“Be my guest,” Daniel replied dismissively and nodded to the side.
“How are you feeling?” she asked in a gentle voice.
“Like the whole world is collapsing around me,” Daniel replied, slightly apprehensive at opening up to her, but grateful that someone cared about how he was feeling. Melissa had changed him in a way that made him realize how much he needed other people in his life.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Daniel,” Avery said. “No one could have guessed that our father was going to go back to his old ways.” He noticed the regret in her voice. “He was so convincing after what he had done to me.” She shut her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. “I was a fool not to listen to Melissa. She said we shouldn’t trust him.”
“It’s not yer fault.” Daniel clenched his fists. “Ye had hope that yer family could be whole once again. Naebody can blame ye for that. It was I that failed Melissa. I wasnae there to protect her when she needed me the most.”
“That’s not true,” Avery began when she saw how angry he was getting.
“Now, she’s completely at the mercy of a cruel man.” He swore under his breath.
“You know he isn’t going to harm her,” Avery tried to reassure him. “She’s his ticket to a better life. If he hurts her, then you have no reason to pay the ransom. Money and power have always been the two most important motivating factors for him.”
“Thank ye,” Daniel said, taking a deep breath but not feeling any better. “I’ll get her back if it’s the last thing I do,” he vowed and looked up at the sky as the stars began to appear.
“What do you have in mind?” Avery asked.
“I’m going to take the title deeds to me estate,” he replied. “I’ll barter with him if that’s what he wants, as long as Melissa isnae harmed.”
“Do you think he will let her go once he has what he wants?” she asked the question that had been floating at the back of his mind.
“Nae, I dinnae think that will be the end of it, I am afraid,” he answered her honestly.
“What do you think will happen?”
He noticed the concern in her eyes despite the fact that her father had treated them in an unkind manner.
“I dinnae ken, but I can promise ye that I will stop at naething until Melissa is safe once again.”
“Hey.” Avery grabbed his hands and looked him in the eye. “Nothing is going to happen to her, we’re going to save her. Let’s go back to the castle, I’m sure that Darragh is ready by now. You can come up with a plan together.”
Looking into her eyes, Daniel realized that he loved Melissa more than he had ever cared to admit. “I cannae live without her,” he said the words out loud for the very first time.
Avery gave him a smile as if she had known all along. “I know. I said to Darragh that it was only a matter of time until one or both of you realized that you were meant to be.” Tears of joy filled her eyes. “I always thought that there had to be a reason why the two of you bickered the way you did.”
Daniel felt his spirits lifting slightly at the kind way Avery was speaking to him. It had taken him a very long time to realize that Melissa was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but Avery had somehow known it from the start. He found it endearing that she wanted them to be happy despite the way he had acted in the past.
“Do ye think I’m good for her?” he asked with tears in his eyes.
“Daniel Forrester.” Avery placed her hand on his cheek in a loving gesture, like an older sister would have done. “You are far better than you give yourself credit for. What man is willing to give up everything he owns for the woman he loves?” She smiled. “Not any other man that professes to be a rake, I can tell you that.” She nodded her head toward the castle. “Come, let’s go and get our Melissa back.”
He suddenly felt overwhelmed by the way she was treating him. Never in his life had anyone made him feel like he was a valuable part of a family. With shocking clarity, he knew in his heart that he wanted a family of his own. He wanted Melissa as his wife, Darragh and Avery as his family, and a whole horde of children to call his own.
“Yer right,” he said as he gripped Avery’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s go an’ get me family back.”
21
Daniel had made up his mind, he was going to leave immediately and rescue Melissa, despite everyone else opposing his plan. Darragh had suggested they wait an hour and see what happened once Ewan showed up with the ransom notes, but Daniel knew in his heart that he needed Melissa back by his side at once.
The three had gathered in the study to go over the plans and discuss what needed to be done before they set out to bring Melissa back home.
“Daniel, I understand yer sense of urgency,” Darragh attempted to reason with him. “But I dinnae think it’s a good idea for ye to just charge off like this.” He shook his head. “We need to come up with a plan, an’ a backup plan in case that one fails. Yer a man of war, ye ken how things can go south if yer nae prepared.”
“I agree with Darragh,” Avery threw in. “Don’t go about this alone, let’s talk things over and wait to see what happens next. I meant what I said. We need to bring our Melissa back home, but we need to be smart about it as well.” She looked at the assortment of daggers and swords that Daniel had laid out on the desk. “This isn’t a one-man job. Things will go better if we do everything as a team.”
“I appreciate the concern,” Daniel responded as respectfully as he could. “But the more time I spend here waiting, the less time Melissa may have to be set free from her faither’s clutches. I’m leaving, right now, Avery.” He turned toward Darragh as he placed a dagger in his belt. “Ye can come with me, or ye can wait here to see if Ewan has the nerve to show up. Either way, I’ll be going to get me wife.”
