Chapter 15
"An assassin?"
The word lingered on the tip of Izzy's tongue as she rose from the bed.
Her body tingled from the top of her head to her toes.
She turned her attention to the fire and watched it consume the log as she wrestled with her thoughts.
How long had she been haunted by the event?
It had been years, decades even she had lived with the lie.
Slowly her head started to bob in agreement as Aaron's words seeped deeper into her.
The air grew heavy with each breath she took. As much as she wished the world would stop spinning, she knew it wouldn't. The news rattled her to her core. "That does make more sense."
"Ye ken, I think I'll clean up here and call it a night," Aaron decided as he picked the tray of food up and brought it over to the table.
"I'm sorry," Izzy mumbled as she rubbed her temples.
The news was unsettling and jaunting. It felt as if the weight she had been trucking around all her life was finally gone.
She didn't have to sound crazy anymore. But just as the relief settled over her, a new sensation stole her peace.
"But why would anyone want to kill my brother? "
"That I cannae tell ye," Aaron said. Izzy could feel him standing behind her.
He was a comforting phantom lurking in the shadows of the room.
And even though she wasn't looking directly at him, she knew the sort of expression that would be on his face, and she didn't care to see the pity lurking in his eyes.
"There's all sorts of reasons why someone ends up gettin' killed before their time. Did yer brother have any enemies?"
Izzy shook her head. "He was only sixteen when it happened. But if I'm being honest, I don't really remember. The commotion of it all scarred me for so many years."
"Isabella, I'm sorry, truly."
She turned to him, and sure enough, it was the pity in his eyes that stung her the most. As much as she wanted to turn back to the fire, she stood her ground, ears burning to hear what he had to say.
"Did you kill my brother and ruin my entire childhood?
Was it your fault that my family refused to take me seriously?
No, I don't recall you being there when all this happened, so you have no reason to apologize to me.
It'd be like me telling you how sorry I am for the fire that took everything from you. I didn't start it."
"True, ye dinnae, but that doesnae mean that ye still cannae feel empathy for yer fellow man," Aaron explained. "And I certainly daenae think that ye can do anythin' to change what happened, just as I cannae change the course fate put ye on. And so, here we are."
Izzy sank into the cushion of the chair completely defeated in every sense. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd been living a lie. And now that a new light flickered in the darkness, shining new light on her old demons, Izzy wanted to do something about it.
"What are ye plottin' over there?" Aaron asked as Izzy chewed on her lower lip, letting her ideas bubble and fester until they formed something solid.
She wanted revenge for her brother and for the life that was stolen from her.
But on the other hand, Izzy wished she could just let it all go.
After all, Aaron was right about not being able to do anything about it.
It wasn't like she could turn back the hands of time and change the course of events.
"I want justice."
"Justice or revenge?" Aaron asked as he arched a knowing eyebrow.
The glare in his gaze caught her off guard.
She had expected him to fully understand the turbulent emotions crashing against her.
If she were alone out in the middle of the woods, she'd scream to let out her frustrations.
Unfortunately, any peep out of her would only cause the servants to spread even more false rumors about the Laird.
"Vengeance is mine, says the Lord," Izzy quoted as she kept her eyes focused on Aaron's face.
It surprised her how handsome he looked when he didn't have the crease of worry in his brow.
And the fire light dancing on his face only brought out the sharpness of his jaw line and bridge of his nose.
By all accounts, he was distractingly handsome.
"Aye, and then there's that," Aaron said as he gathered the chess board from the bed and put it back on the shelf.
"And then there is that," Izzy repeated as she noticed the bed had been cleared. Aaron stood at the foot of the bed watching her as she realized what he was prompting. She swallow and glanced around the room as if expecting a second bed or place to lay her head.
"The hour is late," Aaron said. "Ye may have the room, but I insist that ye daenae leave till mornin'. The King has given us clear instructions, and if we are to be obedient servants, we'll do as he says."
Izzy nodded as she fiddled with the tips of her fingers. "And where will you be sleeping if we're to be stuck in here together?"
A mischievous smirk played at the corner of his lips as his eyes gleaned with a playfulness that made Izzy giddy.
How was it that he could make her smile just by looking at her?
Was it because his gaze was direct, as if he could read her very soul?
She felt as if there was a chord that started from the center of her being and was bound to the center of his.
She pulled in quick sharp breaths, trying to understand what was going on with her body and why it was betraying her.
All she had done to keep Aaron distracted and busy seemed for naught.
"There," he answered. "And if ye need anythin', ye need to let me go fetch it for ye. I daenae want ye walkin' out there in yer shift or even yer weddin' dress. Appearances are everythin', and I cannae allow ye to flaunt yerself out."
"You're sleeping on the balcony? But you'll freeze."
"Been doin' it long before ye came to sleep in here with me. The bed is freshly stuffed as are the pillows. I wanted ye to be comfortable in this uncomfortable situation," he said over his shoulder. "Now sleep. We've a big day in the mornin'."
Izzy opened her mouth, about to ask him to stay, when the doors closed behind.
She let out the air she had trapped in her lungs.
The room swayed for a moment as she looked about the empty room.
Aaron's presence only moments ago filled the space of the room, and in a flash he was gone, sending a ripple of abandonment coursing through her.
Aaron's actions, however, piqued her curiosity.
Did he truly spend each night outside in the cold?
It was a strange idea she tried to grasp as she reached behind to untie the corset.
Panic shot through her as she realized she couldn't undo the dress. No matter which way she twisted and squirmed to reach the strings, they were consistently just out of her reach. Izzy gasped as her heart fluttered wildly in her chest, and her eyes fell to the balcony door.
"It's all right," she mumbled to the empty room. "I'll just sleep in the dress. Not like I haven't done that before."
"Are ye sayin' somethin'? If ye're talkin' to me, I cannae hear ye."
"No," Izzy called as she tried to mask the embarrassment sticking to her tone like thorns in wool. "No. Not talking to you. Good night."
"Aye, good night."
Izzy's ears perked. There was a playfulness to Aaron's muffled voice that she couldn't deny.
She pursed her lips and plopped on the bed.
Sure as the sun rises in the east, the bed was to her liking.
It wasn't lumpy as she had first thought but comfortable, and it made her feel as if she were an egg in a nest. If only her corset wasn't digging into her hips or her shoulder blades.
She shifted to her side, only to have the bones of her garment dive into her arm pit.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," she grumbled as she shot up.
If the bed was going to be off limits, she was just going to have to find someplace else to sleep.
The floorboards moaned under her steps as she made her way to the chair next to the fire.
By the look of it, Izzy could tell it wouldn't be the most comfortable place to sleep, but at least it would let her keep her pride.
"He did this on purpose," Izzy grumbled the second she leaned back into the chair to rest. The corset jabbed her shoulder blades and went into her armpits. It seemed that no matter what she did, she'd find no relief until she went to him.
"Are ye always this noisy when ye sleep? If ye are, I'll have the chambers expanded to give ye space."
"No," Izzy huffed as she stormed to the doors.
With her hands hesitating over the knob, she noticed Aaron's shadow shifting under the doorway.
Fury shot through her. There was no way to tell if he had the servants tie her corset in this manner to force her to go to him or if it was coincidence, but she was about to find out.
Pulling open the doors, Izzy forced a smile. "Sir, it would seem I am in need of your assistance."
Aaron's eyebrow arched as his smirk stretched into a knowing smile.
He didn't say a word but merely twirled his finger around in the air.
Izzy turned her back to him and took a step to the threshold.
Little by little, the tightness around her bosom and torso lessened, yet breathing became difficult.
"Thank you," she whispered as the shirt and corset fell from her shoulders.
Aaron's calloused finger grazed across her bare shoulders.
She sucked in quick shallow breaths, and it felt as if he'd put a hot iron to her skin.
And just as quickly as the sensation rushed through her, it was gone, leaving nothing but a trail of goosebumps along the way.
"Any time." His tone teased her far more than she wanted to admit. Despite her longing to steal a glimpse of him over her shoulder, she remained facing the fireplace. Her attention was sharp as she focused on the log, trying to ignore the yearning brewing deep within.
"Good night."
"Aye, it will be — once ye go to bed."
Don't turn around. He's just trying to get under my skin. Just step into the room, close the door, and go to bed.
Do, Not. Turn. Around.
"Then I shall not keep you any longer." Izzy kicked the door closed behind her and let her clothes drop to her feet.
She glared at the door as if it were Aaron himself.
Despite the thickness between them, she could still feel his eyes on her.
But it was knowing his smirk had stretched into a full-blown smile that sparkled in his eyes that infuriated her.
She wasn't sure if it was frustration or annoyance that crashed against her and turned up the brooding of her soul.
There was no doubt in her mind Aaron was enjoying her embarrassment and frustration.
And it irked her beyond belief that no matter how she spun the situation, it would end in her chagrin.
Izzy tried to be mindful of the dress as she peeled it off her bit by bit.
Even though every fiber of her being felt as if it had been struck by electricity, she refused to let him get under her skin.
She was married to the man after all. She would learn who he was eventually; at least she could be grateful to know he wasn't hiding anything.
If there ever was a true Scot, it would be him.
A light rap on the door captured Izzy's attention. She whipped her head up just as she drew back the covers of the bed. Aaron's shadow stretched across the wooden flooring like some phantom of her nightmares. She swallowed hard trying to keep her wits about her as she stared at the shadow.
"Can I help you?" she asked and watched as the knob twisted. The door moaned as it opened. Aaron popped his head through the crack and glanced about with his cheeks flushed.
"Aye, maybe ye can. Ye see, the weather hasnae changed yet, and I forgot the blanket."
Izzy glanced at the thick fleece blanket she had pulled from the bed. Exhaling sharply, she stared at the blanket a second before shifting her gaze to him.
"If it's that cold outside, then why don't you just come in?"
"So ye're sayin' ye trust me?"
"As far as I can throw you, you Scottish brute. But I'll not have you freeze outside."
Aaron's eyes flickered with delight as he stepped into the room.
Izzy's heart fluttered wildly as she tried not to pay any attention to how smooth his bare chest was.
He looked as if he could stop a wild herd of horses.
It was his very presence filling the room that cast aside all her fears.
With Aaron in the room, there wasn't room for any phantoms or mysterious shadows.
Izzy remained still as she stalked Aaron with her eyes. He moved quickly from the door to the bed.
"Would ye like me to fetch me sword? We can be hand fasted and nae touch each other on pain of death."
"I'd rather not spend my wedding night as a widow if I'm to have any say on the matter.
" Izzy slipped between the muslin fabric and the woven fleece blanket.
The mattress shifted under Aaron's weight.
Izzy tried not to pay him any mind, but it was impossible not to see the sun when it shown so brightly.
"Good night… Wife." His voice was sultry and deep. It rumbled through her like thunder dragging through the valley. Wife. That was what she was after all, yet the title had not yet seeped into her.
"Sleep well — Husband."