Page 91 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

Evelyn didn’t cry. She didn’t deserve it. After what she’d done to Liam, she had no right to seek comfort with tears. She was a horrible person leaving him like this, but she knew one day he’d move on and see why she had to go.

Shea scooted over and finished the food on Liam’s plate. She brushed his hair back from his face.

“Why are you sad?” he asked.

She managed a smile. “I’m not sad. I love you all too much to be sad.”

Liam didn’t come to their room that night or the next. She thought it was for the best, but she wished she’d have the chance to love him one more time. To hold him, to feel his touch.

When she left Dunardry, she’d have only memories of this life. The man she was pledged to marry would probably want children. She’d have to lie with him, but the thought brought only distaste.

Liam would remarry if for nothing else but to have someone to help with the children. She couldn’t help but hope he’d find happiness with his new wife. There was no time for being petty or jealous. She needed to hold on to the love and happiness every minute she could.

For too soon it would be gone.

…

Liam had stayed away from his wife for fear his anger would get the best of him and he’d truly become a beast. She’d asked him if he planned to hold her captive like the McCurdys. He’d thought the idea impossible, that he could ever be like those monsters, but he felt like a monster now.

Three days since he’d touched her and already he felt cold and inhuman. What would happen when she was truly gone?

“Papa, look, rabbit.” Gwennie pointed at a live rabbit hopping in the grass by the stream.

“Do you think he’s going to jump on a leaf?” Shea asked.

Liam did his best to show Rose the rabbit, but she wasn’t looking in the right place. Shea lost interest and went back to his own carving.

While Liam was doing his best to avoid Ev, he’d made it a point to spend time with the children so they’d not see how upset he was. After all, if Evelyn got her way, it would just be the four of them soon enough. He should get used to managing their care on his own.

He knew how to feed them and get them bathed and dressed. He knew how to make them laugh and how to settle them for bed and deal with unruly behavior. He was their father in every sense of the word except by blood.

He’d see them raised well and loved, but he didn’t know how he’d deal with their questions and tears about their mother who left them. Maybe one day they’d all look back and know she did it out of love for them. But at the moment it didn’t feel like love at all.

She lacked faith in him.

Or perhaps it was something else altogether. The thought was but a fleck of doubt, but it sprouted and grew until he had no choice but to seek her out.

They all returned to the castle and, with the children playing in the solar, he asked to speak to Ev with a sharp request. She was quick to join him in the hall and follow him to their room where he closed the door behind them.

Without a word, she launched herself into his arms. His own arms were trained to pull her close despite the agony in his heart. She reached up and kissed him. Her soft lips on his felt like home, and he gave in to the feeling for a moment before he remembered why he had brought her here and set her away.

“Do you wish to slum about with a commoner up until the last minute you’re given to the laird’s heir?” He didn’t recognize his own voice, so full of contempt and anger. “Perhaps you plan to go to him with my babe in your belly. It would be a grand thing for a child from a bastard like me to be a laird someday.”

He was ashamed of his words as soon as they were out. Rather than apologize, he leaned against the wall and slid down to sit, letting his head hang.

“In truth,” her voice wavered, “I do hope I’m carrying your child. Maybe the Morgans wouldn’t want me then and I’d be able to stay. And if I find out later when I’m already gone from you, I’d be happy to have a piece of ye with me.”

“I’m sorry for what I said. It’s just easier to be angry with you than try to understand why you would walk away from our family.”

“Even if you can’t understand, you must know I don’t want this. I’d stay if it were possible without endangering so many others.”

She reached out her hand to help him up. It seemed almost humorous that someone so small would offer to assist a warrior of his size to his feet. But as Cam had said, these women were stronger than they gave them credit for. She had certainly broken him, sturdy as he was.

He stood without touching her and turned for the door.

“Liam.”

He paused, hoping with all his heart she would tell him she’d changed her mind. Instead, she said in a faint whisper, “Forgive me.”