He slowed his steps, and Tess’s voice wavered alittle as she continued. “I have heard a great deal, but now I needto go and see it for myself. I must do this, Colin. Just as I needto see my mother, I also need to go to Ravenie and reconcile thosememories of my father, of my childhood. I…I need to face thenightmares, too. I have to remember what happened and try tounderstand why it happened...try to make myself recognize who Ireally am, and if there is anywhere that I truly belong.”
He stopped abruptly and turned to her. “Youbelong to…”
The rest of the words did not come. Colin’s chindropped to his chest for an extended moment. Tess was overwhelmedby the emotions that his action—that his unspoken words—broughtforth in her.
She was stunned momentarily to realize thatshelovedhim.
“You never again have to worry about whereyou belong.” He finally looked up at her. His hand reached forhers, and he entwined their fingers.
Tess nodded gratefully but the raw emotionscontinued to play havoc inside of her. What had he been about tosay at first? That she belonged to him? Nay, she thought inconfusion. If he felt that way, he wouldn’t let her go so easily.She gently removed her hand from his.
“I need to do this, Colin. I need to go backand see what it was that I left behind. But I also need to knowthat you understand.”
“I do, Tess. I do.”
Night still held both castle and river valley in thefolds of its dark cloak. With the exception of the kitchen workerswho’d roused themselves early to serve a morning meal to thewarriors leaving for Ravenie Castle, the rest of the household wasstill sleep.
Seeing that she was not in the Great Hall, Colintook a trencher of food with him and went out across the torch litcourtyard to the stables. He could see the workers were saddlinghorses and bringing them out to the pen.
The shadows of the yard were deep, but he spottedher easily as she paced back and forth before the stable door,wearing her leather cloak and looking like a night nymph waiting tosteal his heart.
Tess, however, was deep in thought and whirled insurprise seeing him. “What are you doing here?”
“That is no way to greet a man who plans toaccompany and protect you on a long journey.” He handed thetrencher of food to her, and she had no choice but to take it.
“But you are not coming. The laird said that he willhave someone—a company of your kin—to accompany me. But I neverthought he would ask you.”
“He didn’t.”
“Then why…?”
“I’m responsible for you. You saved my life. I oweyou.”
“Colin, I cannot allow any sense of debt you feel topush you into coming with me,” she protested. “And in the matter ofwho is in debt to whom, you are the one who saved my life bybringing me—”
“Tess, please, let it go.” He cupped her chin andlooked closely into her beautiful dark eyes. “Let me put it thisway, I cannot let you leave Benmore without me. I want to come. Ihave to come.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes for a long moment,and then Tess simply nodded.
He was grateful that she didn’t press him furtherabout his motives for coming. How could he explain something thathe couldn’t understand himself? Colin walked to the stables tocheck on the horses that were being readied. He’d had a lengthytalk about Ravenie Castle and the Lindsays with his father lastnight. He wanted to be ready for what they were going toface—whatever it was. He wanted to be ready for the Lindsay clan’sreaction to Tess’s appearance.
All Lord Alec had been able to tell Colin aboutRavenie itself was that the place had never been repaired after thefire. Evelyn, claiming that there was no proof yet that Tess, theonly heir, was truly dead, had left a steward there to oversee theholding and collect the rents in her daughter’s name. As far asColin’s father had known, there had been no fighting by the Lindsayclan, no appeals to the king. From a distance it appeared that thepeople’s heart had died with their chieftain.
“We shallneverget there moving at the paceyou’re setting this morning.”
Colin turned to the shadow of his brotherapproaching from the house. “What do you meanwe?”
“I meanweas in I’m ridingalong.” James stretched and gave a great yawn. “I’ve been down thatway a few times of late, and I know the lay of the land. Why,there’s a fine tavern just south of there on the Inverness roadwith the prettiest lasses this side of…”
“We’re going directly to Ravenie Castle andback.”
“I know that, you fool.” James grinned and clappedhis brother on the shoulder. “Our parents decided last night thatit might be advantageous for Tess to make her first appearanceamong her people with several of the Macpherson brothers standingat her shoulder. They wanted Alexander to go, as well. But you knowhow attached the old goat is to his sleep. I, for one, was notabout to have my throat cut by the beast for waking him up at thishour.”
Colin certainly saw logic in his parent’s thinking.No one knew what to expect when they arrived at Ravenie. And itwould certainly help to have the Lindsays see another Highland clanas powerful as the Macphersons backing Tess.
“And don’t worry. You have no need to lecture orthreaten me about keeping my distance from Tess.” James led his ownhorse from its stall.
“Is that so?”
