Page 83 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

“I expect he thought I had written to chastise him for leaving the way he did.”

“As you had the right to do. It was shameful the way he slunk out of the keep under cover of darkness like a thief in the night.” Jane scowled.

These women were always quick to defend her, and in the past, she had appreciated it greatly. But now, knowing Ronan better and knowing how he regretted leaving and staying away so long, she felt the need to defend him.

And defending him forced her to see things through his eyes.

“I think he wanted to come home, and had he read my letters filled with all the tales of the castle, it might have made him want to come home all the more. And he couldn’t leave. It would have been torture.” Regardless of why he hadn’t read her letters, it meant he was just today finding out he’d had a son that was lost.

What sadness must he be dealing with?

“Excuse me,” she said and left the kitchen just as Malcolm was coming toward her from the hall.

“Mistress,” he said with a bow.

“Good evening, Malcolm. Do you know where my husband is?”

He pressed his lips together and gave a nod.

“Aye. He has left for the MacKenzie stronghold. He received a letter that his mother is reported to be there. He asked me to watch over you.”

She pressed a hand to her chest from the surprise.

“He left?”

“Aye.”

She nodded. He’d left her alone yet again.