Patrick's blood turned to ice. He grabbed her arm. “Killed?” Weeks … months ago? What the hell had happened to his kinsmen? “Are you sure?” he said intently. Too intently. She looked down at her arm, and he realized his fingers were pressing into her tender skin. “Sorry,” he said, releasing his hold and trying to calm the race of his heartbeat.
“I'm sure. I didn't realize you knew him.”
“Not well,” he admitted. It was the implication for Alas-dair and his brother Iain that worried him. Where the hell were they? Had they been taken? Was that why Gregor had yet to return? He should have come back by now. A heavy pit of dread lodged in his chest. “How did it happen?”
Lizzie shook her head. “I'm not certain. But from comments Colin made tonight and something Jamie said before he left, I think Colin had something to do with it. But don't you see what this means? If my cousin has no objection to Jamie marrying a destitute girl tainted by treason, he is not likely to object to my marrying you.”
“Did your cousin have another bride in mind for your brother?”
“No, but—”
“Then the situations are not the same. I won't risk losing you.”
“You won't lose me.”
“You can be completely certain of that?”
She bit her lip. “Almost certain.”
“Almost isn't good enough.”
“But my cousin has sent for me—I cannot ignore his summons.”
“No, but you can delay.”
“I don't know …,” she hedged.
He took her into his arms and gave her a long kiss. She'd rearranged her gown to cover herself again, but his fingers caressed her breast through the thin fabric. When he finally broke off, her eyes were soft with passion again. His finger slid over her swollen mouth. “It will be romantic,” he said huskily.
A wry smile played upon her lips. “It will be illicit. You'll not persuade me so easily. But I will agree to consider it.”
That was good enough for now, but he would persuade her. “And you will say nothing to your brother and Campbell?”
She nodded. “It won't be too difficult, since they are leaving in the morning anyway. Now that Alasdair Mac-Gregor has surrendered, Colin hopes it will be easier to round up the other outlaws.”
“What!” he exploded, unable to hide his shock. Surrendered? Impossible. She was looking at him strangely, and he realized he'd betrayed too much.
Her brows knit together across her tiny nose. “Didn't I mention it?”
Patrick held his impatience in check. “Nay, you didn't. What happened?”
“I don't know all the details, but Jamie found the Mac-Gregor and his men on the Isle of Bute and negotiated their surrender to my cousin. My cousin has agreed to take the MacGregor to England to have his case heard by the king. Jamie's marriage will seal the bargain.”
Patrick rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what this could all mean.
“There will be peace,” Lizzie said.
Peace. Was such a thing possible? Dared he hope … If this was true, it could change everything. Alasdair had talked his way out of trouble with the king before; could he do it again? It was obviously what his cousin was counting on.
If the MacGregors were pardoned, he would be able to tell Lizzie the truth. He would be able to explain to her what the land meant to his clan and why it had been necessary to hide his identity. It might make it easier for her to forgive him.
“Is everything all right?” she asked. “Why are you interested in the MacGregors?”
He saw the aversion in her gaze. “You've just surprised me, that's all.” And had given him much to think on. He glanced down at her upturned face, seeing that she was still studying him with far too much curiosity in those expressive blue eyes.
His body stirred. The heat of their last kiss still lingered on his lips. He knew just the way to distract her.
In one smooth move, he flipped her onto her back and rolled on top of her.
