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Eoghan grinned at her. “Because Keir’s the man for ye, is he not?” His grin widened, and he shook his head, glancing down the beach toward his friend. “As observant as Keir often is, he seems wholly unaware.” He shrugged. “Or perhaps I am mistaken.”
Deeply unsettled, Sarah met Eoghan’s eyes, afraid to ask and yet equally afraid not to know. “He always seems so concerned for her,” she whispered, glancing toward her sister and her fiancé. “He’s always asking about her.” She felt her arms tighten around herself. “Perhaps he does not even realize that he would rather be with…”
Eoghan stepped closer, careful not to stir Frederica awake as he settled his free hand upon Sarah’s shoulder. “He does so for ye,” he said gently, and once again, his eyes shone with conviction. “Aye, Keir is a good man, but the devotion he shows Kate is because of ye, Sarah, because Kate isyersister.” He smiled at her. “He does it for ye.”
“How do you know?” Sarah demanded, afraid to trust him. A part of her knew she was being unreasonable, that Keir had not given her a single reason to doubt him. Yet doubting people was second nature to Sarah, and to her great shame, it came so easily to her. She hated it, the fact that she could not escape this part of herself. She had been so happy these past few days, and yet when something like this happened, she instantly fell back into that old habit.
Eoghan laughed good-naturedly. “Because I’ve known Keir all my life, and I’ve never seen him in love… until now.” He looked down into her eyes. “Until ye came.”
Tears collected in Sarah’s eyes, and she pressed her lips together to keep them at bay. “Thank you,” she whispered, reminding herself that impressions did not always represent the truth. Sometimes, one had to look deeper to find it.
Sarah was glad Eoghan had reminded her of that.
Chapter Forty-One
A LEAP OF FAITH
Every day, Kate expected to see her husband striding into the castle, demanding she be handed over to him, their daughters along with her. And every night, she conjured terrible scenarios of what he would do to her, of what he would do to them. And so, Kate looked at every sunset with horror in her heart, dreading the moment she would have to lie down her head and close her eyes.
Only Keir’s presence seemed to hold the demons at bay.
Grateful for the massive walls surrounding the castle, Kate strode through the inner garden. She savored the hesitant warmth upon the air as spring drew closer; yet a sense of dread lingered. Countless times, Kate found herself peering over her shoulder, afraid that someone might linger behind one of the tall columns.
No one was there, though, and so she walked on.
However, the next moment, Kate detected movement at the other end of the garden. Her feet instantly drew to a halt, her heart tensing in her chest as panic flooded her being. She could barely breathe. Bright spots danced in front of her eyes before she finally realized that it was only Keir and Sarah.
Together, their hands linked, they stood near the southern wall, whispered words passing between them.
The sight of their closeness weighed heavily upon Kate’s heart. It was a feeling of loss, harsh and painful, that quickly mingled with the by now familiar sense of guilt and shame. Keir and Sarah were beginning a new life together, and here Kate stood looking at them, wishing she were the one in Keir’s arms.
“There ye are,” came Eoghan’s voice from behind her. “I’ve been looking for ye.”
Slightly startled, Kate turned around to face him, her gaze quickly noting Frederica’s absence. “My daughter? Where—?”
Eoghan held up a staying hand. “They’re fine,” he assured her. “I left them with Lady Adele. They are perfectly safe, I assure ye.”
Exhaling slowly, Kate briefly closed her eyes. “Good.”
Eoghan’s gaze remained upon her and continued to linger, his green eyes watchful, as though he were searching for something. Then he nodded past her shoulder and remarked in a rather conversational tone, “Ye dunna want him.”
Right away, Kate felt herself tense as she stared at him, a part of her wishing she had not immediately understood the meaning of his words. “I… I do not know what you mean,” she stammered, mortification sweeping through her.
Eoghan took a step toward her, his head lowering slightly as he spoke in a hushed tone. “They’re in love.”
Kate’s hands balled into fists, anger and disappointment giving her the strength to lift her chin and meet his eyes. “I know,” she snapped, instantly regretting her outburst.
“Yet ye’re not happy for them.”
“Of course I am!”
Instead of taking affront at the hostile tone in her voice, Eoghan smiled at her, humor in his green eyes. “Keir is not the only decent man in this world, ye know.”
Kate swallowed hard as sudden memories assailed her of choices that had not been her own, of decisions made without regard for what she wanted. “I’ve never met one,” she murmured, a heavy weight settling upon her shoulders, making her struggle to hold up her head.
“Then open yer eyes, lass,” Eoghan urged, his right hand reaching out and grasping hers, making Kate gasp. “Not to toot my own horn.” He grinned at her rather wickedly. “But I, too, am a good man.” He held her gaze, his hand warm against her own chilled ones.
“I know,” Kate whispered, wondering at what point she had come to that conclusion. Still, it felt true.
