Page 69 of The Highlander’s Unexpected Wife

Chapter Nineteen

Shock rolled through Cameron. His wife trembled in his arms and her cousin cried into the shirt of a stranger. Nae. James had taken her into his arms. What the hell was Alison doing here? Why was her hair a mess and her—

“By God, your dress is torn. What the bloody hell happened?”

“Mister Napier,” she said through a gasping sob.

Fury swept through Cameron. “Napier?” He sent a startled glance at James, then scanned the lawn.

Alison rasped through her sobs, “He grabbed Erin and I in the garden—”

“The garden?” He looked sharply at James. He started to tell James to search the garden, but the man was long gone. Napier knew full well what Cameron would do to him.

The crowd parted when they turned, and the ballroom’s occupants fell silent as Cameron led Alison toward the door with James and Erin close behind. They descended the stairs and reached the front door. The waiting footman’s eyes widened, but he opened the door as they passed through.

“Call for my carriage,” Cameron told the outside footman.

The man’s eyes flicked to Alison’s hair and dress. He spun and took the six steps two at a time, then sped off down the drive to locate Cameron’s carriage amongst those parked at the side of the house. Alison had stopped crying, but she clung to him, as her cousin did to James.

Five minutes later, the carriage pulled up. Will leapt from the driver’s seat next to Bob and reached the door as Cameron opened it and helped Alison inside. James helped Erin up, then entered the carriage.

“Listen, Will,” Cameron said, “Napier tried to kidnap the women, but he escaped. I want a search mounted immediately. He accosted them in the garden, but, no doubt, is riding hard to put as much distance between himself and me as he can.”

Will’s eyes narrowed. “I will borrow a horse from Mister Napier’s stables and see what I can learn. No doubt, someone there saw him. I am only a modest tracker, but I might get lucky.”

Cameron nodded. “I will await your report at home. Send word at your earliest convenience and I will come to wherever you are.”

“Aye, sir.” Will spun and strode toward the side of the house.

Cameron vaulted into the carriage, pulling the door shut behind him as he dropped onto the seat beside Alison. He slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. The carriage rolled into motion.

“Tell me what happened,” he said. “You may start with why you are here. I feel certain I told you I did not want you attending the party.”

“I did not intend to come.”

He lifted a brow.

“I went to see Erin. I wanted to be sure she was well. Her maid confided she had gone to Mister Napier’s party.” Alison paused. “You can imagine how worried I was.”

Cameron resisted an urge to kiss her senseless. He couldn’t allow her to think this behavior was acceptable. He arched a brow and said, “Indeed?”

“Do not be angry,” she said.

“Do not be angry?” he shot back. “Alison, we are taking you and Miss Lennox home with disheveled hair and torn dresses. I can only assume Napier intended—” He broke off and fought for control. He would find the bastard and kill him with his bare hands.

The carriage slowed, then turned left out of the drive.

“You may call me Erin,” her cousin said.

Cameron frowned. “What?”

“We are family now, after all. There is no need for you to address me as Miss Lennox.”

“Aye then, Erin. What have you to say on this matter?”

“Me, sir?”

“Sir? You only just said we were family. You may call me Cameron.”