“I am nae protecting ye if I let this continue,” he said sharply. “I am trappin' ye.”
The words landed heavier than the kiss. His expression hardened again, discipline snapping back into place like armor.
“Forget this happened,” he said, though his voice was rougher now, less certain.
Eloise’s mind ached painfully. “Forget it?” she repeated, disbelieving.
But James had already turned away, reasserting distance with rigid control.
“This arrangement is about safety,” he said coldly. “Nothin’ more.”
The warmth between them evaporated too quickly, leaving only confusion in its place.
James stepped toward the door. He paused there, hand on the frame, without looking back. “Ye will keep yer letters private from now on,” he said. “And I will nae enter yer rooms without knockin' again. I will nae trouble ye again.” Then he left, shutting the door with finality.
Eloise remained standing in the silence he left behind, trembling slightly, unable to move. Her lips still burned faintly, as though the moment had branded itself into her.
She touched them unconsciously, confusion flooding her heart. Nothing about her world felt stable anymore, not the agreement, not her safety, and certainly not her feelings.
What am I to do now? Should I leave?
CHAPTER TEN
Eloise stood there a moment, unmoving, as though if she shifted even slightly, everything inside her would spill over. The echo of James’s touch lingered, impossible to ignore, burning beneath her skin.
“What have I done?” she whispered.
Her composure fractured quietly, and she pressed her hand to her mouth to steady herself. When the tears came, they were silent at first, then harder to hold back.
She sank onto the edge of the bed.
This was meant to be an arrangement. A means to an end. Now I feel I have made a mistake in agreeing to this. It is too much of a mess..
“It was never meant to feel like this,” she murmured, her voice trembling.
She cried because she wanted clarity, honesty, something solid beneath her feet. She wanted her family. Instead, everything around her felt built on shifting ground, on half-truths and unspoken things.
I miss me family. Someone to talk to about all of this.
A sudden, aching intensity tore through her. Not just their presence, but the certainty of being known without question.
A soft knock came at the door, followed by Fiona’s gentle voice.
“Miss Eloise? I’ve brought ye some tea.”
Eloise quickly wiped at her cheeks, though the evidence of her tears could not be fully hidden.
“Come in,” she said, her voice quieter than usual.
Fiona stepped inside, balancing a small tray, but she stopped short when she saw Eloise’s face.
“Oh, miss,” she said softly, setting the tray aside. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothin',” she said at first, though the word rang hollow even to her own ears.
Fiona frowned slightly, stepping closer. “That doesnae look like nothing,” she said gently.
Eloise let out a shaky breath, her composure slipping again. “I daenae ken what I’m feelin’,” she admitted quietly.
