Page 47 of Sins of the Highlander

“’Tis tradition for the laird and his lady to visit the distant crofters before Twelfth Night,” Elspeth pointed out. “My father and mother do it each year because their people expect them to provide their feast.”

“So Fiona told me,” he said. “This was her first Christmastide as my chatelaine, and she wouldna be turned from her duty. We had our first and only row over it. Lord, she was a sight when she was angry.”

“Sounds as if she had a right to be,” Elspeth said, narrowing her eyes a bit. “At least now I ken ye make a habit of irritating all the women ye know.”

Come to think of it, Rob decided, Elspeth Stewart is fine to look upon when anger bites her cheeks too.

“Did ye still go hunting?”

Rob nodded. “And we ne’er saw so much as a cloven hoof of that damned boar. But Fiona slipped past the men I’d left to guard her and rode off to see the crofters on her own. While she was out, Lachlan Drummond and some of his cronies came riding by and saw her unescorted.”

One of Elspeth’s hands crept to her chest, and Rob figured she could guess what was coming.

“Drummond carried her off to his stronghold, and there the coward had his way with her,” Rob said, the words more bitter to his tongue than the vinegary wine. “Now d’ye see why I say I was doing ye a favor to steal ye from your wedding?”

Elspeth wisely said nothing.

“Of course, wee Lachlan denied anything untoward. He claimed the abduction was just a bit of Twelfth Night high spirits, but I’m certain the blackguard must have shamed her,” Rob said. “’Tis the only thing that explains what happened.”

“What?”

“Drummond locked her up in his tower, but she found a way to escape.”

“Oh. I’m glad.”

“Don’t be,” Rob said flatly. “Fiona escaped by throwing herself from the highest tower window onto the cobbles of his bailey.”

Elspeth gasped. Rob had never been good at reading what a woman was thinking based on her expressions, but her eyes darted about as if she was searching her memory for something, while distress marred her face.

“You’re right,” he said as if she’d spoken her thought aloud. “A suicide canna be buried in holy ground. Drummond’s priest said she was damned because she knowingly committed a mortal sin, for which she couldna receive absolution.”

His shoulders sagged, but he’d started this. He was determined to drive the sorry tale to its bitter end. Unshed tears burned behind his eyes. He swallowed hard, forcing down the ache in his throat. “I dinna even know where she lies.”

Elspeth didn’t say a word. She simply stood, walked over to him, her step steady in the swaying craft, and put her hands on his shoulders. Then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

It was just a simple kiss. No more than the buss of soft lips on the roughness of his cheek, but something inside him splintered.

A sob escaped his throat. The tears he never let himself cry came with no way to stop them. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her close, burying his face in the crook of her soft neck.

He was so ashamed. A man didn’t weep. But he couldn’t stop his shoulders from shaking with grief.

Elspeth wrapped her arms around him, making small comforting sounds.

“’Twas my fault,” he repeated.

“No.”

“If I’d gone with her…”

“’Tis done. Hush ye now.” Her hands were cool on the feverish skin of his neck.

Rob struggled to regain control over himself, but so many bits and pieces of him were shearing away, he couldn’t grasp any of them. The hard lump in his chest melted and reformed several times. The only things that kept him from leaping out of his own skin entirely were Elspeth Stewart’s slender arms and soft voice.

She stroked his hair. She hugged him with fierceness. She rocked him, whispering tender things he couldn’t quite hear. But his soul understood them and quieted. The ache of loss, the fury of impotent rage, and the guilt flowed out of him, leaving only broken-hearted peace.

Finally, he stilled.

She wiped the last of the salty tears from his cheeks. Then she kissed him again. On the lips this time, firm and sweet. Like a blessing. Like a benediction.