“I’m right here.” She tucked her half of the chocolate bar back within the purple paper and slipped it into her satchel before rushing past Mary and opening the door. With one hand extended, she motioned Ella in. “Come, come.”
“Speaking of my papa.” Mary ferreted her chocolate away in her trunk and joined them. “I must go and aid him and Mama afore I can seek my rest. I’ll be quiet when I return.” She bobbed her head at her. “Dinnae fear that I shall wake you when I do.”
“Thank you.”
“Sleep well.” Mary rushed upstairs, her steps echoing down the stairwell.
“Come see what Cherub packed within my basket. She brought me treats from her mate’s twenty-first century time.” During her visits to Ardan, she and Ella had spoken often of Cherub and how the fae princess had even intervened in her own chase with Duncan. Such a delight their fae guardian was. It had been wonderful to meet her.
“This I have to see, and during our trek to find you once you’d escaped Coll again in the meadow, he mentioned Cherub appeared to you in the woods.” Ella dropped down onto the bed next to the basket, peered inside and frowned. “Is that mud covering these strawberries?”
“Nay, ’tis chocolate.” She dropped in next to Ella, shuffled around and crossed her legs under her red velvet skirts. “Even though you’ve told me afore about Cherub, I still got quite the fright when she appeared out of the mist right afore me. Her skin sparkles as if dusted with diamonds.”
“Aye, the eldest child born within the royal line always holds such sparkly skin. It denotes Cherub’s strong lineage.” Ella selected a strawberry and eyed her. “What did she speak to you about?”
“Just that she willnae allow Coll to set me aside a second time, and that I must continue to enforce the hunt until he sees reason. I even told Coll the same but he dismissed her words, said no bond existed. He fights it, even though ’tis clearly the truth.”
With a thoughtful look, Ella twirled her strawberry by the stem in the center of her palm. The chocolate base encasing the fruit melted against her skin and left a glistening streak behind.
“Oh, it melts.” Ella lifted her palm to her lips and licked the chocolate then eyes wide, gasped. “Oooh, this is sooo sweet.” She popped the berry into her mouth and mumbled around it, “But let’s no’ forget the true matter at heart. When Coll finally sees reason and breaks his betrothal with the MacRae’s daughter, the MacRae will never allow that kind of slight to pass.”
“Aye, I am asking a lot of Coll.” She could well be ensuring yet another war broke out.
“You are only asking him to accept your bond and deep inside his heart”—Ella stuffed another strawberry into her mouth—“he knows the truth, that you’re his chosen one. It’s just making certain he acknowledges it which seems to be the issue.”
“His duty has always been to his clan, and to ensure his people’s survival. What if I’m too late? He has given Elizabeth MacRae his word that they’ll wed, and Coll never breaks his word once issued.” Not in all the years she’d known him had he ever done so, which worried her terribly. With a shake of her head, she continued, “It goes against his very nature to put his own needs and desires above those of his clan, and that is exactly what I’m asking him to do in accepting our bond.”
“Aye, but you’re still his very heart and soul.” Another strawberry and hearty moan. “He willnae be able to live without you.”
“Yet he’s lived without me for the past sixteen months and seemed to have no issue doing so.”
“True, but there is also such deep devotion in his eyes when he looks at you.” She grinned and winked. “Well, that and anger. Give him some time.”
“I’m no’ sure we have much time left.”
The end of the week would be here within a matter of days.
Aye, she was nearly completely out of time.
Chapter 5
Coll stormed down the cramped stairwell after speaking to Gordon, the innkeeper. There wasn’t a chance he’d allow Fiona to sleep below-stairs, not so far from his reach when she could so easily sneak out the front door and be gone before he knew it. And since she’d been so damn determined to ensure this chase, he didn’t doubt she’d consider such an option.
“Calm down, Coll.” Duncan gripped his shoulder from behind and halted him at the bottom of the stairs next to a flickering lamp. “I struggled to control my emotions too in the days afore I finally accepted my bond with Ella and took her as my wife. Your need to ensure Fiona’s safety and wellbeing is all that will drive you until you claim her fully as yours.”
“There isnae a bond, and I wish everyone would cease saying there is.”