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Graham from the day before. But this time, he wasn't alone. There were two other men with him. "What are you doing here?" she asked them. Graham gave her an evil sneer that was cold enough to set her teeth to chattering. "We're setting things right." "I beg your pardon?" she asked. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Before she could move, Graham pulled out a dagger. "Come quietly, lass, and we won't hurt you. Fight us, and you'll be much worse for the dare." Chapter 10 Ewan stood in the stable, brushing his horse as his mind whirled with the day's revelations. He didn't know why he was out here, except that he couldn't think of anything else to do with himself and the horse needed a good brushing. Maybe. Not. Basically, he needed something to focus on other than the burning pain inside his heart. Ryan loved Nora. But then, so did he. He loved her more than anything. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Nothing he wouldn't give her. Except his hand in marriage. His stomach twisted even more as he felt hopelessness deep inside his heart. Why was it ever his plight to love women he couldn't have? What were the chances of Nora's father siding with him and breaking Nora's betrothal with Ryan while Ryan loved her? Especially given the fact that their families knew each other. That Nora and Ryan had grown up together. It was impossible. Her father would never allow her to marry a man with so few prospects. He wasn't Lochlan who was laird or Sin or Braden who were titled lords. He was a simple landowner with a slightly better than modest income. One who lived in a cave. You could take her. Aye, he could, but to what purpose? Another feud for his clan. More death. More sorrow. How could they have a happy marriage based on that? There were so many lives at stake here. Things much more important than his own happiness, which seemed paltry when compared to what could happen again. Ewan cursed as pain assailed him anew. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html He should have stayed in the mountains. He should never have helped her. Now that he had& Ewan couldn't get her out of his mind. He needed her more than he had ever needed anyone or anything. The mere thought of living without her was enough to send him to his knees. How could he go back to what he'd been before her winsome smile had set him free? "Ewan?" He looked over his shoulder to see Catarina approaching. The lass was toying with the tip of her long braid. She looked hesitant as she drew near. "What is it?" he growled. "Can't you see I'd rather be alone?" She ignored his surly tone and stood by his horse's head. She patted the horse on the nose as she watched him. "Nora didn't lie to you." He felt his nostrils flare as more pain wrenched his gut. "What do you know if it?" "I know enough to say that she would much rather have you for husband than Ryan." He tightened his grip on the brush, refusing to let her see how much her words bothered him. "And I would say that you are not Nora and know nothing of her mind or mine." "I know what I see," she said softly. She reached out and stopped his hand from brushing the horse. "You two belong together." Ewan stared at her hand on his. Her skin was pale, like Nora's, her nails every bit as well manicured. But that hand didn't make him tremble. It didn't cause his body to burn, his manhood to stiffen. Only Nora did that. And she was the one woman he couldn't have. Alone he could fight for her. Was willing to fight for her. But if Ryan refused to let her go, it would be like Robby MacDouglas all over again. Another feud. More unwarranted deaths& "She belongs to Ryan," he said insistently, shrugging her hand away. "You heard what he said. He wanted her so much that he dared my wrath to hire you to keep her away from me." Ewan paused as he thought about that. "Wait& how did he know to hireyou ? How could he have Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html found out about Nora's plans, and then having learned of them, why did Ryan go to you and not her father to stop her from fleeing?" Catarina looked rather sheepish. She stepped back, her brow fretful. A bad feeling came over Ewan as he watched her sudden nervousness. Just what was going on here? "Cat? What are you not telling me?" She visibly cringed. "Promise you won't be angry at us?" "Nay," he said sternly. "I never make a promise I can't keep, and by the looks of you, lass, I be thinking I'm going to be good and angry at this explanation." She took another step back. Ewan grabbed her wrist to keep her from fleeing. "You'd best be telling me, Cat." She squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny, and when she finally spoke, it came out in a flurry. "Her father wanted Nora to marry a MacAllister. He's been trying to arrange a marriage for a while now between your families, and since Braden and Sin are both recently married, he got a bit worried that some woman would grabyour interest and he would lose out on uniting your two families." Ewan scowled at her words. It didn't make sense that Nora's father would want him for a son-in-law. "Why would he wish to marry her to a younger son?" Catarina cleared her throat. "Because the MacAllister clan will ever come first to Lochlan. Alex wanted a younger son who could take over his clan's leadership and yet be able to pull MacAllister strength if needs be." Ewan went cold at the name. "Alex?" he repeated slowly in disbelief. There was only one Alex who had ever broached the subject of marriage with one of his brothers. "Are you saying Alexander Canmore is her father?" Catarina nodded. Ewan cursed. Loudly. This was truly unbelievable. Aye, her father would have his head. Both of them. "Her father is the cousin to the king of Scotland?" he roared. Catarina offered him a forced smile. "Surprise." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Ewan felt sick to his stomach as the full weight of what he'd done with Nora came crashing down on him. He was a dead man should her father ever learn what they'd done. "She said she was Eleanor's niece." "She is. Her mother is sister to Eleanor. She married Alex years ago when he was in Paris." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |