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He’d recognised her aching and lonely soul and e Druan Castle was hard But she’d felt as if they’d stood shoulder to shoulder the whole way When they’d made love on Christ Day, everything had just seemed to be surrounded in pink clouds

But the stor?

She nervously licked her lips The last few days had given her so else A confidence she’d never felt before She’d had a gli she enjoyed and could be good at It was a path she wanted to explore

But she’d wanted Finlay to walk that path alongside her

She lifted her chin and looked at hi: love orth reaching for and holding onto She deserved love She deserved to find happiness She couldn’t accept anything less

It was so hard not to reach for his hand She took a deep breath ‘I understand this Christ the castle took courage And it must have whipped up a whole host of otten But I have to ask you this’ She h it killed her to do so ‘It’s been five years, Finlay Five years that you’ve turned your back on love How er will it take? Do you think you’ll ever be ready to love soain?’

He could barelyfew days, Grace, but no, I’ain I don’t think I’ll ever be ready’

She breathed in slowly through her nose She wanted to shout She wanted to cry She wanted to punch hian Castle and said he’d left things far too long? Hadn’t he said that in a few different ways to her?

She’d obviously misunderstood—and that was her own foolish fault When he’d talked about the neglected castle she’d assumed there was some parallel to himself and his life

But that was clearly all in her head

Finlay Arht be the only ht be the only ile heart

She could alhtened her shoulders and looked hiht She deserved so much better than he could offer She loved him completely, with her whole entire heart The one that was currently shattered all around the around waiting for any scrap of his attention when she orthy of so much more

She bit her lips as tears threatened to pool in her eyes

No She wouldn’t let them He wouldn’t see her cry He wouldn’t know just how much this hurt

She kept her voice steady ‘Then thank you for a nice Christmas, Finlay But noe’re on our way home—it’s clearly best that we both resume our own lives’