William paced restlessly around the small chamber, his gaze continuously straying to the hour candle. Not yet midnight. Drake sprawled on the bed watching William with a knowing smile, a goblet of wine in his hand. Deidra slept at the foot of the bed.
“Why don’t you go to sleep?” William asked irritably.
“I’m not tired.” When William shot him a narrow gaze, Drake added, “I thought I might visit that bonny scullery maid—”
“Nay, you must stay here tonight.”
Drake propped himself up on an elbow, black brows raised. “Really? Why? Do you mean to say thatyouwon’t be here? Have you an assignation?”
“It’s not an assignation…not really.”
“Then what is it?” William did not respond, so Drake pressed, “Is your ‘not really an assignation’ with Rose?”
William went to the window and stared out at the moon. “I should not go.”
“Jesus God. Aye, you should! Go! I pray you.”
William glowered at his brother for a moment over his shoulder before returning his attention to the open window. He shouldn’t go. He knew what would happen,and it was wrong. She might not marry MacPherson, but she would eventually marry someone. He couldn’t ruin her. But God, did he want to. He would go to her but to tell her that they should not. He closed his eyes and rubbed his lids with thumb and forefinger. An unlikelier scenario he could not imagine. If he went to her chambers, he would bed her.
Behind him he heard Drake leave the bed. “She told me she could heal, just like you.”
“Aye, I thought she could. But the woman is dead.”
“Why then was she so ill? It’s just like you.”
William shrugged. “I know. It makes little sense.”
“Perhaps she just needs more tutelage. You’re the only one who can teach her—but you can’t do that at Strathwick unless she’s there, too.”
William gritted his teeth. “I’ve told you—”
“Aye, you have, but that was before, and though I didn’t like it, at least I understood it. There’s no sense to this. She’s like you, Will…it’s as if the two of you were somehow meant to meet and be together.”
William turned to give his brother a mocking look. “How very sentimental of you.”
“I know!” Drake drained his wine goblet. “You’re making me soft, so I pray you, stop being an ass and go to the woman. You’ve been in a foul humor since MacPherson arrived. You say you can’t have her but you won’t leave her be—and worse, you act like a baited bear, growling at everyone.”
William grunted. “I haven’t been growling.”
Drake made a rude noise. “Aye, you have, and I’mdamn sick of it. Go to her. There’s two of you now—no more choices, aye?”
Wasn’t that what she’d said to him?There is no need for choices anymore. There’s two of us now.Though her words gave him hope, Tira was still dead, and that scared the hell out of him. But he found, as he stared out the window, that returning to Strathwick and resuming his empty life frightened him more.
“If I lose her…like Amber…I don’t think I can bear it.” His jaw hardened. He stared down at his hand fisted on the stone sill. “I love her.”
“If you love her, you have to go.”
William glanced back at the hour candle. It was time. Drake looked at the candle, too, then back at William expectantly.“Go,man—get out of here!”
William left, trying to ignore his brother’s gloating. He paused outside the door. The corridor was deserted, and most of the torches had been extinguished. He passed no one on his way, and when he finally arrived, he did not waste time knocking. He let himself in and latched the door behind him.
He scanned the room. Rose was nowhere in sight, though a small terrier sat in the middle of the bed, a pink ribbon in its long, silvery hair. Then he saw her. She appeared in the doorway of an adjoining room.
“You came,” she said.
“Aye.” His blood quickened just to look at her. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders, a gleaming curtain of auburn satin. She wore only a night rail, elaborately embroidered at the neck and hem, the sleeves heavy with lace.
At the sight of her, all the things he’d wanted to say dissolved into lust. Later, he would remember, but for now…He crossed the room to where she stood. The fragrance of herbs wafted around her, coming from the dark room behind her.
