“This is funny, is it not. Killed by a Scot with a broadsword in America. The irony of it all.” Then his eyes went blank and his body began to sag.
Iain shoved the body off the sword and watched Emily sink to her knees and close her eyes. There was blood all over her face and he grimaced. After wiping his sword on Albert’s frock coat, he moved to the sink to get a wet rag.
“Iain?”
“Right here, love.” He crouched down by her side, careful of the blood that was slowly flowing over the floor.
“Please get this off me. I can feel it dripping down my face.”
There was a note of extreme tension in her voice and he suspected she was fighting hysteria so he grabbed her and moved her to the table, setting her down on a bench. Then he carefully washed the blood from her hair and face. “Ye will have to wash the gown, I fear, though there isnae much on it. It mostly hit ye in the face with some going in your hair.” He felt her shudder and decided he would not say any more about the body and blood.
“You must cease killing people with that sword.”
“I left my guns upstairs and decided I should not risk going back up. He was mad as a hatter.”
“Most certainly. I think the reins on his madness snapped clean off when he killed his parents.”
“His own parents? What did they do?”
“He felt they were stupid. His father for not using his connection to Grandfather and his mother for being so upset that he had killed his father. That became his reason for killing people. They were stupid or they got in his way when he wanted something. It was difficult to listen to him as he, well, he boasted of what he had done. I do not know why he thought I would care to listen to his depravity. What makes me sad is that I know there are many more he has killed but they were not of our class and he must have thought them not worth mentioning. By the way, it looks as if we may be getting Humphrey for our holiday meal.”
He smiled. She was obviously trying to calm herself so he let her talk, although she appeared to have forgotten he was there to hear that last little piece of information. “Sounds good.” Then he frowned as he noticed she was starting to shake. “Almost clean, love.”
“Thank you. For saving my life again and for cleaning my face.”
“I caused the mess on your face.”
“No, it was actually Albert who did that by bleeding. Did you hear what he said? Even though he was as good as dead, he had to make a comment, had to have the last word.”
“I heard it. Not sure if ‘irony’ was the right word though.” The little line between her brows told him she was thinking about that.
“I am not sure. Did you say something to him? It looked like you said something.”
“I just told him I was so sorry to end his soliloquy.”
“Can I open my eyes now?”
“Aye. Face is clean. Just do not look around the kitchen. Keep your eyes on me.”
“I can do that.” She opened her eyes and stared at him. “I rather like just looking at you.”
When he grinned at her and quickly kissed her, she knew she should be shocked by what she had said but felt nothing. It was as if she was numb all over. Shock, she thought. She was suffering from some kind of shock. Considering all she had just been through she supposed that should not be a surprise but she hoped it ended before she said anything she regretted. Unfortunately, she felt sure it was going to end in a strong bout of tears.
Iain moved to get rid of the body then realized he could not lift it. Advising Emily to close her eyes or find something in the kitchen to stare at aside from Albert, he went out the door and, seeing Mrs. O’Neal, told her that he needed one of his brothers fast and why. Then he went back to sit next to Emily, turning on the seat so he could face her.
“Wish I was stronger, love. I would carry ye upstairs and away from this.”
“That is all right although I do like it when you carry me.”
He frowned and glanced at Mrs. O’Neal, who had come back in to get ready to mop up the blood. “Poor girl is in shock,” Mrs. O’Neal said quietly. “Look at her eyes.”
Iain sighed as he noticed the glassy sheen in her eyes. Then his brothers Matthew and Nigel walked in. Even though he never took his gaze away from Emily he explained what had happened.
“Man was mad as a hatter,” Iain said as they began to carry the man out, careful to keep out of Emily’s line of sight. “He even killed his own parents. Said they were stupid because they did not use the duke to make any gains. Actually, I think he killed his mother because she had the audacity to scream at him, her own son. And I didnae even hear all he said. God alone kens what else he confessed to.”
Once his brothers had gotten rid of the body he pulled Emily to her feet and took her out the back door to walk around to the front and get to the stairs. He was pondering Mrs. O’Neal’s whispered advice to try to break through Emily’s shock but had come up with no idea of how by the time he got her into his bedroom. He suddenly grinned as he wondered why he had taken her there. Aside from the fact that he was ready to get out of the sickroom. He wondered if he was thinking making love to her would pull her out of her shock. Since that could well include her starting to cry he decided against it. He urged her to lie on the bed, propping up the pillows at her back.
“Ye need to have some water, I think, love.” He moved to pour her a glass.
