Page 61 of Highland Vows of Betrayal

Eloise.

Scarlett couldn't stop the tears from falling. She couldn't tell if she was happy that she now had a brother in this world, or if she was afraid of losing a life that she'd grown to cherish so much.

This was never my life. What has happened tae me? When did I allow myself tae believe in this lie?

Her breath hitched and she felt a strong need to escape the room. She pulled the door open without thinking and fled, colliding with someone.

“Me lady!” Callie’s squeaked in surprise.

“Callie, I’m so sorry.” Scarlett dropped the letter in her haste.

“Yer crying!” Callie stepped forward, alarmed.

“’Tis nothing.” Scarlett swiped at the tears ineffectually. She was so busy she didn’t notice Callie bend down to pick up the letter.

Scarlett snatched the letter back, but Callie had seen enough. She stared at the floor with uncertainty, blinked as her face paled, then looked Scarlett in the eye.

“I wondered before if my suspicion was true,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder before she looked back at Scarlett. “I only saw the name at the end of the letter—the person writing tae ye.”

Scarlett held her breath, fearing what was to come.

“Ye are nae Lady Eloise, are ye?”

Scarlett felt her heart tighten in her chest. What do I do now?

When a guard’s footsteps were heard down the corridor, Scarlett acted quickly. She pushed Callie into the library and followed her, shutting the door behind her.

“Well, ye nearly sent me flying,” Callie said with a laugh. That laughter soon faded when she turned to face Scarlett. “Ye wish tae tell me the truth, whoever ye are?”

“Nae particularly,” Scarlett murmured. She’d considered Callie a friend, but she no longer knew what to think at that moment.

“Aye, calm yer blood.” Callie sat on the settle bench Scarlett had vacated earlier. “I saw the way ye ate the other night. Ye were nae raised in great halls like that. If I wished tae tell someone of that, I would have told them long ago. Whatever yer secret is,” she paused and offered a smile, “ye can trust me with it.”

Scarlett felt weak; overwhelming relief took over, and she sat on the settle bench beside her, finding herself void of explanation.

“Eloise is my sister,” she began, watching Callie. “My twin sister.” The rest of the tale followed in a rush. Each word followed the next with barely a breath between sentences. She spoke of Eloise coming to the tavern, how her own existence and a brother came to be.

“So… ye were born a noble, yet nae raised as one?” Callie asked sorrowfully.

“Aye, so it would seem.” Scarlett looked to the closed door of the library, thinking what could happen if the truth left the room.

What would Noah say? Could he ever forgive me for the lie? For the betrayal?

Somehow, she doubted it. After all that he had said about fearing a deceptive woman, she had been that very person.

Aye, I have lied tae him.

“Please,” Scarlett murmured, leaning toward Callie. “I pray ye, dinnae tell anyone.”

“Why would I tell?” Callie shrugged, unperturbed at the idea. “Aye, it sounds like yer family has been through a hard time. All these secrets just tae find one another.” She sighed and smiled ruefully. “It’s admirable ye and yer sister are going tae such lengths after finding each other, and tae find yer brother too.” She rested a hand over Scarlett’s on the bench. It was a brief but comforting touch. “None of us are without our secrets, though yers is a great one, I’ll give ye that! Ye could have knocked me down with a feather tae discover ye arenae Lady Eloise.” She laughed and Scarlett smiled, though not yet able to laugh herself. “How are ye keeping hold of this secret?”

“In truth?” Scarlett leaned back on the settle bench. “I feel as if it has torn my heart apart.” Her breath hitched as more tears fell down her cheek.

Callie proffered a handkerchief. “Dinnae worry. I can see why it hurts so much. Aye, we all have our crosses tae bear.” Callie looked past Scarlett, seeming to stare at nothing with such intensity that Scarlett raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Ye have yer own cross tae bear?”

“Aye.” Callie looked at Scarlett. “As ye have shared yer past with me, I could share mine with ye.” Scarlett encouraged her to do so with a wave of her hand. “It will perhaps help ye tae see why I have nay wish to reveal yer secret tae anyone.” She sat back on the settle bench. “My life wasnae easy before I came tae Chattan Castle as a healer. When I was young, I had tae steal tae get by. I was sixteen when the worst happened. I robbed a boy only a little older than I was. He discovered what I was doing, and I thought he would beat me for it.” She frowned before she shook her head. “Yet he never did. He was one of the few people who ever showed kindness to me.” She smiled, thinking back gratefully.