Madison’sfierce and determine gaze struck him harder than any blow by a man could do. The reflection he saw moments before betrayed the ire and worry that was etched in every wrinkle of her face.
“I toldye I would help ye find yer family,” Theodore began. Just as he predicted, her eyes lit up with desperate hope. He lifted a hand before she could speak. "But I need ye to temper yer expectations, lass. What I have to tell ye isnae what ye're hopin' to hear."
Madison reachedfor the support of the chair as the color drained from her face. Theodore was at her side in a flash, eager to ease her into the plush seat. He shook his head wishing he didn’t enjoy helping her. But the truth was, he did enjoy it. He loved the fact that someone so small trusted him and leaned on him.
“Nay word at all?”she muttered as her gaze went beyond him as if something on the horizon had caught her fancy. “I daenae understand. They couldnae have vanished. They have to be somewhere.”
“Aye, that they do,”Theodore said as he knelt beside her, ensuring to stay in her line of sight. “But I need ye to see reason here. I’m but one man with limited supplies here?— ”
“Say nay more, I understand,”Madison said in a deadpan tone that sent an icy finger trailing down his spin. It was as if all emotions had drained out of her and she was but a husk of a person before him. “I’m stuck here.”
The tears flowed freely,yet she said nothing. Not a whimper escaped from her pursed lips. Theodore’s heart shattered. He reached for her, molding his hands to her face. Her gaze was distant and one he’d seen one too many times. Pain sliced through him making him recoil from her immediately.
He roseto his feet and stared down at her a moment. The woman was broken, that much was evident. He walked to the small coffee table and withdrew a wooden piece from the box before returning to Madison’s side.
“I ken that ye’re hurtin’and ye feel out of sorts right now,” he said as he toyed with the chess piece. He played with the small pawn between his fingers, rolling the wooden thing about as he tested the merit of the wood. Once he found it, he glared directly at Madison, forcing her gaze to fall on him before snapping the piece into twigs.
Madison blinked,but didn’t recoil from him. If anything, the sound startled her to attention. Theodore arched his eyebrow and studied her a moment before continuing. “But just because ye’re broken, doesnae meant ye cannae be fixed. Sure, ye’ll nae be the same as what ye were before, but that is what life does. It changes ye and ye daenae ken what mortar holds ye together, until ye’re left broken in pieces on the floor.”
“If ye’re tryin’to make me feel better, it’s nae workin’,” Madison said, raking her hands over her face to clear any evidence of tears.
“Perhaps then a tripout of the castle will,” Theodore stated. “I’ve a run to make nae far from here. Ye’re welcome to come with me. Perhaps ye’ll see there’s more here than the cold stone walls.”
Madison's eyesdarted to the door, then back to him. The wariness in her expression was clear.
Theodore softened his tone."Listen, lass. Eliza will stay with ye from now on as yer personal maid. We'll only go for some fresh air and return, and she will be right here waitin’ fer ye."
Relief flooded Madison's face,her shoulders visibly relaxing. He watched the two lasses exchange looks, while Eliza smiled reassuringly at Madison. Having Eliza near clearly eased something in her.
“And ye trustme nae to run?”
Theodore smirked,“Ye’re nae a prisoner. Ye can leave whenever ye wish. But by the looks of ye, ye might want to put on a few more pounds before ye go trekkin’ in the wild alone. Ye’ll nae even be enough for the bears to pick at ye.”
“Then they shouldnae want me,”she answered back. There was a hint of a playfulness returning to her tone.
"That may be true,"Theodore said with a smirk. "But that doesnae answer the question—are ye comin' with me, or nae?"
15
Asoft, salty breeze rolled in off the sea and threaded through the tangled mess of Madison’s hair.
She leaned back slightly,steadied by Theodore's chest behind her. The horse's steady gait rocked them in a rhythm that should have unsettled her, but instead, she found herself lulled by the warmth radiating from Theodore and the solid strength of his arms on either side of her.
She pulledin a sharp breath as she realized she wasn’t tense. There wasn’t a single muscle in her being that wasn't ready to spring despite his nearness. All she could focus on was the warmth of him at her back that seemed as sure and steady as the sun. For the first time in what felt like eternity, Madison realized she wasn’t afraid.
In his arms,she felt safe and secure, even dare she admit protected.
The thought startled her.The sheer idea of being at peace felt like a distant dream she could only grasp like smoke. But now, in the laird’s embrace the feeling solidified. Madison blinked and it was as if she were seeing the world for the first time. The colors weren’t so dull, but had a glimmer of light to them that gave her hope.
She lookedout across the wild landscape. To the east, nothing but shimmering water and a vague hint of land rising from the mist. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought she was dreaming, for the island was breathtaking, with wildflowers growing thicker than a blanket over the glen. The air was alive with the song of gulls and sandpipers.
“Where exactly are you takin’me?” Madison asked as they followed the shoreline, keeping the sea at their left. Despite his husky voice, Madison couldn’t hear him. She leaned deeper into him until the heat of his body scorched her back. “Come again?”
“Ye’ll see soon enough;we should be comin’ up on it any minute,” he answered as Madison tilted her head. She watched the land slope upward and then the spire as the sun kissed the tip.
“What is that?”she asked softly. Theodore’s breath tickled her neck as he answered.
“That? That’s the kirk.”
