Georgia suddenly came to life, wrapping her arms about her eldest sisters until they couldn’t breathe. “As will I, ‘til they cart me off to some distant rogue too.”
A moment later, Ayda, Elena, and Isobel flung themselves into the embrace, until all of the sisters were a tangle of limbs and emotions and tears. As painful as it was to say goodbye, Saoirse hadn’t cried yet. Maybe, she’d shed them all already in the quiet of her chamber. Maybe, she didn’t want to make it worse for the younger girls, as she was meant to be setting an example.
Prying herself away from her beloved sisters and moving toward her mother’s open arms, however, Saoirse’s tears finally came. She felt the first one drop as she embraced the woman who had given her life.
“Come now,” her mother said softly, rubbing her back as if she was a child again. “Ye must nae leave in such a manner, or I willnae be able to bear it. It will all be well in the end, so dry yer eyes now, sweet girl. Dry yer eyes.” She spoke with such conviction that Saoirse almost believed her.
Saoirse clung on tighter. “Maither, I…”
“I ken, my dear, I ken.” Iona’s voice sounded thick and strange, as if she too was fighting with her emotions.
Just then, someone behind Saoirse cleared their throat. She didn’t have to look to know it was Noah, no doubt reveling in the fact that he had gotten his way. He wouldn’t care that her heart was breaking or that the future felt so terribly uncertain. By taking her away two days too early, he’d already shown his true nature.
Faither lied. Faither said ye were nae cruel. Maybe, he dinnae ken.
A hand gripped Saoirse’s shoulder, followed by the command, “We must leave.”
“And I must say my farewells first,” Saoirse retorted, shrugging his hand away.
A different hand urged her away from her mother and into a sturdy embrace. By the smell of woodsmoke and sweet hay alone, Saoirse knew she was in her father’s arms.
Squeezing her tight, he lifted his head and said, “Take care of her.” Whether it was a prayer to the heavens or an order to Noah, Saoirse didn’t know.
With that, her father released her, and no one else came to embrace her. The moment for departure had come, and she could not buy any more time for herself.
Drawing in a shaky breath, she glanced over her family once more. “I’ll call for ye all soon. Daenae forget me, do ye hear?” She forced a smile. “Och, and sisters, just because I’ve left a few things behind, that doesnae mean they’re ripe for picking.”
Light laughter rippled through the main hall, but it echoed hollow.
“The day will almost be over if we daenae move ourselves,” Noah said as he curled his fingers around hers, pulling her toward the door.
For a moment, Saoirse thought she felt him give her hand a gentle squeeze. And although she wanted to believe it was a gesture of sympathy, she knew better than to hope for such a thing.
Slowly, Saoirse allowed herself to be led out through the main doors. Refusing to look back, she climbed up in the carriage and settled onto the seat. The carriage rocked a bit as the servants loaded her trunks, but it would worsen when they got onto the roads. To steady her nerves, she kept her gaze on the grain of the wood at her feet.
The click of the carriage door closing caught her off guard. Her head whipped up as she realized she was alone in the carriage. Poking her head out, she looked for Noah and found him climbing into the saddle of a huge, black horse.
“Are ye nae ridin’ wit’ me?” she called to him, dumbfounded. Just how many ways did he wish to reject her before they had even made it through a full day of marriage?
He trotted up to the window. “Ye asked for more sleep. So, now ye can stretch out in the carriage to get it. I ken yer head is still split, and we have a day’s journey to get to the castle. If I were ye, I’d take this time to rest, just as ye requested.”
Saoirse leaned back in her seat. Her mind raced as she thought over Noah’s actions and weighed them against his words. Against all reason, her heart fluttered, coaxing a hint of a smile onto her lips.
Maybe he does care, but just needs an opportunity to show it. After all, he did bring me that vile tonic to ease the pain in my head and it hasnae killed me yet.Hope swelled in her chest as she stole a glance out of the window, but horse and rider had pressed on past her view.Faither, I wonder if ye’re right. Maybe, all I need is a little patience.
* * *
As sunset burned on the horizon, Noah glimpsed through the curtains of the carriage. His heart thumped wildly in his chest the moment he saw Saoirse, laid out upon the squabs. A small smile tugged at his lips as he noticed her closed eyes and peaceful face, and the way one leg hung over the edge of the seat while her arms hugged herself. The bronzed rays of the dying sun caught her hair, turning the golden strands to a molten copper.
What I wouldnae give to be in there with ye,he mused enviously.Nay, ‘tis best I keep my distance, especially when she looks like that.
Noah pressed his lips into a tight line, frustrated at his thoughts. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind of her and focus on the beauty of the nature around him. The sun’s embers cut through the green canopy of the forest they passed through, dappling the ground. Somewhere in the distance a lark began its evensong. Distracted by the sound, he wondered about the game he might capture in these trees.
Every so often, he spotted the tracks of deer or boar which caused his heart to quicken. A hunt would certainly take his mind off other, less violent exploits. He glanced to his sleeping wife, wondering if he’d be able to go off and return without her knowing. But the second he saw her soft, slumbering smile, he felt the pull to her. Far greater than his desire to hunt.
An attraction means nothin’. When a lass is pretty, there’ll always be a want. It’s in a man’s nature,he told himself, trying to bring a simpler reason to the fire in his loins and the race of his heart.
Yet, a beautiful sunset had a way of casting things in a more romantic light. Soon, Noah found his thoughts turning to their dance, and how closely he’d held her. How perfect she’d felt in his arms, under the guidance of his every move, flowingwithhim instead of against him. The memory jarred, putting her sister’s husband in Noah’s place, throwing cold water on the fiery longing that had seized him for a moment.