“It’s Sutherland,” she said, her relief so enormous that she had to clutch Iain’s arm to keep from falling over. “That’s his knock. I don’t want him to see me like this. I don’t want him to know about…what happened.”
“Go upstairs,” Iain said. “I’ll help him get the people out.”
She fled up the stairs, pulling herself up as fast as she could, and collapsed on her bed, feeling sick.
Downstairs there were quiet voices and shuffling, then silence. Cait closed her eyes and wished she could go to sleep and wake up to start the day all over again. She would take Iain up on his offer of marriage right away, instead of wasting precious time arguing, and she would help him clear the north field. She wouldn’t feel ashamed that she was in a relationship with Iain. She would be proud.
However, she couldn’t relive any of that, and she couldn’t change what had happened and what was going to happen. Her only hope was that Rory would find the body and hide it, but then she would live her entire life afraid that someone would discover her secret.
Strong arms came around her and she leaned in to Iain’s shoulder, too weary and numb to cry.
“They’re gone,” he said. “I told Sutherland you weren’t feeling well and to leave you be for a bit.”
She nodded.
“When was the last time you ate?”
“I can’t,” she said.
“You should eat something or you’ll be sick.”
“I’ll be sick either way.”
He helped her lie down and quickly rounded the bed to lie behind her and take her in his arms. Her eyes drifted closed and exhaustion took over. But her sleep wasn’t peaceful. She dreamed of being chased through the forest. She dreamed of Donaldson’s confused eyes right after she clubbed him on the head.
Whenever the dreams got too bad, Iain woke her and held her and rubbed her back until she fell asleep again.
They were startled by a pounding on the front door, and Cait came awake with a jolt, sitting up straight and hissing at the pain and stiffness. She felt like she’d been dragged by a horse.
“Open up, Iain Campbell!”
Iain cursed and swung his legs off the bed. “It’s Palmer.”
“Oh, God,” she whimpered.
“You don’t know why he’s here. He could just be looking for me.”
“Ye know that’s not true.” They’d found Donaldson’s body and somehow figured out that she’d caused his death.
“Stay here,” Iain commanded.
She crept to the top of the stairs so she could listen. They were talking quietly, but she could clearly hear them. “Donaldson has been killed,” Palmer was saying in a grave voice.
“Good,” Iain said. “He threatened Cait, and I’m not sorry that he met his end.”
There was a short silence during which Cait held her breath. Was this what her life was to be like? Hiding whenever Palmer came around, terrified that he would discover her secret?
“This is the third soldier killed, two of them near your land and now Donaldson on your land,” Palmer said.
“What are you saying?” Iain asked.
“I find it suspicious.”
“You think I killed them?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why confront me with this? What do you want?”
