Nay. Absolutely nae.
“We arenae looking,” she told John.
He blinked up at her, as if she had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.
She didn’t relent. “Aye. Because we are sensible. Also, because looking would imply interest, and we have none.”
John kicked beneath his blanket.
“Daenae argue. Ye are supposed to be on me side.”
She took one step toward the window before she caught herself.Ridiculous. She had crossed countries, broken into a castle, faced Henry Tolford, and survived the dungeons. She wouldnotbe defeated by the possibility of seeing a laird return on horseback.
“Me Lady?”
She turned too quickly. “If it is the Laird, tell him that I daenae?—”
“It isnae the Laird.”A maid stood in the doorway, panting slightly. “‘Tis yer sister. Lady MacBain. She has arrived.”
For a moment, Violet froze.
Hannah.
A wave of relief came first, sharp enough to hurt, after which fear followed, because Hannah would see too much. She had loved Violet through sickness, grief, fury, and stubborn silence. She would take one look and know this was not merely a forced wedding, not merely a baby, not merely outrage.
“Take him,” Violet said, placing John carefully into Moira’s arms as soon as she stepped in through the side door. Her voice was less steady than she wanted. “Please.”
Moira’s expression softened. “Go.”
“I am perfectly composed.”
“Aye,” Moira said. “Ye are.”
Violet left.
She reached the upper corridor just as Hannah swept in below, traveling cloak still fastened, cheeks flushed from the road, and worry plain on her face.
Her sister had not waited for some kind of ceremony to welcome her. She never would have, especially where Violet was concerned.
Violet gripped the banister. For one moment, she forgot the kiss, the dungeons, the wedding, and every lie she had told herself since dawn.
Then Hannah looked up and saw her.
“Violet.”
10
The careful mask Violet had worn all day nearly cracked.
For one moment, she could not move. Hannah stood below with her eyes bright enough to light up a room despite the tiredness crawling on the edges of her eyes.
She looked exactly as she always did when the worry in her eyes had completely outrun the patience she could deliver.
Violet was still staring as Hannah started to cross the passageway. She reached the bottom of the stairs at the same moment as Hannah, and the next breath was stolen by her sister’s arms closing around her.
“I should scold ye first for nae telling anyone where ye have been,” Hannah muttered against her hair. Her grip tightened until Violet felt like a little girl again, safe and trapped and lovedtoo fiercely to breathe properly. “But I am too relieved that ye are alive.”
Violet hugged her back. “Iamalive.”
