Noah let out a short bark of laughter.
She spun on him, her fists clenching. “What is so funny?”
A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. “I’m glad I’m not the only man catching your ire.”
“What I’m giving you isn’t ire.” And then her breath caught on a gasp that seemed a bit like a sob. “I am disappointed in you. I thought you understood.”
“I could mirror those words,” Ewan rumbled.
She spun back around. “Leave. We are trying to discuss our future and you are not helping.”
“I won’t.” Ewan crossed his arms over his massive chest. “I am supposed to be here.”
“Fine,” she cried. “Then I shall go.”
And with that, she stomped past him and out of the room.
Noah glared at Ewan. “You’ve done it now.”
“Me?” Ewan griped right back. “She was spitting mad before I even walked in the room. I’ll tell ye one thing, she got the Melrose temper.”
“Melrose temper?”
“My mother’s father. He was famous for it. My mother had it too. It’s prettier on a woman though.” Then he gave Noah a skeptical eye, looking him up and down. “What about ye? Have ye got a fiery nature too?”
Noah shook his head. “No. Apparently, I just tell half-truths and act like a selfish cad.”
Ewan scratched his chin. “Well. No wonder she had a fit of temper.”
He’d known of course. Avery valued her choice above all else and he’d taken it away. That was what he’d wanted, after all. He knew once he told the truth, she’d be furious. And now, he didn’t need to hold himself apart from her, she’d keep herself away from him.
Why didn’t that feel like a victory?
“This was supposed to be an arranged marriage with no emotional connection.” He rubbed at his temples, wishing he’d handled himself better this morning.
“All marriages are full of emotion. Even arranged ones without a drop of love.” Ewan slid into Avery’s seat and then took a giant bite of her blood sausage. “My parents never even met before their wedding day, but somehow they loathed one another. The question is, would ye prefer it to be filled with love or hate, because right now ye’re leaning toward the latter.”
Noah blinked back his surprise. Because the giant oaf of a Scot might be right. “Why am I talking to you about any of this?”
“Because there’s no one else here,” he said before taking another large bite. “And ye seem like ye need help. Honestly, yer mucking it up right good.”
He let out a noise of contention. “I watched you with Avery. You’ll likely only make it worse.”
Ewan smiled at that. “I think I actually like ye.”
“It can’t be.” Noah shook his head. Then he drew in a deep breath. “The problem is that if what you say is true, while I don’t want her to hate me, I don’t really want love either…”
“Why not?” Ewan took another giant bite and having cleared the plate, stood up for more. “A woman like that could make a man happy.”
He knew that. He wasn’t stupid. He could see how much love Avery had to give. How she’d nurture and lift him up. “I’m not sure I deserve happiness.” He scrubbed his face, the words reverberating in a hollow chest.
Ewan let out a long breath as he loaded up his plate. “I can understand that.”
Could he? How? “But I didn’t even tell you about my sister’s death and the surgery and…” He snapped his mouth shut.
Ewan looked back at him. There was kindness in the other man’s eyes, compassion. “Did ye love yer sister?”
“Yes.”
“Did ye try? Really try to give her what she needed?”
The words made his body ache. Yes, he had. “It wasn’t enough and I’m still not certain if my efforts were for her or for me.” But Ewan’s words mirrored Avery’s. I could die happy tomorrow if someone loved me like that.
He pushed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets. “Avery just wants me to love her and it’s the one thing I denied her today.”
“I’d guess if ye gave her that, the marriage would quickly follow.” Ewan returned with a heaping plate. Avery’s plate.
Noah snatched the plate from the table the moment the other man set it down.
“What are ye doin?” Ewan gave him an incredulous stare.
“Bringing Avery her breakfast. And…” He gave Ewan a meaningful stare. “Attempting to take your advice.”
Ewan grunted but his lips parted in a small grin. “Fine. I’ll make another plate.”
Noah gave a curt nod before he headed out of the breakfast room to find Avery.
Carrying her breakfast, he searched the music room, salon, and finally her room. But Avery was nowhere to be found. With each step, his heartbeat ticked faster.
He clutched the plate in his hand as he searched her room for clues. He noted that her embroidery was gone but there was no message. All that remained was the pocket square she’d adorned for him, neatly folded with his initials on the top. Fear made his limbs heavy. Was this a goodbye? He’d picked it up and caught a whiff of her scent.
He closed his eyes. She’d left, he knew she had, and now he needed to discover where. Because there was so much more that needed to be said. And regardless of how they’d just left things, she was still his to protect.
And whatever else he’d promised. Whatever he hadn’t given, he’d care for her no matter the circumstances.
Chapter Twelve
Avery wrapped her arms about her waist wishing she’d eaten that plate of breakfast this morning.
The sky was growing dark and she’d not had a bite to eat all day. Her stomach gave a hollow gurgle while her head ached.
What was worse, the temperature was dropping. And she was outside with no shelter and no money with which to purchase it.
Admittedly, running away had been an ill-hatched plan.
But honestly, in the face of two men insisting that she had no choice…she’d taken
