Chapter 3
THREE
TWO OF THE BEST MCRAES
Ella
I glanced again at the corner of the castle.
What on earth was that all about? Gordain had stood there, grinning, and poised to say something to Beth and Mattie, then I’d got out of the car and the happiness had melted from his face.
He’d raised his motorcycle helmet in a salute instead then wheeled his bike in the opposite direction.
He’d avoided me, that much was certain. True—at the end of my last stay in the Highlands, I’d taken to avoiding him—but that had been self-preservation. My crush had steadily escalated, but I was sure I’d kept it under wraps.
Hadn’t I?
I couldn’t help my body’s reaction to him. Whenever he’d touched me, with a friendly hand to direct me or to gain my attention, I’d shiver. On the occasions he’d look me in the eye or give me one of his confident smirks, I’d melt, and it took a concerted effort to keep my cool.
His leaving for the airbase had been a relief.
But his reaction a moment ago… Perhaps I hadn’t done such a good job of hiding my regard after all.
Beside me, Beth and Mattie chatted on, clearly oblivious to what had happened.
Both women were newlyweds, both expecting babies early next year.
Mattie’s wedding planning business had started with a bang, and she talked excitedly to Beth about her bookings and how she was realising her dream career.
I should have been taking notes—eventually I wanted to run my own business, too.
But my attention had gone with a certain broody pilot.
The sight of him standing there, leather jacket, shorn hair, that dark look descending, where before he’d been sunny, or cocky, even…
I’d done that. I’d wiped the smile from his face.
“Ella, I knew there was something I needed to remind you about. While you’re here, book in your driving test in Inverness. You’re running out of time.” Beth’s voice brought me back to the myself.
Driving? Oh, right.
“That’s not a bad idea.” I wanted my licence before I started my degree.
Needed it, actually. The journey to my university in Manchester took an hour minimum.
I was staying in digs for the first year, to see how I liked living in the city, but I’d still want to go home on weekends. Particularly after the baby was born.
Glad for the distraction, I searched on my phone, explaining to Mattie as I navigated to the right page.
“The test centre near home is booked for the next two months. Uni starts in a couple of weeks, so I want to get this out of the way.” I found the Inverness centre and scrolled through the dates.
“They have space. I can do it this week.”
“Book it!” Mattie inclined her head, her golden ringlets bobbing. “There are enough drivers here to make sure you get plenty of practice.”
I chose a date a few days ahead and made the payment. “Done.”
“Ella!” A shout reached me from the other side of the car park.
“Lady Elinor Fitzroy, get your arse over here!” Two shouts. The twins approached.
“What did I tell you about using the title?” I stuck my hands on my hips and gave them a hard stare.
Neither were daunted. Ally grabbed me by the waist, whooping as he hugged me, then released me for his brother to take a turn. I giggled, hugging them back.
“How long are you staying?” Wasp asked. He’d cut his dark-blond hair short.
Ally still wore his long enough to fall in his eyes. “Wait, is this your car?” Ally’s jaw dropped, and he took me by the shoulders and turned me around. Then he patted my jacket pockets. “Where are the keys? Take me out, baby. Better still, I’m going alone. See ye later.”
“Get off, you pest.” I gave him a shove. I’d texted them last night, giving our arrival time.
The two of them were like playful pups, or annoying little brothers, though both were six foot and constantly working on their muscles.
“To answer your questions, I’m staying maybe a week, and yep, that’s my baby. Oh, and no way are you getting behind the wheel.” I grinned broadly at them.
They’d both been driving for years—a necessary skill in the remote Highlands, but that didn’t mean I’d trust Ally in my car.
Ally swung around and tucked me under his arm.
Wasp took my other side, and we walked into the castle together, the two of them talking nonstop.
This visit was going to be fine. I’d spend time with Mattie and the twins and have a blast. Gordain was probably only here for the afternoon.
I’d get over pining for him. Just as soon as he left.
You were tagged in a post so I know you’re in Scotland. Please, Ella, talk to me. If you don’t, I’m coming there. I swear to God I have a good reason for what I did. Love you – T
My eyes stung as I read Taylor’s latest message, and I shuffled back in the heavy wooden chair, the last person left in the dining room, long after supper had ended.
In all the drama that had come over the past couple of months, my best-friend’s betrayal had been the bitterest pill to swallow.
Taylor took highly personal information that I’d shared with her and turned it to her own advantage. She knew James had to be married. She knew my family was in pieces. At the time my brother had been poised to overthrow Richard, Taylor had shown up at Belvedere.
I’d assumed she’d wanted to see me.
But no. She’d come as a bride to my brother in a deal she’d negotiated.
Now, she sent incessant messages, using words like love. She was the only person to tell me they loved me in a decade.
A fresh wave of hurt washed through my veins. Maybe she had a great reason for what she’d done, like someone held a gun to her head or kidnapped her mother.
Not that I could imagine her giving a damn about her parents. Their savage divorce was the reason she’d been sent to the same boarding school as me.
Our beds had been side by side in the dorm.
We used to stay up late and conspire in our small ways to disobey the strict rules.
I made a name for myself as a troublemaker, and it left me isolated.
The other girls were dutiful and hardworking.
Glad to be in a school that trained girls to be excellent wives.
Princesses from the Middle East, old families from Europe.
I was the daughter of an earl, nothing special on their pecking order.
Tay made everything better. She was all I’d had for a long time. She knew everything about me.
A tear escaped my eye, and I allowed it to roll down my cheek. This mess deserved crying. If anything, to prove I could feel.
Why, Tay? Why not just tell me? I wrote the message, and another tear fell. I didn’t hit send.
Another message arrived from her in a flash. I can see you typing. Press send. Talk to me!
Footsteps sounded behind me, and someone entered the dining room. “Fuck! I didn’t realise anyone was still here.”
I jerked at the voice then slid the side of my hand over my cheeks, erasing the tear lines. Gordain appeared at the end of the heavy oak table, a beer bottle in his hand. He stopped, taking hold of the back of a chair.
“Ella? What’s wrong?”
I hadn’t seen him all afternoon, but he’d come in for dinner and given me a polite greeting. It lacked the warmth I’d briefly known, and I wasn’t exactly happy for him to find me upset.
“Nothing. I’m good.” I pocketed my phone and stood, my chair grating on the flagstone floor. I forced a smile and raised my gaze, looking at Gordain’s shoulder rather than his eyes. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Same.”
Right. We stood for a moment in an uncomfortable silence.
“Any idea where Beth is?” I asked.
“With Mathilda in the den. They’re making plans for New York. A shortlist of places they want to see,” he replied.
I drew my eyebrows in. “Mathilda’s going?”
“Aye, from what I heard. Callum doesnae want her to miss out. They’re both going. Maybe Wasp, too.” He hesitated. “You didn’t know?”
I opened and closed my mouth. There ended my stay at the castle. If Mathilda was going, too, then I’d go home to Belvedere.
“You’ll all have a great time,” Gordain said.
He didn’t know I was meant to be staying. Well, I wasn’t about to sit around and make this worse. “Sure. Thanks for telling me.”
Without looking at him again, I raised a hand in farewell then left the room, crossing the great hall to get to the den. Inside, the rest of the family plus Beth sat on the green couches. I paused at the door, sensing Gordain at my back. He’d followed me over.
“Ella.” My sister-in-law grinned at me. “There’s been a change in plans. We’re throwing the invitation out. Callum and Mathilda are considering coming with us now. The twins, too.”
I summoned a smile. “What a fun idea.”
Mattie’s eyes sparkled with eagerness. “Oh Beth! I’m going to take you into the shops on Fifth Avenue. We can buy baby clothes! Just don’t check the prices.”
“I’ll try cityscape photography.” Wasp propped his feet on the coffee table. “Expect to see me at meal times only.”
“Not me.” Ally folded his arms. “You won’t get me into a plane. Els.” He looked my way. “You’re still staying, right? I won’t be here on my own?”
“You weren’t going?” Gordain’s low tones sounded over my shoulder.
I twisted around. He positioned himself on the other side of the doorframe. We watched each other.
“No. I have things I need to do on home turf.”
“But you were going to do them here?” he persisted.
I gave him a look. Why so interested now?
“Ella? Gordain?” Mattie called our attention back. “Want in?”
Gordain gave a ghost of a smile. “No. Thanks, but I have somewhere I need to be.”
I waved her off, far too aware of the man opposite me. “I’ll go home.”
Mattie sat back on the green sofa and shook her head. “Wait, we’re messing up your plans. What about driving? Can it wait a few days until we’re back?”
Yeah, that did cause a problem. Suddenly, all eyes were on me. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I can rearrange.”
“What’s this?” Gordain asked.
“Ella’s booked to take her driving test here in a couple of days. There’s no availability at home, and she needs the car for university,” Beth said.