A pang of conflicting emotions tugged at her heart. While Claire hoped that Jamie would find solace, perhaps with Laoghaire, the idea of their potential union stirred a mixture of jealousy and anger within her. It was a scenario she had not anticipated. In her initial worries about Jamie’s reaction to her sudden disappearance, she had failed to truly consider how she would feel about parting from him. The realisation hit her with a forceful clarity. The connection she had forged with him, the shared trials they had endured, and the love that had blossomed inside her had woven itself into the very fabric of her being. The mere thought of separating from Jamie felt like an unbearable sacrifice that threatened to consume her with grief.