There seemed nothing left to say. They stood staring at one another until Payton could endure it no longer. With his lips pressed firmly together, he touched her chin with two fingers, and with the pad of his thumb, he wiped away the single tear that had fallen from her eye. “Godspeed,” he said and stepped away from her.
He felt the draft of her leaving him even though she hadn’t moved, and made himself walk out of Talla Dileas before his grief consumed him.
Twenty-six
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
TWO MONTHS LATER
T he gowns were still arriving several weeks after the Lockharts had landed in Edinburgh, in all the colors of a silken rainbow, as well as slippers and hats and gloves and jewelry.
Ellie worked to keep Duncan’s chubby hands from the parade of clothing as Mared displayed her latest purchases. “Heavens, Mared!” she exclaimed. “Will you give your new fortune to the modiste?”
Mared laughed and held up a celery green and plum silk dress. “Can ye blame me, then?”
“No,” Ellie said, her smile fading. “In truth, I cannot. You deserve these things after what you’ve endured. But there are so many.”
“Father gave me funds to do with as I please,” Mared reminded her.
“Yes, but…but I wonder if perhaps he thought you might put some of it aside for your future?” she asked and caught Duncan’s hand and led him away from the slippers he’d found.
“I am putting it into my future,” she said airily. “I may very well receive an offer of marriage. Can ye imagine, Ellie? Someone to offer marriage for me?”
“Someone has offered,” Ellie quietly reminded her.
Mared stilled and glanced at Ellie from the corner of her eye. “’Tis no’ the same. Besides, ye were the one who urged me to come here, aye?”
“Yes I did, didn’t I?” Ellie asked. She sighed wearily and sat in an embroidered armchair with Duncan on her lap.
“Why do ye sigh so?” Mared asked, putting aside the celery green silk and picking up a red one to hold before her.
“Because I only meant that you should come for a time and enjoy yourself. But now I fear I encouraged you wrongly and you will be hurt.”
Mared laughed and looked over her shoulder at Ellie. “Why on earth would I be hurt? Have ye no’ heard, Ellie? I am the season’s shining star.”
“I’ve heard from Miss Douglas that you are quite the favorite among gentlemen of the season.”
“Oh?” Mared asked, smiling over her shoulder.
“Mmm,” Ellie said. “You are the talk of all the drawing rooms on Charlotte Square, apparently.”
With a laugh, Mared turned around again to admire the red gown. “There, ye see?”
“Mared, listen to me. Aristocratic gentlemen will say anything when they dance with you, but an offer of marriage would only come after they had ascertained your worth. And even then, there are family lines to consider, pedigrees…”
“Ellie!” Mared cried. “Ye sound as if ye donna believe the Lockharts are a proud and true Scottish family.”
“Of course I do, Mared. I am one, after all,” Ellie said politely. “What I am trying to impart is that these men are not particularly interested in the Lockhart name. They are interested in how far they might…well, know you…without offering for you.”
“Is that what has ye fretting?” Mared asked laughingly. “I’m no’ a blushing young maid, Ellie. And I’ve no’ seen one that I’d consider marrying, in truth.”
“Then what is all this talk of offers?”
“Only talk. Because I’ve never been in a position to be admired. And because it is great jolly fun.”
“Mared, please be careful. There are many insincere people around you and your good reputation could be irrevocably tarnished with as little as one wrong word!”
“Honestly, Ellie!” Mared scoffed. “This is no’ London, and I’m no’ so na?ve as that,” she said blithely, missing Ellie’s dubious look as she picked up another gown.
It was true that Mared had spread her wings in earnest since arriving in Edinburgh with her family. After a couple of outings with her brothers, it wasn’t long before she was on the guest list of every soiree, ball, and supper party held in aristocratic circles, for she was thought to be exotically pretty and heretofore unknown. She’d danced more in the last month than she had in her entire life. It seemed that her dance card was always quite full and gentlemen—married, unmarried, and those quite undecided—would whisper naughty, wicked little things in her ear.
Talla Dileas seemed so far away from the glittering life in and around Charlotte Square.
And Mared reveled in the attention she was receiving. She coveted each and every invitation that came her way. She bought gowns and shoes and hats and coats, and cared not a whit for the cost, for the beastie, and especially that enormous emerald, had made her family wealthy once again.
For two months, she had lived life fully in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. So fully that she rarely had time to think of Payton other than at night, in that quiet moment between consciousness and sleep.
He never failed to visit her there. Every blessed night.