And Ian.
The thought of him twisted sharply in her chest as she looked at him. It looked as if he had just returned from a ride.
She drew a slow breath as her hand slipped inside the hidden pocket sewn into her skirts. Her fingers closed around the folded parchment of the letter. The wax seal pressed firmly against her palm as if reminding her of the choice she must make.
If she wished her brother to know the truth, there was only one place she could go.
Castle McDonald. Home.
Arianna’s heart pounded as her resolve settled into place with quiet certainty. She would ride there herself, without escort and without announcement. Her brother Hugh must hear these troubling matters from her own lips, not through whispers carried across the hills.
And if this marriage had truly been built upon deception, the consequences might stretch far beyond her wounded heart.
The thought of it sent a chill down her spine.
Then she watched as Ian's gaze locked on hers from across the field. She sucked in a sharp breath. How handsome yet menacing he looked to her. A pit of longing settled in her heart, and her throat felt thick with unshed tears.
Arianna withdrew her hand from her pocket and turned quickly back toward the castle. Her steps were calm and unhurried as she crossed the courtyard and slipped through the archway leading inside. Yet beneath that calm exterior, her mind had already begun working carefully through every detail.
I will need supplies. A good cloak suited for travel. Food for the road. A map. A horse swift enough to outrun questions. And I must gather it all without suspicions.
The castle library lay quiet beneath the soft glow of two burning candles when Arianna slipped inside late into the night. Tall shelves lined the stone walls, heavy with leather-bound volumes and rolled parchments gathered through generations of Clan McGuire’s history. The scent of aged paper and dust hung gently in the still air. Her heart beat faster than it should have for such a simple errand.
I cannae get caught.
She moved toward a long table near the center of the chamber where several maps and documents lay stacked beneath a brass weight. Slowly, she lifted one corner of the parchment and examined the faded markings. The winding roads and hills etched across the page stirred a quiet flicker of hope inside her.
I must find the correct map that will give me a path home.
Arianna’s fingers moved quickly through the parchments, careful not to disturb their neat arrangement. Her eyes scanned the inked lines, searching for the familiar valley that would lead toward Castle McDonald. Every small sound from the hallway made her shoulders tense.
The door creaked open behind her. Arianna’s breath caught sharply in her throat.
She turned slowly, her pulse pounding as Ian stepped into the library. The candlelight cast deep shadows across his broad shoulders as he closed the door behind him. His gaze settled upon her immediately, sharp and searching.
“Well now,” he said quietly. “This is a rare sight.”
Arianna forced herself to stand straighter though her fingers curled instinctively against the edge of the table. “Am I nae allowed to visit the library, me Laird?”
Ian’s eyes drifted toward the scattered parchments before returning to her face. “Ye are,” he said slowly.
Her stomach tightened. Ian stepped farther into the room. The space between them felt suddenly far too small. Arianna resisted the urge to step back as he approached the table. He placed his hand on her chin and lifted her gaze to him. Arianna felt her knees go weak. His touch always did that to her, no matter her frustrations toward him.
“And what sort of readin' caught yer interest tonight, lass?” he asked.
Arianna stepped back from his grip. She could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, the heat taking hold of her. She lifted one of the books casually, pretending to study it. “Somethin' to pass the time.”
It pains me to lie to him, but what choice do I have in this moment?
Ian’s gaze moved over to the pages on the table.
“That,” he said dryly, “is a map of the western hills.”
Arianna’s pulse hammered violently. She laid the book back upon the table with deliberate calm.
“Is it? Those were there when I entered.”
Another lie. I daenae want a bond based on deceit, but he has done the same with the contract. I must think of me family at this time.
