Page 128 of Highland Spy

The door to Connor’s room stood open.

Her heart lodged itself in her throat. She tried to swallow it down—to no avail.

No sound met her ears.

The fine hair along the back of her neck stood on end.

She slipped the dagger from her thigh through the false pocket of her gown and cautiously approached the room. A cry burst from her throat.

Connor’s bed was empty.

Chapter 31

The nausea threatening to overtake Connor was even worse outside.

The street was thick with people, and the odor of so many together mingling with the stink of their fear was almost more than he could bear.

He braced himself against the wall and let the rough exterior scrape over his cheek. The more he could feel, the more aware he was.

And the more aware he was, the more easily he’d be able to find Ariana.

His heart constricted around what she’d said.

Sometimes sorry is not enough, is it?

He knew too well what apology she’d been referring to. When they’d arrived at Kindrochit with Isabel and he’d told her to keep their coupling a secret. He grimaced at the memory.

She was right. Sorry wasn’t enough.

And he’d be damned if he made the same mistake again.

If he had the chance.

Frustration bunched across his shoulders. He needed to find her.

The world blurred and he shook his head yet again. His neck had begun to ache from the repeated action.

Not that it did much to help.

He pushed himself from the building and staggered forward.

Strong hands grasped his shoulder and pulled. Connor lurched backward and tried to swing out his hand, but his arm was too heavy to lift.

“I have ye, laird. Dinna worry.” There was a soothing quality to the voice in his ear, and the person seemed to be propping him up rather than shoving at him.

Laird.

His delayed thoughts repeated the word back to him.

He lifted his gaze and found a woman looking back at him. The woman from the tavern who’d insisted she didn’t look familiar. He concentrated on her face while the rest of the world spun around him. Her name peeled away from the fog of his mind.

“Anise.”

She nodded. “Sorry I acted as though I dinna recognize ye earlier. I dinna want unwanted people to hear. Ye dinna know who is listening.” Her lips lifted in a kind smile. “Yer people have waited a long time to see ye again.”

His people were waiting for him.

Ariana.