And would that have made a difference?she thought to herself.If he had told you the truth, would you have agreed to remain behind with Fiona?
No, she wouldn’t, because that would have meant leaving Conall behind and that was something she was finding increasingly hard to do.
It took a long time to get back. They were sailing upstream and the wind was against them. Hours passed, but finally, as they approached the loch, Molly spotted the castle looming on the horizon, its stone walls jutting up like teeth. She shivered at the sight of it. She hoped Conall knew what he was doing.
They docked the boat at the wharf and made their way up to the castle. Conall led the way, his steps quick and purposeful, his mind clearly focused on the task at hand. Molly followed him, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach as they passed the guards and walked through the gates.
Beyond, the bailey was a hive of activity. Everywhere Molly looked there were people and horses and wagons being unloaded as though a large group had just arrived. Conall stuttered to a halt, looking around in confusion.
A stocky man with a spiky mess of black hair came hurrying over. He was dressed richly and carried a stack of papers under one arm.
“Ah, Lord Conall!” he cried. “There ye are! I’ve been looking everywhere for ye.”
Conall inclined his head. “Castellan. What’s going on?”
The castellan gestured at the bustling courtyard. “Yer lady stepmother has just returned. Yer father has requested yer presence and that of Lady Molly at a private dinner to welcome her home.”
Conall’s face darkened at the news. “I see,” he said through gritted teeth. “And who else has arrived?”
The castellan looked at him quizzically. “I beg yer pardon, my lord?”
“Who else has arrived with Lady Adaira?” Conall demanded.
The castellan shifted uncomfortably. “Er, no one else, my lord. Just Lady Adaira and her retinue.”
“Right. Thank ye for the news. We will attend my father and stepmother presently.”
The castellan nodded and scurried off, leaving Conall and Molly standing alone in the midst of the chaos.
“We need to be careful,” Conall said to Molly. “My father will be on high alert. We canna risk being discovered before I can send word to the Order.”
Molly nodded, anxiety churning in her stomach. The last thing she wanted was to sit through another tense meeting between Conall and his family. Why had his father insisted they go see him? Had he already found out about their trip to the warehouse? Was this a trap?
You’re getting as bad as Conall, she told herself.Maybe it’s just what he says it is: a dinner to welcome his wife home.
Conall strode away, his jaw clenched, his fists balled at his sides. Molly hurried to keep up with him, her mind racing with questions. What part did Conall’s stepmother play in all this? Why had she been away? And why did Conall look like he wanted to punch something on hearing of her return?
They arrived at the earl’s private dining room. The door was ajar and they could hear voices murmuring inside. Conall glanced at her then pushed the door open.
The room inside was lavish, filled with flickering candles, silk tapestries, and richly carved furniture. At the far end of the room, Conall’s father sat at a round table. Beside him sat a woman that Molly assumed was Lady Adaira.
Her dark hair fell in waves around her face, framing sharp features and pale skin. Her eyes were shrewd and as dark as her hair. She wore a gown of deep blue that complimented her coloring perfectly.
As Conall stepped into the room, Lady Adaira’s face broke into a smile. She rose to her feet and stretched out her arms in welcome. “Conall!” she said with a delighted laugh. “It’s so good to see you!” She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. “We have so much to catch up on!”
Molly started, surprised by the warmth in Lady Adaira’s voice and the genuine joy on her face. After the way Conall had spoken about his stepmother she’d expected something...different.
Conall suffered the embrace, looking far from comfortable in his stepmother’s presence.
Lady Adaira pulled away and turned to Molly, her smile widening. “And this must be our charming guest I’ve been hearing so much about!”
Conall cleared his throat. “Lady Adaira, this is Molly Anderson,” he said. “My...associate.”
Lady Adaira smiled warmly at Molly and stepped forward, taking her hands in hers.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Molly,” she said, squeezing her hands gently before letting go. “I’m so glad Conall has found a...friend.”
Molly couldn’t help but smile back at the older woman’s kind words and welcoming demeanor despite the tension in the air. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
