Chapter 20
20
“ S o, how much longer do ye think me faither has?” Olivia asked as she followed Astrid out of Tavish’s chambers.
All Astrid could do was shrug. There was no telling how much longer the man had, and the last thing she wanted to do was give Olivia false hope.
“I cannae say,” she answered sincerely. “He could go in five minutes, or he could pull through and outlive yer maither. I’ve seen people make remarkable recoveries.”
“That’s nae what ye told me braither,” Olivia pointed out, her voice icy. “Just give it to me plainly. I can handle the news.”
Astrid pursed her lips as the sound of a slamming door echoed through the castle. Olivia’s eyes widened with shock as they both had the same thought.
“I wonder who me braither is tossin’ out of the castle now,” Olivia said as they made their way down the steps.
Astrid’s ears perked up as she heard Melody’s giggle. But the uneasiness in her gut wouldn’t go away. Her heart pounded in her ears.
The flickering candlelight cast long shadows that danced ominously across the stone walls. She glanced at Olivia before she turned as the raucous sounds from the hallway grew louder. The noise was a cacophony of urgency with a hint of danger that sent a chill down her spine.
“Who is that?” Olivia asked as she pointed at the man racing down the hall.
“Rubin,” Astrid gasped, the image of Melody sleeping soundly in her bed upstairs flashing before her eyes.
The fact that she wasn’t completely sure whether Melody was in the room bothered her. What if Rubin was merely a distraction so Laird Chalium could take Melody away? Panic shot through her, stealing her breath and her wits.
“Nay.”
“Astrid? What is it? Who is that?” Olivia asked.
Astrid tried not to let the panic override her duty to protect.
“Oh God, Melody. He’s come to take Melody,” she forced out as she kept her eyes on Rubin.
The sight was surreal, as was the panic on his face. In all the time she’d spent with Laird Chalium and his minions, she’d never seen fear like that before.
She made to step in Rubin’s path and demand that he leave, but he whizzed by her without a second glance and made a beeline right for the door. She blinked as silence fell over them once again.
“See there? Nay one is comin’ for the wee lass. She’s safe,” Olivia reassured her, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“This isnae over,” Astrid said as confusion pummeled her.
She tried to make sense of what she had just witnessed, but no matter how many times she replayed the scene in her head, none of it made any sense.
Was it not Rubin she had just witnessed racing out of McFair Castle? And what could have possibly made the man so fearful?
As Astrid tried to steady her breathing and calm her shot nerves, she heard the ominous sound of heavy boots coming toward her. Her heart stopped. She didn’t need to turn around to know that her husband was standing behind her. It was as if he called to her without uttering a single word.
“He willnae come back,” he said, his hot breath caressing her neck. “I made a promise to ye, Lady McFair, and I intend to keep it.”
“See there,” Eileen said, coming up behind her brother as Melody continued skipping down the hallway without a care in the world. “Me braither, ever the good Laird, has taken care of the problem.”
“That was Rubin,” Astrid whispered, still uncertain as to what just happened. “Why was he here? When did he?—”
“There’s nothing for ye to worry about. Chalium’s messenger is gone, and he’ll die if he ever shows his face around here again. That ye can count on.”
“Would ye look at the hour,” Eileen said as Astrid stared at the Laird. “It’s late, and I do believe we have a ridin’ lesson wit’ Melody in the morning, do we nae? So, what do ye say we go to bed?”
“Aye, ye should get some rest. I’m sure me faither will need ye soon,” the Laird said.
Astrid didn’t want him to go. He was the epitome of safety, she understood that now. Everything he had promised to her, he delivered, and yet she hadn’t even let him touch her.
Guilt niggled at her as she reached out a hand to him. “Thank ye, Thomas.”
The Laird’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. He took her hand as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“Did ye ever doubt me?” he asked.
His question, while innocent, only added to the guilt wracking her.
“Aye,” she confessed. “There was a time when I did. But I promise to ye I’ll nae doubt ye again.”
“Get some rest,” he said as he brushed the back of his hand over her cheek.
Images of their time on the balcony flashed through her mind. She found herself wishing he would pick her up and carry her to his room.
But before she could even articulate what she wanted, he had stepped back. “See that she gets back to her room.”
“Aye,” the guard said.
Astrid glanced back to find Eileen giving her an apologetic look as the guard jerked his head toward the stairwell.
“Sleep well,” she thought she heard Thomas whisper as she walked away.
It was just two little words, but they felt like a cozy blanket being wrapped around her.
For the first time in a long time, Astrid knew that she would be able to sleep well—perhaps even better than she had in years.
“Wake up. Do ye ken what time it is?”
Melody bounced on the bed, making the world shift and sway at her whim.
Astrid clung to her dream of Thomas as the dawn ripped the image away from her.
“Nay, and I dinnae care. Tavish had me up all night. I’ve barely had any sleep at all,” she said, grabbing one of the free pillows and pulling it over her head.
She wanted to ignore Melody and slip back into the dream. But the more she tried to hold on to it, the quicker it faded.
Frustrated, Astrid threw the pillow off her and peeked through her eyelids. Melody sat beside her, bobbing like a frog learning to jump. The excitement on her face only added to the brightness of the morning.
“Och, Astrid, please get up. Eileen and Olivia will be here any moment. They’re goin’ to teach me how to ride. I want ye to come and watch. But ye got to get up first,” Melody implored as she pushed and shoved Astrid a bit more to shake the sleep from her bones.
“I’m up.” Astrid giggled as she threw her arms around Melody and pulled her into the piled bedding. “Oh, what is this? The blanket monster is back.”
Melody’s high-pitched squeal made her flinch, but she refused to stop tickling her little knees and ribs.
Movement in the corner of her eye startled her. Astrid froze as she looked at the door of the balcony. She let out a heavy sigh of relief the moment she spotted the shadow through the curtains.
There was no fear, no terror that made her scoop up Melody and flee. No, the shadow belonged to Thomas, and knowing that he was right there made all the difference to her.
“I think there is someone watchin’ us,” Astrid whispered to Melody as she nodded her head toward the balcony.
“Astrid?” Melody’s voice dropped with fear.
Immediately, Astrid regretted her words.
“It’s fine, it’s the Laird. I think he might be wonderin’ what the commotion is about. Shall we let him have a peek?” Astrid asked as she climbed off the bed.
Melody’s eyes widened as she clapped her hands together.
Throwing back the curtain, Astrid caught Thomas standing outside her door on the balcony. The shock on his face only made Melody laugh harder.
“Found ye,” Melody called as she pointed to him. “Och, can we play hide and seek?”
Astrid shook her head as she opened the door for Thomas and gave him a warm, welcoming smile.
“Good day, Me Laird,” she greeted as she stepped aside to let him peer into the room. “Sleep well?”
Thomas arched an eyebrow as he walked into the room, inspecting it as if there were a crime to report. Melody giggled as she watched him move around with an air of importance and pompous arrogance.
“I heard laughter,” he finally said once he had made his way to Melody.
The sternness of his voice made even Astrid wonder if he was playing or not.
“Of course, there is laughter,” Melody answered. “I was bein’ tickled.”
“Is that right? And did ye want to be… tickled?” Thomas asked as he pitched his voice to a more playful note.
“Maybe,” Melody teased as she scrambled to the back of the bed to dodge his quick hands.
Astrid’s heart swelled as she watched them play together. For just a brief moment, she could see a family forming between them.
“What is this?” Olivia asked as she burst through the door to find Thomas tickling the little girl on the bed. “I come to collect her for ridin’ lessons and I find ye havin’ fun? This cannae do.”
“Good morning, Olivia,” Astrid greeted as Thomas stepped back and smoothed his clothes.
“That it is, and it will be even better once we go outside. The day is callin’, and we need to go,” Olivia urged, waving her hand to direct Melody out of the room.
“Aye, there are a few things that need me attention,” Thomas said, clearing his throat as his attention shifted to Astrid.
“Och, won’t ye come and see me ride? It’ll be me first time,” Melody asked as she clung to his leg.
“Is that so? Ye’ve never ridden a horse before?”
“Well…” Melody glanced at Astrid. “Nae by meself. The horses we’ve ridden were too big for me.”
“’Tis a good thing then that we have all sizes in the stables. We’ve got horses for plowin’ and ridin’, and even for prancin’ about,” Thomas said with a playful smirk.
Astrid couldn’t help but smile back as Melody took his hand and pulled him to the door.
“Does that mean ye’ll come and watch?” Melody asked.
“I can, for a bit, but I think I’d rather teach ye how to ride. Dinnae get me wrong, me sisters can ride well, but they dinnae ken how to wield horses at top speed.”
“So? Will ye join us for the ridin’ lesson?” Melody asked, her eyes widening with wonder as Astrid followed Olivia out the door.
Astrid found her heart fluttering at the idea of spending the day with Thomas. She couldn’t help but look over her shoulder to steal a glance at him and Melody. The sight of them together made her heart swell in a way she had never thought possible.
For the first time in her life, she was starting to believe that this was her home and that the Laird… that Thomas was just as kind and sincere as he promised to be.
“Nae today,” Thomas answered, much to her disappointment. “But I want to hear all about it later. Can ye do that for me? Give me a report at the end of the day? Say, at dinner. I’ll expect ye to sit next to me then. How does that sound?”
A prick of jealousy shot through Astrid as she listened to him invite Melody but not her. The fact that they still hadn’t made up for the last dinner irked her far more than it should have. She should have been pleased that the Laird wanted anything to do with Melody at all. Yet, here she was, wishing for more.
“Wonderful!” Melody squealed as she clapped her hands together. “I’ll be the best rider ever.”
“Ye do that, and never let anyone tell ye otherwise,” Thomas said as he released Melody’s hand. “I have to get some stuff done, but I’ll see ye later?”
“Aye,” Melody said and threw her arms around his legs.
“Come along now,” Olivia prompted. “We might have all day, but I dinnae want to waste me day.”
Astrid watched as Melody took off with Olivia out the front door.
“Are ye nae goin’ wit’ them?” Thomas asked.
A yearning stirred inside Astrid like a storm on the open water.
“I am,” she answered. There was a spark in his eyes that seemed to soothe even the most turbulent waters within her.
He grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Then ye should probably go if ye want to catch up to them,” he said, before planting a kiss on her knuckles. “I said ye’ll be safe, and safe ye shall be, dearest Astrid.”
Her heart felt lighter than it ever had, and her body tingled. It felt as if nothing was impossible, like all the flowers in the field bloomed just for her.
This was her sanctuary now, hers and Melody’s, a home to rest her weary bones.
“Thanks to ye, Me fearless Laird.”