Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
“Goodness,” Edith muttered under her breath, shifting against the tight confines of her dress as her fingers dug deeper into the soil.
She brought her free hand up to her face, wiping away the beads of sweat that had begun to gather along her forehead under the afternoon sun.
’Tis a stubborn root.
A small smile tugged at her lips as her fingers brushed against the thick root, its length buried far deeper than she could possibly reach.
Aye. ’Tis perfect, too.
She released a satisfied breath and rose from her crouch, wiping her fingers on the front of her dress.
I’ll need a blade to dig this out properly.
She had come out into the fields with no mind to pick herbs today, much less discover one this valuable. Still, she could hardly leave it buried there now that she had found it, even if the thought of walking all the way to the castle and back wearied her already.
She had barely turned around when she bumped straight into Violet, one of the maids from the castle.
“Och!”
“Aye! ’Tis ye.” Violet’s familiar smile widened at once. “I have been searching for ye.”
She placed a hand on her hip as she tried to catch her breath, though her expression quickly shifted once she took in Edith.
“Why are ye covered in dirt?”
Edith stepped back, glancing down at her hands as though they had not just been buried in soil moments ago.
“Ah.” A small laugh escaped her. “Daenae mind me, Violet. And daenae fret over this dress, either. ’Tis me field dress now.”
“Field dress?” Violet blinked. “Since when do ye work the fields?”
“Since I stumbled upon an invaluable patch of burdock.” Edith smiled faintly. “Now, pray tell, where do the farmhands keep the tools?”
“Edith…”
“Daenae try to talk me out of it, Violet. Ye already ken that it is a lost cause.”
“I willnae, but—”
Edith lifted her hand, cutting her off once more. “And ye cannae refuse to tell me where the tools are either. I will simply find them meself, and that will be a far greater inconvenience for everyone involved.”
“The Laird is asking for ye.”
Edith froze. Her heart stumbled hard against her ribs.
“For me?”
Violet nodded slowly. “Has been for a while,” she said more quietly, with a look of pity. “He seems rather keen on finding ye.”
The warmth from moments ago drained from Edith’s chest.
This cannae be good.
She took a slow step forward, though her thoughts had already begun racing ahead of her.
Since Scarlett departed for her husband’s castle on the other side of the Highlands, Aaron had scarcely acknowledged her existence at all. On most days, she hardly saw him beyond brief glimpses in crowded corridors or the Great Hall. And truthfully, that had been a comfort.
The less she crossed paths with him, the easier it was to forget that she remained in Hallow Castle on borrowed grace.
Her mind flashed to the previous day, when she barged into the council chamber.
Perhaps I shouldnae have.
Her fingers curled tightly into the folds of her skirt as she recalled the hard line of Aaron’s mouth when she had interrupted the council meeting.
Aye. I put meself in front of him, and now he wishes me gone.
Her throat tightened painfully at the thought.
By the time they neared the castle entrance, Edith had gone silent beside Violet, too consumed by her thoughts to manage even polite conversation.
“Hold still.”
She blinked rapidly as Violet suddenly reached for her face.
“Ye have mud there,” Violet murmured gently, wiping her forehead clean with her thumb.
“Thank ye.”
“Here.” Violet gently untied her own apron. “Take this also.”
Before Edith could protest, Violet had already fastened the apron neatly over the front of her dress, covering the dirt on the fabric.
Edith glanced down briefly. The mud hardly mattered to her, but perhaps Violet was right to hide it. If Aaron truly meant to send her away from Hallow Castle today, appearing before him in such a state would scarcely help matters.
“Thank ye, Violet,” she said softly once they stopped outside Aaron’s study. “Truly.”
Violet squeezed her hand once before hurrying back down the corridor, and finally, Edith was left alone to face whatever waited behind the heavy, wooden door.
Heaven help me.
She released a slow breath, smoothing the apron against her skirt before lifting her hand to knock.
“Come in.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Aaron’s voice from the other side. She swallowed hard and pushed the door open, ignoring the slight tremor in her hand.
The warmth of the chamber was the first thing that greeted her, followed by the weight of his presence.
She dipped into a curtsy.
“Good day, me Laird,” she said quietly. “Ye sent for me.”
Aaron did not bother returning the greeting. “Close the door.”
The command was simple, and she obeyed at once, turning to pull the door shut behind her.
When she turned back, Aaron had already risen from his seat.
He was impossibly tall, so much so that the air seemed to bend around him. He moved toward her slowly, his long strides causing the distance between them to shrink far too quickly for comfort.
Edith felt her pulse quicken as he stopped only a few paces away from her. Her chest tightened as he stared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment.
“Ye ken I made a vow to me sister,” he said without preamble. “To keep ye safe here.”
I kent it.
Edith swallowed again, nodding stiffly.
He wishes to throw me out.
“I ken, me Laird,” she said quietly, choosing her words carefully. “And I thank ye for it.”
Aaron exhaled, the sound sharp enough to suggest irritation. He took a step closer to her, his jaw tightening only slightly before he spoke again.
“I must marry.”
Edith blinked.
Marry?
Her brows pulled tight into a frown, the word refusing to take shape in her understanding.
What does that have to do with me?
Her mind immediately began to race, churning out an explanation as she searched for meaning in the silence that followed.
Aaron raked a hand through his hair. The black, shiny strands drew her eye, and her frown deepened briefly at the distraction.
He must have gotten engaged.
Her lips parted slightly at the thought.
Aye. A new lady. That must be it.
It was the only explanation that made sense. Why else would he think to inform her of his marriage?
No lady would want to have a lowborn woman in her household, especially when said woman served no true purpose and only remained under the Laird’s protection for reasons no one openly explained.
Perhaps she might think I am his mistress.
The thought sat heavy in Edith’s chest like an abomination, and heat shot through her at once.
If ever!
Her lips pressed together tightly before she could betray anything further, and Aaron’s gaze sharpened.
She forced her expression to soften and lifted her chin slightly. “How may I be of help, me Laird?” she asked, the words tumbling out a little too quickly.
She was not ready to leave Hallow Castle. At least not yet.
Aaron did not respond. He folded his arms, his tunic parting slightly at his chest to reveal a patch of even darker hair.
Edith looked away quickly.
“If there is a need,” she continued, her voice wavering slightly, “I can assist the new lady.”
Aaron moved even closer, leaving only a few inches between them.
“I have asked before to train with Martin,” Edith added, though her breath hitched. “But I will do whatever ye ask of me.”
Her face reddened slightly at the last few words, but thankfully, Aaron did not seem to dwell on them. He stared down at her instead.
“Is that what ye want?” he asked quietly. “To be the healer’s apprentice?”
Edith hesitated for a moment.
As ironic as it was, it was insanely difficult to read Aaron’s expression from such a close distance. Her neck craned from merely trying to meet his gaze, and her throat bobbed as she swallowed.
She considered speaking the truth. But perhaps the truth might put her at a greater risk of being sent away. She had no way to be sure.
But he made a promise to Scarlett.
The knot in her chest eased slightly as she reminded herself of that, and she decided to be honest about her wishes.
“Nay,” she admitted. “I wish to learn. What I truly want is to one day leave Hallow Castle and return to me village as a healer. To be of use to me maither’s people. Me people.”
It was a heavy silence that followed her words.
Aaron studied her for a long moment, his unreadable expression ratcheting up her anxiety as she waited for his response. Then, finally, he spoke.
“Ye will be the new lady.”
Edith blinked, disbelief flashing across her face.
“What?” Her voice came out louder than she had intended, echoing faintly through the room.
I must have heard wrong.
Aaron barely seemed to register her shock.
“Ye will marry me,” he said calmly, as though he believed she had simply not heard him the first time.
The words knocked the air out of her lungs, and she shook her head, instinctively taking a few unsteady steps backward.
“Nay…”
There was no way this could be real. Aaron Gallaway—the stubborn, cynical, brooding older brother of her best friend, who she knew despised her—wanted to marry her?
It had to be a cruel joke.
“Nay.”
“Ye misunderstand,” he said, his voice lowering dangerously as he walked toward her, his steps slow and deliberate.
Edith continued to retreat until her back collided with the rough stone wall behind her. Aaron planted one hand beside her head, leaning in until his face was only inches away from hers.
Her chest pounded dangerously at his closeness.
“This isnae a request.” The rasp of his voice sent heat skittering unpleasantly beneath her skin, and she swallowed hard, lifting her chin as much as she could without brushing against him. “’Tis for duty.”
She could hardly bother to hide her confusion now.
“Why would ye want to marry me?” she asked quietly, nearly breathless.
She could feel his hot breath against her skin, and somehow, it maddened her more than his preposterous proposal.
“Ye daenae even like me,” she added quickly. “Is this a wager ye made with yer men?”