"I'll help you." Dugald slid to the groundand reached up for her. She loved the feel of his strong handsframing her waist. The lush memory of their bedtime antics sentheat burning over her skin. He took her hand and kissed the back."I hope you can forgive me for abducting you."
"Of course, Dugald." She sent him a smallgrin. "I enjoyed it," she whispered. And that was anunderstatement. It had been the most exciting few days of herlife.
His lashes lowered as he considered her. Heglanced around and she did the same, noticing they were mostlyhidden behind some of the horses and his mounted men, all of whomquickly faced the opposite direction once they were caughtwatching.
Abruptly, Dugald drew her close and kissedher. It was a swift but potent kiss that took away her commonsense. A kiss she wished could go on forever.
Pulling back, he made a barely discernablegrowling sound and muttered, "Damnation." Frowning, he led her tothe white mare and lifted her into the saddle.
"I'll miss you," she said, only loud enoughfor him to hear.
He gave a quick nod, looking lost and aloneof a sudden, like a forlorn lad, an expression she had never seenon his face before. "Have a safe journey home," he said.
"You, too. And I hope you find yourdagger."
"I thank you."
"Well, I suppose this is goodbye," she said."Au revoir." Her throat tightened and her voice caught. Howshe wished she could stay with him forever, but none of his wordssaid he wanted her to be a permanent part of his life.
He gave a stiff, uncomfortable nod. "I bidyou goodbye and farewell."
No, he would not take her for his wife. Shehad known this all along, so why was she so pained by it now?
She dropped her gaze so he wouldn't see thetears stinging her eyes and rode away from him, back to Lachlan andhis garrison. Her throat constricted and she wanted to burst intohysterical tears but she forced herself not to.
***
Dugald watched Camille ride away, feeling asif a battering ram had smashed into his chest. Hell, he could notbreathe. She had looked as if she were about to cry. She didn'twant to go, but… he hadn't asked her to stay with him. How couldhe? She was a respectable woman under the protection of an earl. Hecould not simply keep her as his paramour. Besides, she had to bewith her cousin, who would soon give birth.
"We follow them at a distance," Dugald said,mounting. They were going in the same direction anyway. He had toreturn to Perth, bail out Mason and find the dagger.
Soon, the Draughon garrison disappeared fromsight. Dugald and his men could not push their horses any harder.Having traveled for a long while, they were overdue water and rest.Dugald drew up near a loch, dismounted and led his horse to thewater.
'Slud, he did not ken how he felt aboutletting Camille go. His stomach ached. Was it hunger or somethingelse? He looked south, feeling as if he wanted to ride in herdirection as fast as he could. But that would be madness. He had tolet her go.
He wished he could marry her, but his clanwould never agree with it. Marriages were supposed to be arrangedby parents, but since his were no longer in the land of the living,the clan elders felt it their responsibility to select his bride.She must be carefully considered based on who her parents and clanwere. Whether or not he was attracted to his bride was of littleimport to them. They oft debated which chief's daughter would bebest for him. To take a bride unapproved by the clan could put hisposition as chief in jeopardy. They might wish to replace him withTòmas.
For now, Dugald had to focus on getting Masonfree of the jail in Perth, regaining his dagger… and try to forgetabout Camille.
***
Upon arriving at Draughon Castle that eveningat dusk, Camille rushed upstairs to Angelique's bedchamber.
"Oh,mon amie, I'm so happy to seeyou!" Angelique, her belly round and swollen with child, aroseslowly from her chair by the hearth. Firelight glimmered off herred hair.
Camille rushed to her and gently embracedher. "I am so sorry I worried you. How are you feeling?"
"Not too bad, just concerned for you. Wherewere you?"
Camille smiled. "I was abducted from the innwhere I was staying in Perth."
"Mère de Dieu!" Angelique paled. "Howcan you smile about this? Were you not terrified? Who was theknave?"
"Calm yourself, Ange." Camille helped her sitin her chair again, then took the one opposite, enjoying the warmthfrom the fireplace. "Oui, at first I was terrified. I didn'tknow what was happening or why I was being secreted away, exceptthat they thought I was some chief's wife. When we stopped thefirst time, and Dugald removed the gag from my mouth, I tried totell him who I am but he wouldn't listen."
Angelique's eyes remained wide. "Yourabductor's name is Dugald? Who is he? How did you escape him?"
Camille grinned at the rapid fire questions."Dugald is chief of the MacKerrick clan."
