Page 64 of When the Laird Claims
Victoria fixed her gaze on the carriage door. “Yes, well, he has agreed to it, and he can rest when we are in our own home. There is no medicine quite like being in one’s own bed.”
“I cannae deny that,” the healer replied with a chuckle.
It was hard to imagine any of theton’smost noted physicians speaking so bluntly to their patients, but Victoria found Ingrid’s candor rather refreshing. None of the stuffiness of courtesy and etiquette existed here. Victoria would miss that when she was gone from this place… among other things.
“Just daenae forget to drink that tonic I made for ye,” the healer said to Victoria’s father, who winced and hissed through the walk. “I ken it doesnae taste nice, but ye’re a grown man—drink it.”
Victoria’s father nodded weakly. “I promise I shall.”
As they reached the carriage and Ingrid helped Victoria to lay her father onto the squabs, making him comfortable with blankets and cushions, a flurry of footsteps in the courtyard made Victoria look back. A small farewell party had come to wave her off. At least two were already crying—surprisingly, not the baby.
“Ye were nae going to leave without sayin’ goodbye, were ye?” Kristin sniffled as she shifted Ruby to her opposite hip.
Victoria retreated from the carriage and walked to them. “Of course not. I just had to get my father situated first, then I meant to find each one of you to… thank you for everything.”
She had promised herself that she would not weep, but that crack in her voice did not bode well for the rest of the goodbye.
Her gaze flitted discreetly to the entrance of the keep, to see if another figure might be joining the farewell party. As of yet, there was no sign of Arran. He knew when she was leaving; she had informed Kristin of the exact time, who, without a doubt, would have informed him. True, she had said her farewells to him already, but part of her still hoped that he might run out to give her a reason to stay.
Why would he, though, when I gave him none?She shook the hope away, certain that it was just the residual pull of what had happened between them before it all went awry.
“Nay, Victoria, ye’ve nay reason to thank us,” Kristin insisted, as she curved her free arm around her newfound friend and pulled her into a hug. “It’s us who should be thankin’ ye. The Earl is gone because of yer clever plan, and wee Ruby and I can be happy now, never worryin’ that he might show up unannounced to try to take her from me.”
Victoria cleared her throat and held her friend back in kind. “No, it really is all of you that I must thank, while I have the chance. I… have become someone here that I did not think I could be. I will never forget it for as long as I live.”
“Ye must come back one day,” Sophie urged, as she muscled in to embrace Victoria. “I wish ye were nae leavin’ at all, but… promise us that ye’ll come and visit us one day. The sooner, the better.”
A deep, pained frown scrunched Victoria’s eyes shut. “I do not know that I can promise that, but I will write, and I will think of you all so often. And I will send presents on Ruby’s birthday, so that she does not truly forget me.”
She hurried to brush a tear from her cheek as she pulled back and made a funny face at the darling little girl, rewarded with a bright laugh and a babble of baby chatter.
“Remember me, little one.” Victoria bent her head to kiss the child’s chubby cheek, gaining another giddy laugh in return.
Steeling herself against the tears that stung her eyes, Victoria moved down the small line to the last person. She had not come to know Neil as well as the others, but she was glad that he had come to say goodbye, nonetheless.
“It was a pleasure to have helped kidnap ye,” the man-at-arms said with a grin, as he stuck out his hand.
Victoria stared at it, knowing it was uncouth to shake a man’s hand, but she did it anyway. “I cannot say the feeling is entirely mutual,” she joked. “But thank you for not disobeying your Laird, though I know you would have preferred to leave me there.”
He laughed. “Ye’ll be pleased to hear that me opinion of ye has changed. So, can I nae convince ye to stay? I ken that the Laird would like it if ye did.”
Despite his laughter and his smile, there was something in his eyes that spoke of earnest sincerity. Had Arran sent him as an envoy? Could he not face her himself? She did not know it, but she had an answer for him.
“No, you cannot,” she replied stiffly, letting go of Neil’s hand and stepping back. “It has been lovely to get to know you all, and I… wish you all well. I am sorry that I cannot stay longer. I shall… miss you all very much.”
She turned before she could burst into tears and embarrass herself in front of the people she had begun to care for immensely, hurrying back to the carriage as fast as her feet would carry her. She was rushing so quickly that she did not hear a second set of footsteps pursuing her to the carriage door, not until she felt a hand close around her arm to pause her.
Whirling around, Victoria’s heart leaped, thinking it might be Arran… but it was not.
“Will ye nae reconsider?” Sophie asked, eyes glittering with tears. “I ken that ye and me son have some manner of… quarrel, but can it nae be overcome? He can be stubborn, Victoria. He can say one thing and mean another. But, I have never seen him as… content as he has been while ye have been here. It’s like ye gave him some peace after so many years of war, and… if there’s a chance for the two of ye, it would be remiss of me nae to help it along.”
Victoria smiled sadly at the older woman. “There is no chance, Sophie. I am sorry. The problems between us are… too great to overcome. We are too different, and right now, I must return to where I belong, and he must stay where he belongs.” She pulled the woman in for another tight hug. “But Iamsorry.”
There was not enough time to explain the full details of why she had to leave. Namely, that someone needed to give society an excuse it could believe so that no repercussions fell upon Melody or Arran, or anyone other than Charles. But there was also a simpler reason that she could not stay: how could she remain ina place where the man she loved had not given her a reason to stay?
Arran had been more concerned with defending his actions than anything else, and though he had said he had wanted to keep her safe, he had not explained why. He had dragged her into this when he had taken her from Charles’ manor instead of just letting her go, so, of course, he had felt responsible for her. Well, she did not want him to have to feel responsible for her anymore;shewas lettinghimgo.
“Goodbye, Sophie,” she said quietly, releasing her hold on the older woman.
