wee one is Miss Isla Mackenzie.”
Tate smiled at Lydia and blushed when Isla grinned up at him and held out a tiny hand, which the steward shook with great solemnity.
“Miss Hunt will stay with me. Please see that Isla has a room close to ours.”
“Yes, Master Brodie.” Tate did not question that Brodie and Lydia were to share a room, and Lydia was grateful for that. She had no desire to face the scandalized glares of servants.
“Where is Aiden, Tate? I might as well face him now.”
“Out, sir. For his usual walk.”
“Bloody hell,” Brodie muttered.
“What’s the matter?” Lydia asked in a whisper.
“He’ll be gone a good three or four hours,” Brodie replied with a frown.
“Why would he be gone so long?” Lydia asked.
“Aiden is the gentlest of the four of us. Our father saw that gentleness as a weakness and hurt Aiden at every possible turn. My brother only feels safe when he’s in the woods amongst his wee beasties.”
Lydia put her arm through Brodie’s and leaned into him, hugging him from the side. “I hate that you’ve all suffered so much.”
Brodie gently shrugged free of her touch. He bent down and scooped up Isla and started telling the child all about the old lairds of the castle. Lydia tried to ignore the prick of pain in her chest as he walked away from her. It felt like a dismissal.
“Do not take it personally, kitten,” Rafe said. “No man likes to share the darker parts of himself, especially with a woman he cares about.”
“Why not?”
“Men think they must be impenetrable and without weakness. For one who has lived a charmed life, like myself, it’s of little matter, but Kincade has a dark and painful side that he will never wish to share with you. It’s best to leave it alone.” Rafe gently patted her shoulder before he followed Brodie and Isla upstairs.
Lydia lingered in the grand hall for a time, looking over the woodland tapestries and a pair of portraits from the eighteenth century. She couldn’t resist taking a closer look at those. She could see Brodie in the faces of the two Scottish lords who were proudly wearing their kilts with the unique Kincade plaid. She explored the corridors of the lower part of the castle and stopped at the library.
It was a grand room with shelves that went fifteen feet high. Tall ladders with wheels on the bottom could roll along the shelves to aid someone exploring the topmost parts of the library. Sunlight came into the room, illuminating the gilded spines of the books.
Lydia’s heart stirred with excitement. Already this was her favorite room. She trailed a finger down a row of books that led to a cozy window seat. She heard a soft fluttering above her head and discovered a tiny owl that could fit in her hands was watching her from its nest.
“Hello there,” she said, smiling up at the owl. It gave a soft series of hoots, as its head rotated toward the door.
“Ach, I see you found our resident librarian.” Brodie stood in the doorway, relaxed with his arms crossed.
“Yes, he’s quite a handsome one.” Lydia turned her gaze back to the owl. The boundary of the sunlight from the tall windows just reached the base of his nest, making the loose feathers glint silver and gold.
Brodie joined her, winding one arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. He did not apologize or explain why he had pulled away earlier, but Lydia wasn’t angry with him, only sad that he didn’t wish to let her in.
“Where’s Isla?”
“With her new favorite uncle. We have a dozen beasties in the house, and they are currently trying to find them all.”
Lydia turned in his arms and placed her palms on his chest, staring into his gray-blue eyes. They were so clear, like water in a shallow well with moonlight reflecting on it.
“Brodie . . . I meant what I said a few days ago. I should like to stay here with you—if you still want me.”
He closed his eyes and held her close. “Aye, lass, I do. I’ll keep you as long as I can.” He left unsaid what would happen when everyone who was searching for them finally caught up to them.
“When they come, you will let me go, won’t you?” She wanted him to say no. To argue that he was madly in love with her and would marry her and keep her always. But he did not, and she knew he would