Page 66 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

Both men were covered in blood. Her father had a piece of linen tied tightly around his thigh. When they stopped in front of her, she noticed a moaning man lashed to the back of her husband’s horse.

“Get the healer,” he called to a maid.

“What’s happened?” Lach was the one to put a voice to her question.

“McCurdys. Four of them. The viscount was able to take out one with his pistol and injure this one. Rascal got one, leaving only one for me.” Bryce patted the dog whose fur was matted with blood.

The way he wagged his tail when he came to her made it clear none of the blood was his. She swallowed and patted the dog on the head, not wanting to think of any of her men in danger.

“Father?” she said as he dismounted gingerly and nearly crumbled when he put weight on his injured leg. Bryce was quick to his side to support him and help him into the hall.

He called to two men seated, ordering them to bring the injured McCurdy inside.

Abagail, Kenna, and Mari all rushed to her father to look at his injury. Abagail barked out commands to the maids and they rushed toward the kitchen.

“It’s nothing but a cut,” her father said, brushing it off. Dorie wasn’t so certain by the amount of blood staining his breeches.

“’Tis true. Though it is a deep cut and will require stitching,” Abagail said as Kenna nodded her agreement.

Lachlan brought out the whisky and supplied generous amounts to her father with a sympathetic look. She held her father’s hand when Abagail began stitching. To her surprise, her father barely registered the pain. He surely didn’t squeeze her hand fiercely, as she’d expected. A wince here and there was his only sign of displeasure. Most of the time he smiled at her and asked her questions to distract himself.

“Have you suffered great pain before?” she asked when the stitching was done and he’d not even broken out in a sweat.

He offered a grim smile and nodded. “Yes, love. When I found out your mother had died. This cut is nothing compared to that pain.”

Dorie glanced over at Bryce, who was dealing with their prisoner, and considered what he’d lived through. His great love and the child from their union lost. It was no wonder he was dulled to any other pain.

She understood then there was nothing she could do to spare him, except perhaps leave him to his grief.

She thought of her father’s offer of an annulment. While there was a certain excitement at the chance to fall in love with someone who could truly love her back, she knew the real reason she would go through with it was to give Bryce his peace.

And just like that, she made up her mind. It was better for both of them that way.

She wondered if he would even remember her after she was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Bryce stared down into the eyes of the wounded McCurdy and repeated his question. “Why are you on MacKinlay lands?”

“I’ll not tell you anything. If I’m going to die, I’ll not do so as a traitor to my clan.” He spit at Bryce’s feet as Lach stepped up.

“It looks as if our guest has no manners. Allow me to welcome you to Dunardry. I’m the laird. And I don’t appreciate people sullying my hall.”

The man winced in pain but said nothing, as had been his way the last half hour.

Abagail pushed through the small crowd with all the authority of a person of power. “Let me take a look.”

She pulled away the soaked linen and tilted her head back and forth before turning to Bryce to whisper loudly, “I can save him if you wish me to.” Her expression, however, did not match her words. Bryce didn’t need to be a healer to know this man was far gone and would not live the rest of the day. Still, she’d given them leverage if he wished it.

After constant invasions by their enemies, he chose to take the advantage. “Nay, he wishes to die,” Bryce said.

Lach waved a hand. “Then let’s leave him to it.”

Abagail gave a nod and turned away. Bryce stepped behind her to follow.

“Wait!” the man called. “If you save me, I’ll tell you why we’re here.”

Bryce shook his head. “If we heal you first, you’d have no reason to tell us the truth. Nay. You tell us why you’re here and then we’ll do our best to heal you.”