The thought had been plaguingher since the night at the tavern, eating away at the confidence Hector had helped her build. Every time she remembered the reverent way he’d touched her, a small voice in the back of her mind whispered that perhaps he was simply making the best of an unfortunate situation—that any woman would do, and she just happened to be available.
To her surprise,Erica snorted—a sound so undignified and dismissive that Gabriella’s head snapped up in shock.
“Caitlyn Grant?”Erica said, her voice dripping with disdain. “Oh, Gabriella. If that’s what’s been troublin’ ye, then ye can put yer mind at ease right now.”
“What do ye mean?”
Erica’s lip curled,and there was a spark of something almost like anger in her eyes. “Caitlyn was a vain, shallow creature who cared more about the cut of her gowns than the well-bein’ of the people she would have been responsible for as the lady of this castle. Hector never liked her—nae really. He was honor-bound to go through with the betrothal because our clan needed the alliance with the MacDonalds, but I could see the resignation in his eyes every time her name was mentioned.”
Gabriella felther heart skip a beat. “Are ye certain?”
“Aye, I’m certain,”Erica said firmly. “When Caitlyn broke off the engagement to marry another laird, Hector was relieved. Oh, he was angry about the insult to our clan’s honor, but I think it was the best thing that could have happened to him.”
She leaned closer,her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ve kenned Hector since we were children, Gabriella. I’ve seen him with women who caught his eye, and I’ve seen him fulfill his duties as Laird even when it cost him personally. But I’ve never—nae once—seen him look at anyone the way he looks at ye.”
“How does he look at me?”Gabriella asked, hardly daring to breathe.
“Like ye hungthe moon and stars,” Erica said with a soft smile. “Like ye’re somethin’ precious he’s afraid to break. Like ye’re the answer to questions he didnae even ken he was askin’.”
The words sentwarmth through Gabriella’s chest, washing away the doubt and insecurity. She could picture the expression Erica was describing—she’d seen glimpses of it in Hector’s eyes during their most intimate moments, had felt the weight of his attention like a physical caress.
“There’snay comparison between ye and Caitlyn Grant,” Erica continued. “None whatsoever. That woman would have made him miserable, and he kenned it. But ye… ye’ve brought somethin’ back to life inside him that I thought was lost forever.”
Gabriella felttears of gratitude well up in her eyes. “Thank ye,” she whispered. “I needed to hear that more than I realized.”
“Of course,lass. That’s what friends are for.”
The word ‘friends’settled warm and comfortable in Gabriella’s chest. When was the last time she’d had a true friend? Someone who cared about her happiness without expecting anything in return?
The realizationthat she’d found not just safety but genuine companionship in this castle made her throat tight with emotion.
She stoodup from the bench, feeling lighter than she had in days. The flowers seemed brighter now, their fragrance sweeter, and the sunlight streaming through the tall windows felt like a blessing rather than just another part of the day.
“I thinkI’m going to take a walk in the gardens,” she announced, smoothing down her skirts. “Clear me mind and enjoy this beautiful weather before the ceremony tomorrow.”
The thought of her wedding—whichhad seemed so daunting just hours ago—now filled her with anticipation rather than dread. Tomorrow, she would stand before Hector’s clan and pledge herself to a man who looked at her like she hung the stars.
The prospect wasboth thrilling and terrifying in the best possible way.
“Would ye like to join me?”she asked Erica, who was still seated among the flower arrangements. “The roses can wait another hour or two.”
But Erica shookher head quickly, and Gabriella noticed a flush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. “Oh, I… I have a prior engagement, actually. Somethin’ I cannae postpone.”
There wassomething in Erica’s tone—a breathless quality that hadn’t been there moments ago—that made Gabriella look more closely at her friend.
Erica’s cheekswere indeed flushed, a rosy pink that spoke of excitement rather than exertion. Her eyes held a sparkle that seemed almost secretive, and her fingers drummed nervously against her skirt.
“A prior engagement?”Gabriella asked with a knowing smile. “Anyone I ken?”
The flush deepened,and Erica looked away quickly. “Just… clan business. Nothin’ interestin’.”
But her voicepitched higher at the end, the way it did when she was being deliberately evasive, and Gabriella felt her smile widen. It seemed she wasn’t the only one in the castle dealing with matters of the heart.
“Of course,”she said diplomatically, deciding not to press. “Well, I hope yer… clan business… goes well.”
She caughtthe grateful look Erica shot her. Whatever—or whoever—was responsible for that lovely flush on her friend’s cheeks, Gabriella hoped it brought her the same kind of happiness she was hoping for herself.
She smiledto herself as she left the Great Hall, her heart feeling lighter than it had in days. The conversation with Erica had lifted a weight from her shoulders, and she found herself genuinely looking forward to tomorrow’s ceremony.
