Page 68 of Highland Vows of Betrayal

“I do.” Scarlett nodded and sat heavily down in the nearest chair. She and Callie had spoken much of this day that was to come. “Tonight, I go tae meet Eloise.”

“What if I went in yer stead?” Callie suggested, pulling another chair forward to sit next to Scarlett. “Ye are better, aye, but ye still tire quickly.”

“I noticed,” Scarlett murmured. After she had made love to Noah that morning, she was surprisingly tired.

“I can meet Eloise and tell her ye have tae meet another time, when ye are fully recovered.”

“I wish I could say aye, more than anything.” Scarlett sighed and looked at her friend. “But what good would it serve? I would only be delaying the inevitable; the moment I have tae leave Noah.” Her expression betrayed her pain, for Callie laid a comforting hand on her arm. “It will break my heart leaving him anyway. Better tae accept my fate and do it now.”

“This feels so wrong!” Callie exclaimed. “He is as devoted tae ye as ye are tae him. That will nae be the same feeling with yer sister.”

“Perhaps nae. But he is nae mine tae keep. Eloise is his bride-to-be, and nothing can change that.” She stood with her mind made up. “I will nae like it, and it will be hard, but I must do it. Tonight I have tae leave him.”

“Then I will help ye,” Callie promised her as she stood to her feet. “In the turret where ye find my rooms, there is a small door that leads from the castle across the lawns. It avoids the main courtyard and the drawbridge. I will wait there for ye with a horse, so ye dinnae have tae enter the stable.”

“Thank ye, Callie. I dinnae ken what I would do without yer help.”

* * *

Scarlett sat close to Noah throughout dinner. Their feet kept touching under the table and whenever she lifted her mead cup to her lips, he seemed aware of it, his eyes darting to hers.

I cannae believe this is our last night together.

After dinner, they sat together in a sitting room for some time, talking at length. They teased one another about their knife-throwing skills, and laughed about stories they’d heard. She asked him about his childhood, wanting to know more about him. Every time he asked her such questions, she avoided answering to avoid lying to him.

As the evening drew on, they ended up snuggling on a settle bench. They shared a glass of whisky, passing it between them, then Scarlett grew tired, her eyes falling half-lidded. Noah was the one to decide it was time to go to bed.

Scarlett left for her chamber, with Noah following beside her. As they approached the door to her chamber, she looked at him in the candlelight.

“Willnae yer staff be whispering about how many nights ye spend in yer bride’s chamber? We arenae married yet.”

“I hardly care.” He shrugged off the matter. “We will be married, and that is what matters tae me. I nearly lost ye the other night,” he reminded her as he opened her chamber door. “I’m nae wasting time.”

She smiled sadly at him. For a moment, she felt the truth hanging on her lips, wanting release, but she feared his reaction so much that the words wouldn’t come. They undressed quietly in her chamber and fell into bed curled around one another.

Scarlett didn’t sleep, despite her tiredness. Resting her head on his shoulder, she listened for his breathing to even out. The darkness was thick when she heard him breathe deeply and his snoring began. She waited some minutes until she was certain he slept a deep sleep, then she crept out of bed.

Leaning in, she placed the softest of kisses at his temple. Fortunately, he did not rouse from her touch, but stayed firmly asleep, lost in peace.

“Goodbye, Noah,” she whispered. “I will miss ye more than I can say, and…” She clambered slowly off the bed, putting some distance there. “I love ye,” she barely made herself audible at all.

Turning on the spot, she pulled on a gown from the bottom of her coffer, for it was one of her own, and not Eloise’s. It was just a poor dress with a dark cloak. If she was seen on the road, no one would think her a fine lady; only the tavern girl she truly was.

Once she was dressed, she pulled a satchel bag over her shoulder with a few things, then hastened to the doorway. Clutching the necklace around her throat, she looked back at Noah. There was nothing more to say. He was shirtless with the bed sheet wound around his waist, his head was turned to the place she always occupied on the bed.

Goodbye.

She exited the room, closing the door silently behind her. Creeping through the castle was easier than she thought. Though the guards did patrol, having spent enough time around, she knew where they stood guard and how often they took their breaks. She left the keep and headed for one of the outer turrets just as the guards switched shifts.

Hurrying into the turret, she dashed down the staircase, heading toward the door Callie would be waiting. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds just as she opened the door and stepped out. In the moonlight, she caught sight of Callie a few steps away. She too was dressed in a dark cloak and held a black stallion beside her.

“Thank ye. Did the stables question ye taking a horse?”

“Nay. I merely said I couldnae sleep and wished to ride.” She laughed. “Apparently, my ways are odd enough in this castle, they didnae even raise an eyebrow at the prospect of me riding in the moonlight.”

“Thank ye—thank ye so much.”

“Ye are more than welcome. I’m just sorry tae see ye go.”