His expression didn’t flicker. Nothing betrayed even the barest hint of discomfort. He looked like exactly what he was: a mean, ruthless brigand.
He shrugged indifferently. “It was impossible. We didn’t have time. Look,” he said, pointing back toward the castle, “they’ve already gotten things under control. The guards are back at the gates.”
But she didn’t want to look. Bella felt the horror rise inside her as she realized what he was saying. What he’d done. Her eyes bit into his, and her voice shook with anger. “Youliedto me.”
Her anger had no effect on him. “I did what I had to do to get us out of there.” No apology, no regret, just a calm take-it-or-leave-it explanation. “The girl is better off at the castle. Where we are going is no place for a child.”
Anger surged within her like a maelstrom. How dare he! She was the one who decided how to keep her daughter safe. “That wasn’t your choice to make.”
“Aye, it was. It’s my duty to get you to Scone.”
“It’s your duty to get meandmy daughter to Scone.”
His mouth tightened infinitesimally, but he seemed otherwise unmoved. While her heart was tearing apart into a thousand tiny pieces.
She glanced back at the castle, seeing the guardsmen swarming the gate. Every bone, every fiber of her being urged her to go back in there. No matter how foolish.
Joan was the most important person in the world to her. She needed her. How could she possibly leave her behind? It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She’d never intended…
She looked at the two other men for help but saw only pity in their eyes.
The brigand had tired of waiting. “What’s it to be, Countess? Will you ride with us to Scone and keep your promise to Bruce, or will you return to your daughter and husband?”
Clearly it made no difference to him.
Bella had never despised anyone as much as she did at that moment. She heard the subtle taunt in his voice. He knew she was trapped. Even if she could ignore her duty and turn her back on Bruce and her country, she couldn’t go back. If her husband got hold of her…
She wouldn’t be able to protect her daughter from the grave.
Emotion rose inside her, burning her throat. Her eyes. Her chest. She’d been a fool to believe one word out of Lachlan MacRuairi’s deceitful mouth. She wanted to curse him. To strike him. To rage at him like a madwoman.
She wanted to collapse in a ball and weep with despair.
But years of controlling her emotions were not without effect.Never show weakness. Never give him the power to hurt you.
As Bella forced her anger to cool, she swore that one day she would wipe that sneer from Lachlan MacRuairi’s cruelly handsome I-don’t-care-about-anything face.
Without another word, she took the proffered reins and allowed him to help her mount the horse.
As they rode away, Bella’s back was a rigid wall of steel, giving no hint of the shattering emotions tearing her apart inside.
It won’t be long, she told herself. Once Robert was king he would find a way into the people’s hearts. Just as he had into hers.
But she wouldn’t rest until her daughter was safely in her arms again.
Two
Lachlan sat on a low rock next to Gordon and MacKay, eating the simple meal of dried beef and oatcake with relish. The glare of the woman shooting daggers at his back from the rear of the cave didn’t sour one bite.
He didn’t give a shite what she thought. He did what he had to do to get her the hell out of there. Lying, cheating, stealing—they were all part of war. With what she was about to set in motion, she’d better damn well get used to it.
It wasn’t as if she was in any position to judge. For Christ’s sake, she’d just fled her husband to put a crown on his bitterest rival’s head.
If Buchan wasn’t such an insufferable arse, Lachlan might actually feel sorry for the bastard. He better than any man knew not to expect loyalty from anyone, especially a wife. If Lachlan needed any more reasons to never get married again—which he sure as hell didn’t—this was yet another glowing example.
To hell with her. He’d done what he needed to do to salvage the mission. There had been no way to reach her daughter in time. They’d ridden barely a minute before they’d heard the thundering hooves of the approaching army. He had nothing to feel guilty about. He’d made a mission decision. Getting the job done was the only thing that mattered.
He’d do it again, damn it.
