird,” she greeted with a curtsy, but her words all but died in her throat when he pulled her into his chest.
“I missed ye, Emily,” he said softly.
Her heart soared, but then she reminded herself that this was all for show.
“I missed ye as well, me Laird,” she returned, and he pulled away.
Her heart was still pounding, and she felt the pulse at her throat.
“Ye may take yer seats,” he told the clansmen, and they bowed, returning to their meals.
The din from earlier returned, but Emily was unable to forget the feel of his body against hers.
“We have much to discuss, but we cannae do it here,” he said.
She couldn’t agree more, but she couldn’t say anything because the rapid thudding of her heart robbed her of speech, so she only nodded.
“I…” Adair started, his voice breaking. “Will ye come see me in me study tonight?”
She nodded again, and when he smiled softly, she found herself unable to look away from him. The vulnerability in his eyes and in the way he held himself told her that he had uncovered some truth that haunted him.
Concern filled her heart, but she didn’t want to draw attention to it. So she grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it softly, hoping to offer comfort as he had once done for her.
He met her eyes and gave her a nod.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence, and when he rose to leave, he took her with him. The eyes of the clansmen followed them, and there were a few suggestive smiles that made her face flush.
No doubt they thought he was leading her to his bed and not to talk. She was glad when they stepped out into the hallway, finally alone.
Adair had said there was a lot to discuss, but she didn’t know what he meant by that. Would he tell her where he had gone, or was there some new complication to his plan?
Stepping into his study when the tension was so thick between them felt very risky, but she followed him in nonetheless. He closed the door behind her, and she swallowed as his body heat warmed her back.
She turned to face him, and the look on his face made her stomach churn with concern.
“Is it something wrong?” she asked.
He shook his head. “On the contrary, I should be happy,” he answered.
“Why do ye look so glum, then?”
He sighed, leaning against the door. “I saw me faither’s pendant.”
Emily’s eyes widened.
That explained why he had been gone for as long as he had. He went to the orphanage and met Hilda. She rushed forward without thinking, clasping her hands in front of her.
