Page 92 of Forbidden Kilted Highlander

She leaned into his palm for just a second before straightening again. The warmth stayed with her, but so did the weight of what she had to ask.

“Ye said ye wanted tae speak with me?” she asked, lifting her chin slightly.

Ewan nodded. "Aye. About Laird Caithness. And yer betrothal."

Agnes inhaled slowly. He didn’t press. He waited, as he always did, letting silence work its way into her resolve. She hated that he knew her so well.

"I think," she began, then stopped. Her voice felt thick, her throat tight. "Aye, I think we need tae speak more about it."

Her father's brow furrowed. "Is there a problem?"

She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Tav's kiss was still on her lips. His breath still lived in the hollow beneath her ribs. Her body remembered more than her mind could make sense of. She was about to speak when a knock came at the door.

A guard entered, breath short. "Laird Caithness asks fer ye, me laird. There's word o’ movement near the border. Armed men."

Ewan nodded, his face shifting immediately into the calm of command. "Very well. I'll come."

He looked back at Agnes, regret flickering over his face. "We'll speak later, lass."

She nodded mutely, her heart thudding. "Be careful."

He gave her shoulder a brief squeeze and left.

Alone, she stood in the empty solar for a long time, her hands knotted in front of her. There was something cruel about the timing of it all. She’d finally found the courage to speak, and now she was left once again with silence.

She wanted to see Tav.

She found him not long after in one of the smaller corridors near the north wing. He was pacing. His jaw was clenched, his shoulders tight. His eyes snapped to her as she approached.

"Tav," she said, breath catching.

He didn’t say her name. He just stared.

She took a step closer. "What happened?"

"Naethin'," he muttered.

"Tav."

He looked away, jaw tightening. "I cannae talk about it Agnes. Nae yet."

Something inside her dropped.

"Why nae?"

He shook his head. "Because I dinnae even ken what it means yet."

"Then let me help ye figure it out."

That made him look at her, finally. His blue eyes were storm-dark. "I need tae dae this alone."

She felt it like a blow. "I thought we were past that. I thought we were talkin’ about things now."

"We are," he said quickly. Then, softer, "But this... this is different."

She swallowed the hurt. It clawed up her throat anyway.

"Ye can shut me out if ye must," she said, voice trembling, "but dinnae pretend it will protect me. Whatever it is."