The sound froze her in place. Instinct stilled her hand before it could strike the wood. Through the narrow crack beneath the door, a ribbon of warm torchlight spilled into the dim corridor. Inside, the men spoke in low, serious voices that made Arianna’s heart begin to pound.
“...the missing pages of the marriage contract,” the steward was saying.
Arianna’s pulse quickened immediately.
She leaned closer to the door without realizing she had moved. The steward continued speaking, his voice steady as though explaining some routine matter of records.
“The clause is written clearly,” the steward said.
Her breath came slowly now, though her heart hammered loudly in her chest.
“If nay male heir is born within one year of the marriage,” the steward continued, “Clan McGuire gains the right to claim lands or wealth from Clan McDonald as repayment for the old debt agreement.”
Arianna’s breath caught sharply in her throat.
For a moment, she could hardly understand what she had heard. The words echoed painfully through her mind, refusing to settle into something that made sense. Her fingers curled slightly against the stone as she struggled to remain quiet.
Inside the chamber, parchment rustled softly.
“The clause is legitimate,” the steward went on. “The page carries the signature of Lady Arianna’s uncle, along with the official crest and seal of Clan McDonald and Clan McGuire.”
Arianna felt as though the floor had shifted beneath her feet.
Another voice spoke then, quieter and more cautious. “If the page was overlooked before, it would be best if the matter remains private.”
“The agreement should remain secret for now.”
Chairs scraped faintly across the floor inside the room. The sudden movement startled her.
Arianna jerked back from the door, her heart racing wildly. Fear and confusion tangled together inside her chest as she stepped away from the chamber and quickly moved down the corridor. The sound of voices continued inside, but she could no longer make out their words.
Her thoughts thundered louder than anything else.
“Me Lady?” Melissa turned the corner.
“Melissa, I…” Arianna stepped backward.
“Ye look as if ye seen a ghost,” Melissa said.
“Nay, I simply…need air.” Arianna turned on her heel and moved quickly away from Melissa.
Arianna continued down the corridor as though the castle itself had suddenly become hostile ground. Her steps were quick and uneven, though she scarcely felt the movement of her feet beneath her skirts. A single thought pounded relentlessly through her mind, louder than the echo of her footsteps against the stone walls.
Have I been manipulated from the beginning?
Her heart raced as memories forced their way to the surface. Ian’s patience since the day of their wedding returned to her mind with painful clarity. He had never pressed her to fulfillthe duties expected of a wife. At the time, she had believed his restraint to be a kindness.
He agreed to wait to consummate the marriage because he had reason to.
She remembered every quiet moment between them with sudden, terrible doubt. The way he had given her space. The way he had never demanded the marriage bed despite the clan’s expectations and agreed to make them believe they had consummated the marriage. Even the distance he had kept after the night in the carriage now seemed different.
Arianna had believed his restraint came from honor.
But what if it came from strategy?
If the contract granted his clan wealth or land, and no heir be born within the year, then patience would serve him well. He would not need her affection, nor her trust, nor even her body. All he needed was time.
The realization struck her like a blade.
