“The MacSweens take it personally when someone is hurt under their watch,” she said. “Violet sounds as vicious as a man when she mentions what she’ll do when she finds the culprit.”
Her own parents were kept at a distance, though Beatrice wasn’t sure if that was their doing or Leo’s. Not having to speak with her father was a relief, but the two of them had left the castle so suddenly and quietly that she was hurt not to be able to say goodbye.
“We’ll return for the handfastin' ceremony,” Eloise said as she and James prepared to leave. “It’s probably for the best that ye daenae have a lot of people around ye right now.”
“Ye daenae have to treat me like I’m so fragile,” Beatrice protested.
“Aye, I ken that.” Eloise beamed at her, glowing from the inside. “Ye walked through the fire, and now ye stand here on the other side of it.”
The castle seemed unnaturally quiet with everyone gone and most of the servants giving her a wide berth. One late afternoon, she approached Shona, and the woman looked at her as if she were a ghost just risen from the grave.
“There’s nay need to be so scared of me, Shona,” she sighed, exasperated. “I daenae have anythin' catchin'.”
“Nay, of course. Forgive me, mistress.” Shona wrung her hands.
“Can ye come with me and Effie to the abandoned watchtower?” Beatrice asked. “I’d like to take her up there, but I daenae think I should do it on me own.”
“I’ll go find Effie. We’ll take her up there.”
“Thank ye.”
Shona departed, and Beatrice was left alone again in the quiet, empty corridor.
Nay, whoever did it would never do anythin' to hurt a child. Nae Effie.
Moments later, the small girl rounded the corner and came bounding towards her. Beatrice could not help but smile.
Leo would have their heads and then some if anythin' happened to her.
“I have so much I want to show ye, Bea!” Effie gushed, pulling on her hand until she followed along, trying to keep pace with the energetic little legs that took off in a split second.
“Aye, well, wait up so I can see it!”
Effie laughed at that, and Beatrice forgot how scared she had been—how scared shestillwas—if just for a moment. There was magic to be discovered, worlds to explore.
I may nae be as safe as I thought, but I am safe for now.
She traipsed behind Effie, and they disappeared into their reveries together.
“We need to call a council meetin',” Leo told Tyler. “If anyone kens anythin' about what happened, we need to hear it.”
“I can arrange it, me Laird,” Tyler offered.
Leo dismissed him and went to check on the guards who were still doing their rounds. He had tightened security as the handfasting ceremony drew closer.
But if the threat is comin' from within these walls, then it willnae matter how many guards I have watchin’ outside.
His guards were well-trained and loyal. He wasn’t concerned that any of them could be bought. But anyone could be tricked. He knew that after seeing smart, wise men being brought down by people close to them.
He was keeping a close watch on Beatrice, though she didn’t know it. In a way, he was hoping the culprit was sloppy enough to make a move in the aftermath of the first attack. There was no party to cover tracks, no guests flowing in and out of the castle to cloak nefarious deeds.
If someone came for her now,he thought, watching as she chased Effie around the glen,I could take them down without even tryin’.
But watching her only created a more intriguing version of her in his head. He saw her laughing in the fading sunlight and spinning Effie around in her arms. It was becoming impossible to just see her as a woman with whom he had an arrangement. So many bits and pieces of her were being unveiled before his eyes.
One evening, he was sitting in the Great Hall waiting for dinner to be served, when she and Effie bounded in to join him.
She looks better than she has in some time.Nae only has she recovered fully and gotten her strength back, but she also looks more at peace now that her father is gone.
