Page 83 of In Bed with a Highland Brute

“Eloise?” he shouted to her. “Eloise, are ye all right?”

“I…” She couldn’t answer. She didn’t know if she was all right or not. She just held tightly to Murdoch, reaching to Avery as he neared her and brushed back her hair, taking her face to examine her for injury.

“Are ye hurt?” he asked, desperation in his tone.

“I’ll heal. I am only bruised,” she murmured softly, feeling the way that Murdoch clung tightly around her waist. She was in no rush to be released from Murdoch, and he seemed equally less inclined to release her.

“What happened?” Ian asked as he thrust his bloodied sword into the ground. “That manservant wasnae clear. Why was Harper trying tae kill Eloise?”

“It’s a long story,” Murdoch muttered in a low tone, pulling Eloise closer to his body. He walked with her down the hill, back toward their horses. Eloise buried herself in his chest, trying to get as close to him as possible.

As Ian and Avery talked about what to do about the dead bodies and how they were going to tell Clyde, they fell behind, leaving Eloise feeling strangely alone with Murdoch, and comforted by his presence.

“I thought I had lost ye.” His voice was deep. “Eloise, I cannae go through this again. I never want tae lose ye.”

“Murdoch.” She had not the words and turned her head, angling herself so she could bury it in his shoulder. “She attacked me afore the wedding. I couldnae get tae ye.”

“I ken. I realized. God, Eloise.” He shifted his head, moving to kiss her forehead through her tangled hair. “I cannae believe I married another today instead of ye.”

It was a short marriage though.

Eloise thought with pain as she glanced over Murdoch’s shoulder to the clifftop and where Harper had fallen to her death.

“I want tae marry ye,” Murdoch said with sudden passion. Eloise raised her head. She grappled with her hands, pulling at his shoulders so she could be a little more upright and look him in the eye. “Aye, I am telling ye the complete truth now. This is nae act, nae marriage of convenience. I wish tae marry ye. I love ye.” He moved toward her suddenly, pressing his lips to hers. He pulled back swiftly, but she didn’t let him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him.

He stopped walking, concentrating on that kiss as he held her in the air.

“I love ye too,” she murmured, her lips still practically against his. They both smiled, happiness and relief flooding Eloise as she stared at that smile and tangled her hands in the hair at the nape of his neck.

“All right, I dinnae need tae see any more on this clifftop.” Avery’s sudden words broke the tension, and they leaned back from each other as Ian and Avery caught them up. “This is going tae take a lot of explaining.” He rubbed his bandaged wound on his stomach as he glanced back up the hill. “Eloise, when did Harper attack ye? Before the ceremony, aye?”

“Aye.” Eloise narrowed her eyes at her brother. “Dae ye mean tae tell me that ye walked Harper down the aisle and didnae realize it was me?”

“Well…”

She lashed out suddenly with her hand and hit him around the head, but there was barely any strength in it.

“I deserve that.” Avery rubbed the sore spot all the same. “I kenned something was wrong. Ye didnae sound like ye, though I first thought that was yer nerves. Callie and I kept staring at ye, muttering that something was wrong in the ceremony.”

“And ye?” Eloise looked at Murdoch, longing to know when he had realized.

“I kenned something was strange too.” Murdoch grimaced. “Yer hand. It didnae feel like yers in my own.”

Eloise’s grasp around his neck tightened. The fact he knew her so well to simply recognize such a touch was wrong meant a lot.

“Then Harper got me back tae our chamber, and…”

“Ergh!” Eloise thrust her fists abruptly into his chest.

“Ow. I am injured here.” Murdoch gestured down to his arm.

Eloise gasped when she saw the blood on his arm was mingling with the skirt of her chemise.

“How are ye carrying me when ye are this injured? Put me down now!”

“Nae chance.” He set off walking again and just held her tighter to his chest. He was the only thing keeping her warm on this windswept clifftop, and she held herself closer to him, indulging in that touch, even as she recoiled at the thought of him and Harper alone.

Avery and Ian hurried ahead, gathering the horses together ready to leave.