She nodded, swallowing.
He took her hand in his, looking into her face, hisblue eyes as sincere as any she’d ever beheld. “In the name of my blood, I pledge you my heart and swear to honor and cherish you till the day I die.”
Elizabet’s heart filled with his words, and her eyes with tears. The moment was far sweeter in its simplicity than any ceremony could possibly ever have been.
She swallowed, and said in return, “I pledge you my heart... and swear to honor and cherish you until the day I die.”
He bent to kiss her lips, whispering softly against them, “I… Broc Ceannfhionn ... the last of the MacEanraig name… take you, Elizabet, as my wife from this day forward.”
She sighed. “And I, Elizabet, take you as my husband from this day forward.”
He smiled at her then, and they faced each other, feeling slightly awkward.
“What now?” Elizabet asked.
“Now,” he said with a grin, “I get to kiss my lovely bride!”
Seana urgedColin’s horse into a trot.
She was certain there was something amiss with Broc, and she was bound to discover what it was. If she could help, she surely would. She owed him much for all that he had done for her.
She’d left her husband rebuilding the barracks with his brothers and Piers. Together with their men, she had no doubt they would restore the building in little time. But the day would be long, and the search for Elizabet would be postponed until the morrow—which meant her brother would be buried without her. There was no way they could wait yet another day. But they might not have to, because she had a suspicion where the girl had gone.
It struck her as odd that Broc would come calling so late in the evening and then to ask her if she ever visited the hovel she’d shared with her da. Given the description of the girl’s captor, it didn’t take a genius to surmise that Broc had taken her there.
The question waswhy.
She didn’t believe for an instant that Broc would harm the poor girl. Nor did she believe Broc had killed Elizabet’s brother. Something was not right. Broc would never harm a soul, unless in self-defense. But something had happened, and Seana was going to ask him straight to his face before someone else was hurt.
She was almost certain that Colin suspected Broc was responsible for the girl’s abduction, and he was suffering enough to keep his silence. She knew her husband felt torn. He loved Broc as a brother, but he was bound to honor Meghan’s husband. She didn’t want to add to his burdens. It was best he not discover where she had gone.
She considered dismounting when she was far enough away but decided it was best not to. She needed all the time she could get. It wouldn’t be long before Colin came looking for her. If he chanced to go home and found her missing, he would know at once where she had gone.
And sweet lord, she didn’t wish to see his anger this soon in their marriage. The sooner she faced Broc and returned home, the better for everyone involved.
Somehow,Broc had to set things right.
He left the hovel and Elizabet with Harpy under the pretense of going to get food. With her belly grumbling, she hadn’t questioned him at all. He’d kissed her good-bye at the door and had left quickly, confident she would be safe there.
He realized they couldn’t continue as they were.
He didn’t kill John, but he didn’t know how to prove it at this point. His best course of action was to take Elizabet away from this place until he could think of a way to prove his innocence—if she would come with him. There was more at stake here than his relationship with Elizabet or even her life. The hard-won peace between the clans was in danger of being shattered.
He intended to speak with Iain to see what his laird advised. He respected Iain’s opinion and knew his laird would never guide him wrong. It was his last resort.
If he remained, and Tomas accused him, their clans would be divided. If he left, hopefully with Elizabet, he might somehow convince her that he wasn’t responsible for John’s death, and if she forgave him for lying to her, mayhap there was hope for happiness for the two of them. After their vows this morning, he knew where he would go. He would take her to where he was born, to where his mother and father had died. Mayhap even auld Alma was still alive.
Getting Elizabet to go was another matter entirely. She was too perceptive to allow him to keep putting her off. Sooner or later, she was going to march into Piers’ hall and demand all the answers he wasn’t giving her.
And he suddenly had so much to lose.
He had Elizabet.
Iain would know what to do, he hoped. At least he would advise Broc honestly, with the clan’s interests foremost in his heart.
Deep in his heart, Broc didn’t believe Colin would betray him, but their friendship had been sorely strained, he sensed, simply by his appearance at Colin’s home. It had been made clear to Broc that night that though Colin felt a loyalty to Broc, his family—Seana and Meghan—was his greatest priority.
If only there was some way to prove Tomas had themoney pouch still and that he intended to keep it. If only Broc could prove Tomas was willing to kill for it.
