He pulled up his breeches. There was a bloody mark where the arrow lodged in the meaty part of his calf. Dried blood caked his leg. He’d pulled the arrow out, leaving behind the point. Chloe knew from her own experience how painful that was.
“So, ye were captured again,” Callum said.
He nodded. “The fire was too far gone. They let it burn. MacDonald and the household headed for one of his other strongholds in the northern part of the isle. When we camped, I decided to make my move. I stole a horse and managed to get away.”
He lapsed into silence, leaning heavily onto Malcolm. He blew out an exhausted breath.
“My lady wife is right. Ye need medical attention. Let’s get him inside. Evie, will ye fetch Dougal?” Callum said.
Nodding, Evie hurried ahead of them to find Dougal, leaving Chloe behind. While she was relieved the younger MacLeod was home, she knew he had a long road ahead of him. He had a lot of healing to do.
And so did she.
CHAPTER 33
The castle was abuzz with activity.
Nearly two weeks had passed since Jamie’s return to Dundale. The expectation was that the MacDonalds would try to invade but they never did. All was quiet. Mayhap, Malcolm said, it was the quiet before the storm.
Chloe was certain they would try again.
It was the day of her wedding and all worry and fear were set aside. There was a festive feeling to the air. Evie had had a glowing excitement in her face all day. She’d spent the morning in the kitchen helping Roslyn with the preparations for the coming wedding feast. But not only a wedding feast—a feast to celebrate the return of the youngest MacLeod brother. Roslyn said it was a miracle he had returned and was determined to commemorate it by making his favorite mincemeat pie.
Chloe didn’t mind sharing the limelight with him. Perhaps it would help ease her guilt for leaving him behind in the first place.
When she visited Jamie while he was still convalescing, she expressed her deepest regret about that when she told him about the secret passageway and finding their way out. She did not tell him, however, that she was the one who set the castle on fire.
“Och, lass, dinnae fash yerself about that,” he had said with a winning smile. “’Twas the only sensible thing to do.”
“But—”
“Ye did what you had to do,” he interrupted. “Ye protected my brother’s wife and my nephew.”
She lifted a brow in bemused question. “Nephew?”
“Aye.” Then he smiled broadly. “I’m going to be an uncle.”
It made her giggle the way he was so certain Evie was going to have a boy.
Thinking of it now made her smile. She hoped Eviedidhave a boy. Maybe she’d name him after their father.
Now, she stood in her bedchamber as Evie fussed over her. Her gown was simply stunning in an ivory silk with long, flowing lines. The sleeves were bell-shaped. The bodice was formfitting to her every curve with a jeweled girdle that helped accentuate her waist. An intricate floral pattern trailed down the skirt of the gown. A scalloped hem with the same floral motif added a touch of elegance.
Chloe felt like a fairy princess as she stood while Evie buttoned up the back of her gown.
“Oh, Chlo. I wish Mom was here to see this.” She sniffed and pretended her eyes weren’t misty with tears.
“Me, too,” she said.
She expected to feel the pang of longing for their mother on her wedding. But she wasn’t the only person she wished was there. She wanted to share this day with Brianna, too.
Thinking of Brianna being there for her wedding surprised her. Despite their differences and Chloe’s ill feelings toward her, for she still held a grudge for her past actions, she was still family, and blood was always thicker than water. She wanted her there.
It wasn’t the first time she wondered if Brianna would accept the keystone from Moira in that antique store in Edinburgh. Which made her wonderhowBrianna would end up in Edinburgh to begin with. What event would send her there? They hadn’t spoken in years. Likely, Brianna hadn’t a clue she was there on a work visa. Unless Evie had told her.
And Evie might have told her. Evie was somewhat more forgiving toward their older sister than she was.
But today wasn’t the day to think about that. Today was a day to be happy. To think about a future with Malcolm, herwarrior Highlander who had vowed to protect her with his life and his sword.
