Page 19 of The Cruel Highlander (From Enemies to Marriage #3)

CHAPTER 18

Before Aiden followed the lass up to her rooms, he went into the kitchens and asked the cook to package up some of the food from breakfast for Valorie to take with her.

The lass still needed to eat, and Aiden would do everything in his power to make this easier for her. Maybe he should pack food for her whole family? Aiden turned back around to tell the cook to make more.

What else could he do? Aiden was a practical sort of person, so he thought through the actions that would have helped him. He decided a bottle of whiskey was in order, so he made his way down to the cellar and left his favorite bottle with the cook to pack up.

Heading back through the dining room, Aiden made his way to the library. He knew the lass liked it in there, and so he picked out some of his favorite books for her, only those with a happy ending of course.

Aiden had no idea how long Valorie would be at her parents’ castle — maybe this would be a drawn-out process, and she would need things to keep her occupied and her distracted.

Oh! Aiden had another brilliant thought — the lass loved flowers, so he made his way out to the garden. Being back here brought back all of the memories from last night, and Aiden swelled slightly despite himself.

This garden would forever hold memories of Valorie; there was no way to separate that tree from her moans or these flowers from her skin in the moonlight.

Quickly, so as not to get distracted further by memories of Valorie, Aiden cut a few blooms to send home with her.

There that should do it, Aiden thought. Hopefully one of those things would be helpful to Valorie while she was gone.

Finally, Aiden made his way to Valorie and her bedchambers. He opened the door slowly to find Valorie racing around her rooms, looking for all the things she might need.

Two of the maids were in the room trying to help but unsure how because Valorie was frantically opening up the chest and then the wardrobe and grabbing things out at random. And as soon as she snatched whatever her hands touched first, she moved on to the next thing, leaving the doors open behind her.

Aiden, moving warily, entered the room and started straightening up behind her; he heard her muttering lists and plans to herself as she tried to get organized. What could Aiden possibly say to help her? Was there anything that would be a comfort to her?

At the back of her wardrobe, crumbled into a ball, he found the sash in his clan’s tartan. Discretely he tucked it into the bag she was packing — he liked the thought of her having some piece of him with her while she went through this, and some small part of Aiden hoped it would bring her comfort as well. Just one more small thing that he could do for her hopefully.

How has everythin’ gone to shite so fast? Aiden wondered.

Aiden was up half the night writing correspondence to potential allies to see if anyone knew anything about the threat they had received. Between that and planning some additional security measures for the castle and Valorie, it was nearly light by the time he made his way to his bedchamber.

Plus, he paused outside of Valorie’s rooms for far too long. He was straining to hear if she was okay, if she needed him, but all was quiet.

Then this morning, upon seeing Valorie’s sunny face, Aiden was renewed. They would figure everything out together — together they could do anything.

This threat was just a minor blimp where they were concerned. Valorie’s palm in his was some sort of cure-all because nothing seemed all that bad holding her hand.

Of course, Aiden’s joy was short lived. They hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy a slow morning together before the carriage arrived with a note from Valorie’s mother. Aiden was horrified when he read her words. Valorie’s father had taken a sudden turn for the worse, and she needed to be home immediately.

Losing his own father recently, Aiden knew some of what Valorie was feeling, and he wished he could take the pain away from her. Aiden would suffer through rounds of torture at Myles’ hands if it meant he could protect the lass from this, but there was nothing else he could do.

So, Aiden helplessly followed Valorie as she flew across her rooms. It was obvious that she cared for her father deeply, despite everything that had happened between them and everything she said.

Aiden knew Valorie looked up to her father, so for her to see him ill today would certainly be tough. Laird MacCrimmon may have had different ideas for Valorie’s life, but he loved her fiercely — that was very clear to Aiden in the little time he’d been around him.

“Let me see the letter,” Valorie demanded, stopping suddenly in her tracks and spinning to face Aiden. Aiden nearly ran right into the lass but managed to stop himself from knocking her over.

“Val, I told ye everythin’ in it,” Aiden hedged; he didn’t want Valorie to see her mother’s hasty scrawl or read the emotions through the page. It had been enough for Aiden to read it; she did not need to.

“Let me see it!” Valorie stomped her foot with her demand this time.

“Aye,” Aiden said sadly, handing over the letter reluctantly. He watched as her eyes quickly scanned the page, filling slightly with tears as she read on.

“Do ye want me to go with ye, Val?” Aiden asked as she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and stuffed more of her belongings into a bag.

The lass hadn’t mentioned anything of the sort, but Aiden would go with her and stay however long she needed. His small gestures were just that, small. But if he was there with her, maybe there would be more ways he could help.

Besides, Aiden wanted to be with Valorie. Wherever she was, whatever she was doing, Aiden wanted to be there.

“We daenae have to pretend we care when it’s just the two of us, me laird. I’ll be all right,” Valorie snapped. Aiden was starting to regret hiding that sash in her bag, but it was too late now.

Valorie scooped up her things and stormed past him out of the room. He watched from the window of her bedchamber as she entered the coach and sped off.

* * *

The time between Aiden’s announcement and racing back out of his castle was a bit of a blur to Valorie. She knew she had stormed through her rooms, grabbing this thing and that. She also knew she probably scared the two young maids half to death with her snapping and crazed movements. But the contents of the bag she carried with her were a mystery to Valorie.

Aiden’s face when she shut him down was maybe the one thing Valorie remembered perfectly. His concern and care had immediately shuttered to show a face full of hurt.

The moment she walked away; she regretted hurting him like that. They had things to discuss, but none of this was Aiden’s fault. He was sticking to their agreement, and she was the one who was getting carried away. She couldn’t fault him for that.

As much as Valorie wished Aiden were with her right now, the distance was probably for the best because Valorie was confusing things in her mind.

The simple act of stepping up into her father’s coach seemed to sap all the remaining energy Valorie had, and she collapsed into the nearest seat. Already in the carriage, Valorie found a large basket and another bag.

What is this? Opening up the basket, Valorie found nearly enough food for a month. It looked like the cook had cleared out a big portion of their stores and sent them off with Valorie. How did this get here? Did Aiden do this? When did he even have the time?

In the other bag were an assortment of items: a bottle of whiskey, probably eight different books, a bouquet of her favorite flowers, and a note from Aiden.

Just a few things that I thought might bring you comfort or joy during this time — Aiden.

Valorie’s eyes welled up again at the thought of Aiden preparing this bag for her. It was unexpectedly sweet, and Valorie continued to regret her cruel parting words. Aiden wasn’t offering to accompany her out of some misplaced sense of duty — he truly wanted to support her through this, and that idea sent a jolt of warmth through Valorie’s chest, right to her heart.

The joy was short-lived however as Valorie’s thoughts turned back to her father. She sat in the back of his coach, worrying her fingernails between her teeth.

She could only hope that she was fast enough leaving Aiden’s and getting back to their castle. With only the sparse information in her mother’s letter, her mind was circling all the possibilities. Would she be too late? There were so many things left unsaid between her and her father.

Desperately, Valorie tried to recall their parting words from the other day, but all she could think of was their hug in front of Aiden’s castle. She tried to remember the exact way it felt to embrace her father, in case that was the last time she ever got to do so.

More memories were flooding Valorie now: the scent of her father’s particular soap, his booming laugh, the secret little smile that was reserved just for her mother.

She never told him, but her father was influential in shaping the woman she was today — all of the lessons he taught her over the years and the training he provided her created this young woman who wanted more for her life.

Valorie stared out the small window of the coach as these thoughts ran through her mind. Despite the turmoil she was feeling, Valorie glanced around in confusion, peering out the window. She realized that she no longer recognized the road they were on.

This did not seem like the way back to her father’s castle; none of the surroundings seemed familiar. How long had they been off track while Valorie was in her own mind?

Banging on the door of the coach, Valorie tried to get the attention of the coachmen but to no avail — they needed to get back on the proper route home! Finally, the man turned his head in her direction, but instead of coming to see what was wrong, the coachman shot her a glare and picked up the pace.

Something was not right…

* * *

Back at his castle, Aiden once again paced the length of Valorie’s bedchambers. He had not left this room since Valorie raced off. Being in her space, with Willow following him closely, was the only thing providing Aiden with any measure of comfort right now. His hair was a disheveled mess from running his fingers through it countless times as he walked the same path over and over again.

Aiden should be with Valorie! The lass was distraught and alone in a time when there were active threats against them. Aiden had promised, he promised Valorie’s mother, that he would do everything in his power to protect the lass. And yet, when she needed him the most, Aiden had just let her walk out.

Valorie was riding alone in that coach right now because of Aiden. She would show up to her father’s castle to face one of the hardest challenges life has to offer, alone. And what was Aiden doing? Nothing.

Valorie’s parting comment to him had stung; Aiden thought things were shifting between them, and in that moment of hurt and surprise, Valorie had managed to storm off. It wasn’t a sufficient excuse; Aiden should have stormed off after her!

What was he talking about — he could still follow her; Aiden knew exactly where the lass was headed.

With renewed purpose Aiden broke his pacing and instead took determined steps out of Valorie’s bedchambers and to the stables.

If he was quick, maybe he could even intercept her carriage on the way to her parents’ castle. Surely, Aiden on a horse would be faster than the carriage. Then Valorie could have Aiden by her side when she saw her father.

In the stables, Aiden took one look at his horse and Valorie’s and immediately started saddling up Bluebell. The horse had already proven it was significantly faster than his steed, and maybe the horse could provide the lass some support since Aiden was failing so miserably at that.

Aiden swung himself up on the horse, ready to race off, when he heard a soft cry from the ground. Willow stood at the base of the horse without an ounce of fear and looked at Aiden pleadingly, still whimpering.

“All right, all right, ye can come with me,” Aiden said to the dog, quickly jumping off the horse and scooping up Willow. What was one more animal along for the ride? With Willow tucked underneath his arm, they sped off towards Castle MacCrimmon.

I’m comin’ Valorie, Aiden thought.