She swung her gaze to Tom, and he nodded. “I will be in, in a moment, but I must speak with Clyde to put our plans in place.”
She nodded, worried the inside of her cheek then said as calmly as she could, “Please do not linger. I do not like to be without you for long.”
It was true. In all of this chaos, in all of this brand new future, he was her one constant, like a star shining in the night sky. She did not wish to lose sight of him for long, even though she knew, like that star, he could not ever truly disappear.
She went with the Duchess of Clyde and headed up into the castle. Suddenly, she found standing in the foyer that her body began to shake.
The duchess grabbed her gently and said, “Come, come. You must sit with me. I shall have tea sent up immediately. It was very much the same for me once I realized I was safe.”
“Am I,” she stuttered, “safe?”
“Oh, yes,” the duchess assured gently. “In this castle, no lady can ever be harmed by any fool. I promise you that.”
She narrowed her eyes, sucking in calming breaths. “How can you possibly promise such a thing?”
The duchess smiled, but there was a fierce note in her gaze. “There are ways and means, and none of us will be gainsaid by tyrants.”
Elizabeth swallowed. There was something strong in the duchess’s voice, as if the softness of her face belied steel within and, suddenly, she felt herself on very sure ground, indeed.
“I like Scotland,” Elizabeth blurted.
“Good,” the duchess approved, patting her hand.
“Perhaps we can convince Courtney to make it his home.”
“I doubt it very much,” Elizabeth returned. “So much of his work is in London.”
The duchess frowned. “It is true, but perhaps we could have him for the summers at least, and you can be my friend. I’m always looking for new friends,” she said. “It is the greatest gift a lady can have, other people to share the cares of life.”
Suddenly, inexplicably, she knew that she was about to have the care that Tom had mentioned and she barely knew how to make sense of it.
All her life she had had no one to care for. She had no one to love or be loved by but now… she felt it, the tender ministrations of a friend and she was terrified.
How she wanted to give in! Could she dare? She did not know. As if she understood, the duchess took her hand.
“The walls around your heart will come tumbling down when it is time. Do not be afraid.”
“I am not afraid,” Elizabeth countered tightly.
The duchess cocked her head to the side. “You are just as I was, but do not worry. Fear will pass and then, oh my friend, what awaits you is sheer bliss.”
Bliss.
Was such a thing even possible?
Elizabeth could only hope the duchess was correct.
Chapter 19
Two weeks passed in tentative peace, despite the ever-present concern around events possibly unfolding in London.
Tom lamented but understood why it was impossible for Elizabeth to find her ease in the company. She’d been on edge, afraid to upset her father her whole life.
A few days in Scotland wouldn’t reverse a lifetime.
But it was a bloody good start. There was something magical about the air, the land, the sky up here, and he felt it too, working on him.
The Duke and Duchess of Clyde welcomed them so thoroughly that Elizabeth’s fears had slipped away in this glen, high up in the Western Highlands.