The Earl's Entanglement (Border Series Book 5)(57)

There was no conjecture in her voice. Sara was simply stating facts.

“His reputation?”

Sara rolled her eyes heavenward, as if trying to grasp a distant memory before it floated away. “He and Conrad have broken many hearts between them.”

“Sir Conrad Anstead?” Emma had met him briefly. A knight who knew his own appeal.

“Aye. A second son known more for conquering women than enemies in battle. And Garrick’s best friend. He’s rarely left Clave since moving there to foster with the old earl.”

Garrick had spoken little of Conrad. In fact, there was much they had not spoken of. She hardly knew him at all, really.

“I didn’t worry, though I should have. When you avoided talking about Graeme—”

“Sara, I’m in love with Garrick.” She blurted it out, knowing it would be easier to admit to all at once.

“I know.”

“How could you possibly—”

“You’ve not been yourself since returning from Scotland. And I must say, I’m surprised. An earl?” A small smile quirked her lips.

Emma should have known there would be no censure from Sara. She should have confided in her earlier.

“I didn’t intend for it to happen. I didn’t even know the purpose of his trip, at first. By the time I’d learned . . .” She shrugged and looked up at the timber crossbeams above them.

“You’ve nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Except being in love with a man promised to another. One who will very likely start a war when he—” She stopped. The look of alarm on Sara’s face reminded her that her sister-in-law was also the Countess of Kenshire.

“What does he intend to do? Have you—”

“Nay, we have not,” she said, though not proudly. It was not exactly her doing that she was a virgin still. “And I don’t know exactly what he intends. Just that he asked me to wait for him. And for me not to encourage—”

“Graeme de Sowlis.”

Emma nodded.

Sara began to pace, just like her brother, fresh rushes crunching under her feet as she walked.

“If he breaks the betrothal, Magnus will be furious. And his uncle . . .” She stopped and looked at her.

“Aye. Precisely.”

“We need to find out if his uncle was truly behind the attacks. How far is the man willing to go to secure a title he thinks belongs to him? To Scotland?” Sara seemed to be talking as much to herself as she was to Emma. “I’ll take care of Geoffrey. He asked just this morn if we should send for Graeme.”

“What?” She hadn’t meant to yell, but the word had burst out of her. “Sara, he can’t come here. Please—”

“We’ll make an excuse. If I simply tell him you are not interested in pursuing the Scots chief, Geoffrey will invite him anyway. Your brother still believes he can sway your thinking as easily as he did when you were a child. But neither do I want to lie to him. Perhaps a dose of the truth will do.”

The implications of Sara’s words began to penetrate.

“Are you saying . . . do you believe I should encourage Garrick then?”

Though she couldn’t stop thinking of him, imagining a life with him, Emma had begun to doubt such a thing was possible.

“Of course.” Sara’s posture was that of a proud warrior about to head into battle—a battle on Emma’s behalf. She actually looked offended. “What did you believe? That I would attempt to dissuade you?”

Emma declined to answer. She had not the first idea of what to say.

“Emma, I trust you to make your own decisions. Know your own heart.”

“But he’s betrothed!”

“Yet not married.”

“To a woman whose father is a powerful man. A man who—”

“Is just that. A man. Nothing more.”

“But his uncle. The earldom—”

“Garrick is not stupid. You’d not have fallen in love with him if he were. He can work it out.”

Emma didn’t know what to say. After a moment passed, she added, “He is an earl. You know how I feel about that.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself that Garrick is not the one? Because I’ve seen the way you look at him, and he at you. You say you’re in love, and I can only assume he’s said as much to you.”

Emma nodded.

“Then if he’s a man worth fighting for, he’ll find a way to make it work. Otherwise . . .” She didn’t finish, but Emma thought she understood. “I will ask just once more, before we decide what to tell Geoffrey. Are you in love with Garrick Clave? Is he the man you want to marry?”

Emma didn’t hesitate. “Aye.”

Sara smiled. “You’ve made a fine choice. I’ve always wished a good woman would find a way to his heart. ’Tis a shame he didn’t come to Kenshire before agreeing to marry Magnus’s daughter.”

With that, Sara walked away, presumably to get the groom.

For the first time since her return from Scotland, Emma felt confident about her future. Thank goodness Geoffrey had possessed the good sense to fall in love with Sara. How lucky they both were to have her in their lives.

Garrick would find a way. Their love would be enough.