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“Dead,” she repeated numbly. “I don’t understand why they’d do that. He was bait. What would they get out of it?”
“Bohdan would know he was hurting you even if he didn’t get his hands on me this time. He’d consider it a win.”
“It can’t be a win.” She tried to make him understand. “He was such a good man. He helped so many people. I was going to see if I could stay near Kilgoray so that I could have him as my doctor.”
“It won’t be a win for Bohdan. We won’t let it.” He looked down into her eyes. “I know this won’t help, but Bohdan didn’t get everything he wanted. It could have been worse. He has a passion for exotic tortures, but he didn’t have time with Campbell. He’d obviously been tortured, but not as Bohdan would have done it. No marks except for the bruises on his face.”
“No, it doesn’t help much,” she said dully. “I need more. Bohdan has hurt so many people. And I almost lost you, didn’t I? You look like you’ve gone through hell.”
“I’ll look better after I have a shower and get rid of this blood. I only wanted to get to you as quickly as possible. I knew what you were probably going through worrying about Campbell.” He glanced at MacDuff. “I’m going to use that bedchamber you offered me last night to clean up and take a look at the shoulder wound. Get her a cup of tea and find Rodland and tell him to watch out for her until she can look at me without flinching.”
“I’m not flinching,” Jane said. “And you used Rodland once, don’t do it again.”
“I had to do what I could,” he said wearily as he headed for the front door. “I’ll see you later. I did everything I was able to do. If I could have saved Campbell, I would have.”
“Do you think I don’t realize that?” But she didn’t believe he heard her. He was already climbing the steps. She turned to MacDuff. “You heard him, I’ve been thrown once more into your capable hands to shelter and cosset again. I promise it will only be for a little while. I have to go after him, I can’t let him walk away hurt and bleeding.”
“It sounds as if you’re the last person he wants to have tending him at the moment. I’ll send Fergus to check on him and report back to me.”
He was probably right, she thought. After what Caleb had evidently been through, he didn’t need her to be around him in this emotional state asking questions. “Then I’ll take that cup of tea and you can get back to work.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Caleb has already relegated me to second rank, and I resent it. He has an uncanny ability to show up as some kind of Marvel hero on occasion and I need to spend this time with you to erase it.” He put his arm around her and led her toward the castle. “You’re family and I have the right to give you comfort, as is my duty as head of our household.” He smiled as he saw her open her lips. “No complaints, like it or not you know you’ve been heading in that direction. It’s only a matter of time. Now, I want you to tell me everything about Campbell.”
***
3:40P.M.
“I hear you made quite a splash when you arrived at the courtyard,” Rodland said when Caleb answered his phone. “But you can hardly blame me for not hanging around waiting for your grand entrance. I had to do what MacDuff ordered since Palik wasn’t exactly explicit about when you were going to arrive. I’d already had a rough time with Jane, and I didn’t want any other problems.”
“Problems?”
“You don’t want to hear about it.” He paused. “How are you? I hear you showed up covered in blood and scared Jane. Not good, Caleb.”
“I hardly had a choice. I wanted to get back and tell Jane about Campbell myself before she heard it from someone else.”
“How did she take it?”
“The way you’d think she would. I’ve let her have it with both barrels during the last twenty-four hours. Ihatedit.”
“Well, the last I heard MacDuff was being amazingly charismatic and kind to her. Just what you wanted. He hardly even let me talk to her.”
“That could be bad or good.”
“I agree. But I’m opting out of sessions like the one you put me through last night. It was too damn rough.” He continued accusingly, “She threw up. And it was your fault.”
“I don’t doubt it.” His hand clenched on the phone. “And I’m sure I’ll hear from her later. Don’t worry, I’ll never make you go through that again. I just didn’t want her to be alone.” He added, “I’ve got to hang up. MacDuff sent one of his marines with EMT training to stitch up that knife wound in my shoulder. I’ll talk to you when I get a plan together to go after Bohdan.”
“Do that. It’s only Jane I’d have trouble with. She was holding it together, but she was hurting. I can’t take that.” He added mockingly, “I’m glad you came out of Kilgoray without losing any vital organs. But then what’s a knife wound to a guy like you?”
“Fairly painful. Good night, Rodland.”
He cut the connection.
She was hurting. I can’t take that.
Well, neither could Caleb. But he knew that he was going to have to very soon.
***
