“I only heard about the wedding a few hours ago. I got here as soon as I could.” His brows furrowed angrily. “How could you do it, lass? How could you agree to marry him? You’d better start explaining, because right now I’m not sure I’m going to be able to forgive you.”
Forgive her! He must be addled. He was the one who’d sent her away. “I’m not—” She stopped herself, her eyes narrowing. She didn’t owe him an explanation. He’d made his choice. Let him think what he would.
She arched a brow and lifted her chin haughtily, the way she knew would irritate him. “Why wouldn’t I?”
His mouth fell in a hard line, and she knew he was fighting to stay calm. “Because you love me.”
Ellie felt her cheeks grow hot as her temper flared at his arrogance. She glared at him. “So I’m supposed to pine away for you for the rest of my life? I think not.” She spread her hands out, indicating her finery. “As you can see, I’ve decided to get on with my life. I accept your apology; now take me back. I’ve a wedding to attend.”
He frowned. Apparently, this wasn’t going the way he had intended. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I can’t let you marry de Monthermer. I’d have to kill him, and I don’t think your father or King Edward would forgive me that.”
Her heart thumped hard in her chest, whether from anger or from what she suspected he might say, she didn’t know. “Of course you won’t kill him. My marriage is none of your concern.”
“But I love you.”
Her heart stopped, then stuttered to an uneasy race. For so long she’d dreamed of hearing those simple words, but she no longer trusted herself to believe them. He’d hurt her too much. “What am I supposed to do, fall to my knees with gratitude? It’s too late. I gave you a chance to make it your concern, but you declined.”
The breeze swept through her hair, tearing a few of the carefully bundled strands free to blow across her face. Gently, he captured one with his finger and tucked it behind her ear, looking at her with such tenderness, she felt foolish stirrings in her chest.
“I’m sorry, love. At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing. I wanted to ask you to stay, but how could I when we were one battle away from defeat? I was trying to protect you.”
Ellie looked at him with disbelief. “By breaking my heart? Do you know what it’s been like these past few months?” Her voice grew higher pitched, racing toward hysteria. She wasn’t prone to violence, but she felt an urge for it now. “And now, just as I’ve gotten my life back together, you show up to tell me, ‘So sorry, it was all a mistake.’ That despite all indications to the contrary, you actually love me and broke my heart to keep me safe in misery. And now that things are looking up, you realize you were wrong and decided to abduct me on what was to be my wedding day toapologize, is that it?”
He winced, looking to Domnall, who shrugged unhelpfully. “Sounds about right to me, Captain.”
Erik raked his fingers through his windblown hair. “When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound quite as romantic as I’d planned.”
She made a sharp sound through her nose.
He shot her a look. “I couldn’t take the chance that you wouldn’t listen to me.”
“So you decided to give me no choice in the matter.”
He grinned unrepentantly. “Of course you have a choice; I just decided to ensure you picked me.”
She met his gaze unflinchingly. “What if I no longer want you?”
His eyes flickered as if she’d struck him. The sudden look of uncertainty on that too-handsome, cocky face almost made up for the months of torture he’d put her through. Almost.
He knelt down beside her and lifted her hand to his mouth. “Please, love, give me a chance to make it up to you.”
Emotion swelled in her throat, making her voice raw. “Why should I believe you?”
He looked into her eyes. “Because in your heart you know it’s the truth. I was the one too blind to see it. But I swear I’ll never give you a reason to doubt me again.”
He sounded so sincere and looked so sorry, it made her heart soften—just a little.
“Come on, lass,” Domnall interjected. “Show a little compassion for the rest of us and forgive the man. He’s been unbearable since you left.”
She frowned at the older man. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be listening.”
“And miss this?” Domnall chortled. “Lass, I’ve been waiting twenty years to see him grovel for a woman; I intend on enjoying every bloody minute of it.”
“Grovel?” Erik said, horrified. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not groveling.”
Ellie lifted one delicately arched brow, challenging his assessment of the situation.
He frowned, shooting a scowl at Domnall. “I thought you were supposed to be on my side.”
