Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Ye must come to visit soon,” Flora said, taking hold of Amelia’s hands. She was dressed in her travel attire, though she seemed less than enthused to be leaving.
“I would like that very much,” Amelia replied, her chest aching with the truth of it, the pain soaking in deeper when she realized that it would never come to be.
There’s so much that will never come to be.
Already, the activity was picking up around the keep. Villagers employed by Darragh to help with preparations were moving through the courtyard, laughing as they carried out their tasks. Slipping away would likely be easier than she anticipated.
If Flora wasn’t still clinging to her, Amelia thought that she might be able to slip away right now. Not that she had any inclination to do so just yet.
“Ach, it’s about time that we leave,” Lucas said, clapping Darragh on the back and giving the courtyard a final, sweeping look. “If we move quickly, we can make it back to the castle in three days.”
“Thank ye for hostin’ us,” Flora said, finally dropping Amelia’s hands and stepping over to embrace Darragh. “Yer keep is wonderful.”
“Ye’re welcome to visit whenever ye like,” Darragh told her as they parted. “The castle is livelier with ye around.”
“I think that’s yer fox hunt and nae our presence,” Lucas laughed, resting a hand on Flora’s elbow. She melted into his touch, and the same ache from the night in the solar lodged itself in Amelia’s chest. “But we’ll take it as a compliment.”
“It is,” Darragh confirmed, infuriatingly unmoved by the scene in front of them. “It’s always a pleasure to see ye.”
Amelia stood back, watching the warmth with which the McGowans interacted.
She longed for that warmth, but she knew that she couldn’t indulge it.
Not now. Maybe not ever. Watching as Lucas helped Flora into the carriage, Amelia crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to replicate that affection.
A few minutes later, the carriage pulled away, flanked by guards from Clan McGowan.
Amelia stood there the longest, staring at the open gate, even after everyone else had returned to the castle to carry on their duties.
She hadn’t realized just how quiet the keep was before the McGowans had arrived.
I cannae just stand here all day.
Forcing herself to move, she turned around and walked back into the castle. Inside was suspiciously still. It was as if the staff that worked within the walls hadn’t been informed of the upcoming hunt.
It may be likely that Darragh gave them the day to rest. That doesnae make this quiet any more welcomin’, though.
She shook her head, frowning. There was no reason for him to be in her thoughts, especially not so casually, but he had been on her mind incessantly, especially after that night in the solar. And then that heated moment in the courtyard that haunted her dreams…
As her footsteps echoed off the walls of the corridor, she wondered which day would be her last here. Would she know? And if she did, would Darragh be able to tell her plans if he looked at her? He was becoming irritatingly perceptive.
“Ye’re lookin’ well, Miss Amelia,” a maid said, and though her voice was soft, Amelia nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Thank ye,” Amelia said, slowing her step but not stopping. She chastised herself for not paying attention to her surroundings, for getting too comfortable even when she knew this place was not for her much longer. “I’m feelin’ well.”
She didn’t stick around long enough for the woman to respond. Guilt ate at her insides as it had been for the last several days. It felt wrong, disingenuous, to be moving around Darragh’s castle so comfortably. She wasn’t going to give him a chance to prove his declarations about keeping her safe.
I cannae believe him. Nae when me mind gets fuzzy every time I think about those kisses we shared. Me judgment’s clouded. I shouldnae want him near.
Amelia was nearly to her room when she spotted Jinny. The maid was fussing over something, but the second she heard footsteps approaching, she straightened up. A smile grew over her face when she saw Amelia.
“Ach, I was just wonderin’ where ye were,” she said, tucking the handkerchief she’d been mending into her apron. “I imagine ye’ll want to rest now that our guests are on their way home. Ye really dinnae take much time to yerself when they were here.”
“Nay, I daenae wish to rest,” Amelia contradicted, nearly laughing at the exaggerated surprise on her maid’s face. “I suppose I’m still buzzin’ with energy. I was hopin’ ye could keep me busy.”
She gave Jinny a polite smile, bolstered by the fact that her reasoning wasn’t entirely a lie.
The thoughts that always seemed to find a way to drift back to Darragh were making her restless.
A distraction would do her a world of good, and perhaps when she finished, she might actually be able to rest.
“I suppose…” Jinny said, recovering from the unexpected request slowly. She rested her index finger on her chin, tapping the pad against her lip thoughtfully. “… I could find somethin’ for ye to assist me with.”
“Perfect,” Amelia replied, looking at the maid expectantly. “That would be wonderful, Jinny.”
“Right then,” Jinny murmured after a moment.
She scanned the corridor as if an answer for what to do with Amelia would jump out of the walls.
“Well, ye’ve done most of the inventoryin’ tasks on yer own.
The kitchens have more than enough food prepared to feed us for the next two days.
They would appreciate help in the courtyard, but I’m nae sendin’ a lass out there. ”
“Surely there’s somethin’ that I can assist with,” Amelia urged. “Perhaps I could reorganize the linen stores again.”
“Nay, the old linen is already on the line,” Jinny said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “And it willnae be dry until this afternoon. I do suppose there will be a delivery of fresh linens that ye can oversee, but I’m nae sure when it will arrive.”
Disappointment washed over Amelia, and she knew she did a poor job of hiding it. As soon as Jinny caught the frustrated expression on Amelia’s face, she huffed. Then, her expression brightened.
“Ach, I ken!” she said, taking hold of Amelia’s elbow and urging her forward. “Ye can go through the clan’s ledgers. Laird Fraser will be renegotiatin’ trades soon, and it will be a great help for him to ken the numbers are correct.”
“That’s perfect,” Amelia said, letting herself be dragged down the hallway toward the library. “Numbers make more sense than anythin’ else.”
* * *
Darragh stepped out of his study, needing to give himself a break from the logistics of preparing for the fox hunt.
It was always an event he looked forward to, but this year he had so much else taking up space in his mind that it felt more like a chore than a social event.
Worse still was that his hands were tied in regard to Laird Mackenzie, who was the most pressing issue, while he waited for information.
And dwellin’ on it isnae a good use of me energy.
“Me Laird,” a servant said as he passed, standing at full attention, “the new linens are bein’ delivered as we speak.”
“Excellent,” Darragh grunted, though the linens had slipped his mind. Mrs. Rowan was the one who’d written the order. “And do ye ken who’s overseein’ the delivery?”
“I daenae, Me Laird,” he said, bowing his head.
Darragh dismissed the servant with a wave of his hand. He’d get the information about the delivery at the end of the day. He had intended to clear his mind, not find additional tasks.
As he continued on his path, he caught sight of Amelia scurrying toward the front door.
Isla was at her heels, and the two of them were smiling, which was a rare expression to see on either of their faces.
He was so enticed by that look of joy on Amelia’s face that he was following her before he realized what he was doing.
He stopped just below the overhang, watching as Amelia and Isla approached the cart loaded down with the delivery. Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he could see that Isla’s demeanor surprised the driver. Then, he caught it.
Amelia’s laughter on the breeze.
Mixed with the earthy smell of hay and distant hearth fire smoke, that sound of happiness relaxed him on a bone-deep level.
Over the past few weeks, she’d become less guarded around everyone, and she became more and more open with just how amusing she found Isla correcting staff members more than twice her age.
Staying on the pathway, Darragh crossed his arms and watched as Amelia conversed with the courier. Even from a distance, he could tell that she was struggling to hide her laughter. The well-timed coughs weren’t fooling anyone.
After a few moments, Isla turned, a sharp look of determination on her face, and walked back to the castle with purpose.
She was so absorbed with her task that she didn’t even stop to greet Darragh in that overly proper way of hers.
He nearly laughed aloud at how much she seemed to care about the event.
Perhaps I should put her in charge of the rest of the preparations. I’m sure that’s a task she’d love, but I daenae think anyone else would approve… aside from Amelia.
“Miss, ye daenae have to—”
“Nay,” Amelia said, leading the man to the servants’ entrance, her footsteps brisk and authoritative. “It’s much easier if I show ye.”
“I do appreciate yer assistance, but I’ve delivered linens to the storeroom before,” the man replied. He sounded exasperated, though he was likely concealing his emotions to the best of his ability.
Poor bastard doesnae ken what to do with the lasses we keep here.
Smirking, Darragh followed the two of them, keeping a respectable distance. While Amelia no longer bristled when he approached, he didn’t want to risk dissuading her from expressing this type of leadership. She was a fiery thing, and he quite enjoyed observing it when it wasn’t directed at him.