Chapter 45: A Proposal of Escape

Kerrigan stood by the window in her guest quarters, gazing out over the sprawling estate of her grandfather, Duke Atholl. The morning sun bathed the grounds in a soft, golden light, but her thoughts were far from the beauty of the scene before her.

The past few days had been a whirlwind of political maneuvering, strained conversations, and subtle tensions. And now, as their time at the Duke's estate drew to a close, she felt the weight of it all pressing down on her.

The meeting with her grandfather had been taxing, to say the least. The Duke had made it clear that he expected Kerrigan to consider her future carefully, particularly where marriage was concerned.

The arrival of Prince Khalid had only added to the pressure, leaving Kerrigan feeling as though she were being pulled in a dozen different directions at once.

But there was something else nagging at her, something that had been building since that fateful dinner. Conor’s silence had been palpable, and she could see the doubt an