“Yer Grace,” Elspeth said finally, her voice hoarse.
She had heard his footsteps as they echoed down the hall before he barged into the drawing room. She’d prepared herself for his rebuke. She’d kept her focus out the window, looking up at the stars for guidance.
She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself, to appear as if nothing was amiss.
It was of no use; he had already undone her.
She turned quickly to move past him and leave the room for the safety of her quarters. “If ye’ll excuse me, I am quite tired. I cannae talk about what happened tonight. I havenae the strength.”
But Hugo was already there, standing squarely in her path as though he had guessed her every thought. Her gaze met his, andshe knew he could see the tear tracks on her cheeks. The raw vulnerability in her green eyes betrayed her completely—there was nowhere left to hide.
“What is the matter, Elspeth?” he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle, the anger in his footsteps completely gone. “While I may have an idea, I want you to tell me in your own words. What happened?”
“Nothin’,” she whispered, trying to push past him. “I merely wished to be alone.”
He did not budge.
“Do not lie to me, Elspeth. I know something is wrong.” He reached out, his thumb brushing away a lingering tear.
Elspeth felt the brief, insistent touch, and something inside her gave way. She pressed her lips together, then parted them as if to hold it all in, but it was too much.
The dam shattered. All the frustration, the weariness, the homesickness, the confusion, the sting of Lady Markham’s cruelty—every pent-up emotion spilled forth, unstoppable.
“They are fools for failing to see you for who you truly are. There is nothing amiss in your circumstances. Everything will?—”
“Yeare what is wrong!” she cried suddenly, her voice rising, raw with emotion as she looked into his eyes. “This is all yer fault! Yecame into me life and snatched it all away! Me peace, me quiet, me home!”
“I merely acquired a property. One I did not ask for, nor want the responsibility of.”
“It is yer fault! It is yer fault that I am so far away from everythin’ I ken, forced to endure these… these vultures that prey on anyone they deem less-than!” Her voice cracked.
“You may have a point, but I need you to?—”
“And ye! One moment ye are cold and authoritative as a tyrant, orderin’ me every move, pushin’ me toward men I despise! Then ye are… ye are kissing me and pushin’ suitors away! Ye are confusin’ me beyond measure! Ye have no care for me feelings! None at all! I am nae a puppet to play with. I am nae yer toy.”
She stood there, panting, tears streaming down her face, her chest heaving in the restrictive gown she wished she could burn.
Hugo fell quiet, his face unreadable. Yet, his gaze remained fixed on her.
The silence lingered, thick with the weight of her accusations, as neither of them spoke.
What have I said? This wasnae smart.I am too overwhelmed to think clearly, let alone with this impossibly large brute in front of me.
Ashamed of her outburst, she pushed past him with all her strength, desperate to escape. But as she moved, his hand shot out, grabbing her arm and pulling her back against his solid chest. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair, rubbing his chin against the crown of her head.
“You think I don’t care?” he murmured, his voice rough, his breath warm against her hair. “You think I’ve not been fighting this since the first moment I saw you, covered in mud in the middle of Inverhall’s gardens like some woodland nymph? Elspeth, I desire you more than I have desired any woman in my life.”
His grip tightened on her, almost painfully. Most curious of all, Elspeth liked it.
“Then why do ye fight it?”
“Because I cannot be with you.”
She stilled, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“Why?” she whispered, the single word a desperate plea. “Why cannae ye be with me?”
He hesitated, his body rigid, then took a deep, shuddering breath. “It is complicated.”
