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As gently as he could, Keir settled Frederica into her crib. Then he turned to Katherine, crossing the chamber in a few large strides. He stepped into her path and grasped her hands, halting her movements and forcing her to face him.
Her green eyes were wide and filled with tears as she looked up at him, her lower lip trembling. Her face was so pale that for a moment Keir feared she might faint, and yet her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths.
Holding her gaze, Keir rubbed her chilled hands, forcing warmth back into them. “Katherine, listen to me,” he implored, realizing in that moment that he had never seen her so fearful. “Ye’re safe here. I promise ye. Nothing will happen to ye. Do ye hear me?”
Still staring at him, Katherine blinked her eyes, and yet Keir could not rightly say that she had understood him.
“Ye’re safe here,” he repeated, reaching to grasp her chin, pulling her closer, his gaze drilling into hers, willing her to see him, to hear him. “My clan will protect ye. I will protect ye.”
A shuddering gasp passed her lips, and when she blinked her eyes once more, they finally focused upon his. “Keir?” It was an almost desperate plea, and as tears welled up in her eyes, her whole body started to shake.
Keir pulled her into his arms then, wrapping her in a tight embrace, willing the shivers to cease. He held her close and ran his hands over her back, murmuring words of comfort. Perhaps if he were to repeat his assurance of protection over and over again, she would believe him.
His mind strayed to Sarah, wondering how she would react when she found out.Will she be as terrified? Or will she trust in me… and my clan?
Keir closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, willing his own mind to calm and think. Thus far, they knew very little. Cormag’s letter had spoken of Englishmen. Since Keir could not imagine Birchwell himself traipsing the Scottish countryside, he wondered if the termEnglishmensimply referred to those Birchwell had hired to bring him news of his wife or if perhaps it was not only Birchwell seeking answers.
Did Blackmore still seek to see Sarah returned to him? Keir cringed at the thought, wondering what the man’s motive could be. After all, now ruined, the man’s reputation would surely suffer if he were to wed Sarah.What does he want with her?
Whatever it was, Keir was now even more determined to marry Sarah quickly, ensuring that Blackmore could not get his hands on her. Perhaps it would be wise to have that information circled around thetonin order to discourage any plans Blackmore might pursue. No doubt Grandma Edie would see to it immediately. He had to get a letter to her.
As soon as possible.
Chapter Forty
DESPERATE NEED
Sarah thought she was floating on air as she left Heather’s chamber, humming under her breath. She felt light and carefree and happy in a way she had never experienced before. Tears still clung to her lashes, and yet even though Sarah knew tears, these ones were different. They were tears of joy and affection, and she did not mind them at all. Finally, she had found the one place where she was meant to be, the family she was meant to have.
“I’m going to have it all,” she whispered to herself, still in disbelief over how everything had turned out. “I am to marry the man I love.” As many times as Sarah whispered these words to herself, a part of her still felt as though it was a lie, a dream hoped for but never achieved.
Turning around a corner in the corridor, Sarah paused when she saw the door to Kate’s chamber standing ajar. A frown drew down her brows as she moved closer, wondering if her sister had simply forgotten to close it or if—
Heartbreaking sobs echoed to Sarah’s ears, and they instantly quickened her steps. She dashed forward…
… and then came to an abrupt halt upon the threshold as her gaze fell upon her sister…
… wrapped in her fiancé’s arms.
An odd feeling settled in the pit of Sarah’s stomach, only she could not quite say what had caused it. Perhaps it was the way Kate clung to Keir, her face half buried against his shoulder and her fingers digging into his arms. Perhaps it was that look of almost desperate need upon her sister’s face, as though she never wanted to move from this spot ever again. Perhaps it was the way the expression upon Kate’s face suddenly reminded Sarah of Kenna, of the way she had spoken of Keir that day in the library.
As her heart tensed painfully, a shuddering breath left Sarah’s lips, and in the next instant, Keir’s head turned, and his eyes found hers. His gaze held concern, and yet his expression instantly changed the moment he saw her face, something puzzling coming to his eyes.
More than anything, Sarah was relieved not to see guilt upon his face. What on earth was happening here?
“Katherine,” Keir murmured, and he looked down at Kate’s head, still resting against his shoulder. “Sarah’s here.”
At his words, Kate blinked and finally released her claw-like grip upon his arms. She turned toward Sarah, and tears filled her eyes, her face looking pale, fear etched into her features.
Sarah’s jaw dropped. “What happened?” She shot forward, instinct urging her to her sister’s side. She grasped Kate’s hands and pulled her into her arms, then looked up at Keir. “Is she all right?”
Before Keir could answer, Kate’s voice, subdued and fearful, echoed to Sarah’s ears. “He found us. He found us. We have to leave. We have to go somewhere safe. We…”
Ice settled in Sarah’s heart, its cold slowly spreading throughout her whole body, and her eyes flew up to meet Keir’s.
Tension lingered upon his face as he stepped toward her, gently placing his hand upon her shoulder. “We’ve received word, lass, of a rumor that Englishmen are searching for two English ladies. That is all.”
Sarah shivered, for despite the reassuring tone in Keir’s voice, she could tell that he was deeply concerned. “How do you know?”
