Edmund shook his head. “I’ll say naught tae the Elders just yet. I cannae reveal we were in MacDonald’s chamber uninvited.” He gave a harsh laugh. “Fer all we’ve uncovered, at least fer now, we must keep it tae ourselves.”
Lionel crossed to the door. “But now we can be certain he’s the enemy we suspected him to be. We ken enough tae keep a close watch on him.”
Annora followed, her lips pale and quivering.
Edmund’s heart went out to her. It was clear that finding out about her father’s letter had hit her hard.
Seeing the concern in Edmund’s gaze, Annora gritted her teeth and pasted on a smile, hoping to divert his attention while her mind was racing with the news.
She’d long anticipated her father’s pursuit. There were times when she’d convinced herself she’d escaped her past, that there was time for her to flee on Edmund’s birlinn to the Continent. Yet, in her heart, she had always known that her father would never let her escape. His men would seek her out as far as Denmark or even Russia.
No one was permitted to defy Graham Munro and go unpunished.
She’d wondered what he would do to her once he found her. It seemed unlikely that the aged Baron Radcliffe would accept her as his bride. Her sojourn with Edmund would certainly have put paid to his betrothal, the humiliation of having his bride masquerading as another man’s wife sufficing. Their pretense as man and wife would be a scandal that would reach Radcliffe’s ears all too quickly.
Even if me maidenhead was nae given tae another.
She straightened her shoulders. The knowledge that her father was, even now, most likely aware of her presence at Scorrybreac sent shards of ice through her veins.
“Come, let us go fer our supper,” she said brightly, taking Edmund’s arm.
Even at this moment, the touch of his arm lent her a modicum of warmth.
He placed his hand on hers. “Dinnae fash, Annora. ‘Tis nae certain that Harris has sent word tae yer faither. We may still have time on our side, ‘tis a long journey tae Foulis Castle.”
She nodded. A long journey it may be, but her father was a powerful man with many men and birlinns at his disposal. She had little doubt that he and his men would travel fast.
While for Edmund and Lionel the significance of what they’d discovered in their raid on the Laird MacDonald’s chamber rested with the evidence they had found of his planned betrayal of the MacNeacail Clan, all her thoughts were with her father’s men and her need to leave Scorrybreac with all haste.
The thought of bidding farewell to this bonnie place and the people who had won her heart did not sit well. But it was the prospect of leaving Edmund that tore her heart in two.
She managed to eat a few spoonfuls of her supper, but the churning in her belly put paid to eating more than a smattering of morsels.
Edmund showed his concern, coaxing her to take another mouthful, placing the most delicious sweetcakes before her, refilling her goblet with mead after she’d only taken a few sips.
She smiled at his efforts, her heart warming. Even as she was aware he was considering what must be done to thwart Harris’s plans, his attention was on her. Beneath the table he reached for her hand and squeezed it, his eyes never leaving her face.
Once they’d returned to their bedchamber he folded her into his embrace.
“Ah lass, we must review what we’ve learned from our foray intae Harris’s room. I ken ye are worried sick that yer faither is now on yer trail.”
She gave a short laugh. “I’ve ne’er doubted he’d find me sooner or later.” She clutched the fabric of his tunic as if that would, in some way, draw further on his strength and protection.
“Come,” he escorted her to the seat by the fire where he once more took a seat in the comfortable armchair and pulled her onto his lap. She curled into him, resting her head on his shoulder.
At once she was washed with the sense of protection and safety his nearness always offered, and she felt the tight muscles in her neck and shoulders loosen.
“Although Lionel has advised against it, I am compelled tae let Tormod understand what we’ve learned today of MacDonald’s intentions. Although the knowledge of the man’s treachery will break Tyra’s heart, we must let the Elders know.”
He brushed his hand on her arm as he spoke, and the warmth spread slowly through her.
She nodded, but all at once it became all but impossible to focus her thoughts on the letters they’d found. Her fingers strayed across his broad chest and she felt his heart pounding beneath them. Being in his arms, his earthy scent filling her nostrils, his breath in her hair, and his strong arms holding her tight, she quite forgot what it was she was attempting to say.
He murmured something into her hair she didn’t catch, and she leaned back and turned her head.
He was so close, and the bewitchment was spinning her head so that all thoughts of Harris and her father, became small and insignificant and floated away to disappear completely. The breath hitched in her throat.
“Kiss me, Edmund.” Her voice was soft and husky and all at once her entire body was thrumming with need for his touch. She wound an arm around his shoulder and drew his head down so that she could meet his lips with hers. He moaned and parted his lips, taking her mouth hungrily.
