Including her father. Arthur held her against his side as Lorn strode down to the jetty to take his place among his men.
He could feel Anna wobble as her father walked past where they stood without giving her another glance.
Arthur squeezed her to him tighter, wanting to protect her from this. The bastard was breaking her heart.
"Father," she cried softly.
Lorn turned to look at her with an icy glare. But he wasn't as unaffected as he wanted to be. There was real pain in the older man's eyes. "There is nothing more to be said. You made your choice."
She shook her head. "I choose to love you both. But my future is with Arthur."
Lorn gave her a long look, and for a moment Arthur thought he might relent. But he flattened his mouth and turned to leave without another word, pride dooming him once again. He was only hurting himself, cutting her off like this. Anna was the light--the glue--that had held everyone around her together. Without her, their life would be a little darker. Arthur ought to know; he'd been there.
He wished he could save her from the pain or take it for himself, but all he could do was stay by her side as her father and clansmen sailed away from her.
When they disappeared from sight around the bend in the loch, Arthur tipped her chin to look into her eyes. "I swear I will make sure that you never regret this."
Through the shimmer of tears, she gave him a wobbly smile. "I won't. It's the only decision I could make. I love you."
He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. Her mouth was even sweeter and softer than he remembered. "And I love you."
He wanted to say so much more, but the rest would have to wait. Reinforcements would be arriving at any minute. "Which is your room?" he asked.
She blushed, looking embarrassed. "The top chamber overlooking the loch."
He should have guessed. "That was my room."
Her eyes widened, and she said hurriedly, "I'll move--"
He shook his head, cutting her off. "Stay, I shall know where to find you." He liked thinking of her in his room.
He glanced over her shoulder, seeing the ships drawing near. "Go. There are some things that I must attend to. I'll find you when I'm done."
She reached up to cup his face. "Your poor face."
He winced. "I know it looks horrible."
Guilt filled her eyes. "God, Arthur, I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "None of that, lass. It's over. We can't change what happened in the past; all we can do is live for today and plan for the future."
A future that only a moment ago looked grim now blossomed with hope.
He watched her go, knowing how damned close he'd been to losing her. But now that he had her, Arthur swore that he would never let her go.
Arthur didn't keep her waiting long. Anna heard the soft knock on the door barely half an hour after the ships departed.
Bruce's men had not stayed long. Still, it was strange, watching from the tower window as the courtyard filled with enemy soldiers.
Nay, not enemy. In choosing Arthur she'd also chosen Bruce, though it would take some time, she expected, to come to terms with exactly what that would mean. For now, she was just trying to get used to the idea that she didn't know when--or if--she might see her family again.
In refusing to submit to Bruce, her father would have no choice but to follow the path that John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, had taken months earlier to England. She suspected her mother, brothers, and sister would soon follow.
But no matter how difficult her decision, Anna knew she'd made the right one.
The blind love she'd had for her father was that of a child--a child who thought he could do no wrong. But her love for Arthur was that of a woman. A woman who understood that people--even those you loved--made mistakes. Forgiveness was part of loving.
She opened the door and her heart slammed against her chest just seeing him there. His large frame filled the doorway, and he had to duck as he entered the room.
