The Earl's Entanglement (Border Series Book 5)(75)

Eddard nodded. “Aye.”

Emma’s hand froze. Graeme? Could it be a wedding gift?

Nay, of course not. He would not have even received the message yet. At the moment, she was still unattached.

“I thought perhaps you might know, my lady. There was no message, just ‘a gift for Lady Emma.’ He did also say, ‘Since she could not go to them, I brought one to her.’”

She did not wait for the rest—if, indeed, there was more. She ran to the door of the stable, looking out, hoping to see him, needing to know she was right.

Garrick had sent the horse to her. He’d gifted her with the finest horse Emma had ever seen in her life.

Why? Did he feel poorly about the way things had ended? Was it his way of apologizing? Or was it possible he’d spoken to his mother after all?

Emma turned back to catch a glimpse of white as Eddard led her new horse into the back of the stables. She needed to find the messenger, who could verify the gift was indeed from the Earl of Clave. She ran all the way back to the keep and into the great hall. No one.

Until she spied Faye emerging from the back of the castle, near the kitchens.

“Faye,” she called. “Have you seen my brother?”

When the older woman looked up toward the balcony, Emma immediately knew. She didn’t wait for a reply but ran up the winding stone stairs into the solar. Opening the door without knocking, she gasped.

Her brother, and Sara, were indeed inside. But it was the room’s third occupant who caused her heart to skip a beat.





29





How did you . . .”

They all turned to look at her, but Emma stared straight at Garrick. Her heart was beating so rapidly, she feared it would fly out of her chest.

“When did you arrive?” That was certainly not the question she wanted to ask. But it would do, for now.

“Within the hour,” he said, getting to his feet. Garrick was not happy. “Your brother,” he said, his words slow and measured, “was just explaining why he is unable to accept my offer of marriage yet.”

Marriage?

“That you—” He cleared his throat. “Are to be wed to Graeme de Sowlis.”

Geoffrey’s eyes narrowed. He was no more pleased than Garrick.

“Wed?”

“I’d have spoken to you first, Emma. But I thought you’d readily agree. It seemed prudent to speak to your brother before seeking you out.”

Emma couldn’t seem to straighten out her thoughts. The room suddenly seemed too warm to bear.

“But when I left Clave, you . . .”

“Told my mother, and Magnus, I couldn’t possibly marry Lady Alison.”

Her eyes widened. “You did?”

“Of course I did,” he ground out.

“But what happened? What did they say?” She was so sure he would not fight for her. How could she have mistaken his intentions so badly?

“Does it matter?” Garrick turned to Geoffrey and spoke to him, ignoring her completely. “It seems we are done here. My apologies for having caused your family any distress.”

Then, without another word, he made for the door.

“Wait,” Sara called.

But he did not stop. Garrick moved past her without a glance, whisking so close she could almost feel his warmth, and walked away. It took her a moment to recover.

Emma looked around the room and then turned toward the door.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled. When a hand grabbed her from behind, she tried to shrug it off. “Nay, Sara. I must go to him.”

“Wait,” Sara repeated. The urgency in her voice stopped Emma from attempting to leave. “You may not be pledged to Graeme,” she said.

That got her attention.

“What?” both she and her brother asked at the same time.

Sara’s tiny shrug of her shoulders and tight-lipped grin could only mean one thing. She had done something she feared would displease Geoffrey.

Her brother folded his arms and waited.

“The messenger you sent,” she said to her husband. And then, more forcefully, “I stopped him.”

“What do you mean, you stopped him?” Emma asked, a spark of hope blooming in her chest.

“Just that,” Sara said. “I knew you”—she jutted her chin out to indicate Geoffrey—“were anxious to see the whole matter finished.” She turned to Emma. “Only because he loves you and despises seeing you in pain. But Sowlis was not the answer. At least, not so soon. When Geoffrey said he sent a message to the chief, I sent another to retrieve the messenger and am still waiting on word of his arrival.”

The look on her brother’s face should be one of shock. But it wasn’t. Instead, he appeared—

“Geoffrey?”

“You haven’t received word because your man will not be able to intercept the messenger.”

Emma was not the only one confused by her brother’s statement.

“I’ve already brought him back,” he continued.

She and Sara simply stared.

“I should not have pushed the match. But I hated seeing you like that, Emma,” he said. “I should have told you earlier today, but I wanted you to sort it out first before giving any definitive orders either way. But for now, the message to Graeme is safely within these walls.”