Ten minutes later, he was racing down the road toward Glenkirk, his heart pounding in rhythm with Shadow’s hooves.
The village appeared on the horizon just as the afternoon sun was starting to set. Noah didn’t slow down as he entered the narrow streets, scaring a flock of geese and causing several villagers to press against buildings to stay out of his way.
The church was easy to spot: a modest stone building with a wooden structure attached, which had to be the orphanage. Noah dismounted before Shadow had come to a complete stop, his boots hitting the ground hard as he headed toward the entrance.
He didn’t knock.
The door slammed open under his hand with a loud bang that echoed through what looked like a small kitchen. An elderly woman gasped and dropped the spoon she was holding. But Noah’s focus was on the young woman sitting at the table.
And the small, familiar figure hiding behind her chair.
“Esther.” Relief and fury warred in his chest.
His niece’s face turned white, her eyes wide and terrified, as she pressed herself against the chair to hide in it.
The young woman—dark blonde hair falling from a braid, wearing a simple dress, with eyes the color of summer grass—shot to her feet, positioning herself between Noah and Esther with such a quick, protective movement that it caught him off guard.
“Who the hell are ye?” she demanded, her voice sharp as broken glass. But Noah could see that little moment of fear in her eyes before she pushed it aside. “And why are ye bargin’ into this orphanage like ye own the place?”
Noah’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t used to being questioned, especially not by common village lasses who didn’t know better than to get out of his way.
“I’m Noah MacGregor, Laird of this clan.” His voice carried the weight of absolute authority. “And that lass behind ye is me, niece. So I suggest ye step aside.”
The woman didn’t move. If anything, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “Well, I’m Ava and I daenae care if ye’re the King of Scotland himself. That lass is terrified, and I’m nae lettin’ ye near her until I ken ye’re nae goin’ to hurt her.”
Is sheserious?
“She’smeniece,” Noah repeated, taking a step forward. The elderly woman—Mrs. Whatever-her-name-was—actually backed up. But this Ava woman held her ground. “I’ve been searchin’ for her for three days. Now step aside before I make ye.”
“Searchin’ for three days, yet she’s been here that long and no one thought to check the local orphanages until now?” Ava’s eyes flashed with accusation. “Some guardian ye are!”
Noah’s jaw clenched so tightly that he could hear his teeth grinding. “I checkedeveryorphanage within a day’s ride. This one was too far for a wee lass to reach on her own, or so I thought.”
“Well, she reached it just fine, didnae she?” Ava crossed her arms. “Found her wanderin’ outside, half-starved and scared out of her mind. Took me nearly an hour just to get her to come inside.”
Behind her, Esther let out a small sound, almost a whimper, and Ava’s whole demeanor softened as she looked back.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. I’m nae goin’ to let anyone hurt ye.”
Ava felt Esther’s small body trembling against her legs, felt the desperate grip of tiny fingers clutching her skirt.
She knew that fear. Had lived it.
The bone-deep fear that the adults would hurt you, that speaking would make it worse, and that the only safety was in silence and invisibility.
Her hand automatically moved to rest on Esther’s head, a protective gesture she had once desperately needed but never got.
I see ye, wee one. I understand.
Then she turned that sharp gaze back to Noah. “Now, I daenae ken what kind of household ye run, but any place that loses track of a bairn for three days and lets her end up this far from home?—”
“Enough.” Noah’s voice cracked like a whip, making everyone in the room jump. Everyone except Ava, who just glared at him harder. “I daenae have time for this. Esther, come here. Now.”
“She willnae,” Ava said flatly. “Look at her, she’s terrified of ye.”
“She’s nae—” Noah forced himself to take a breath. To think. Estherwasterrified, pressed against that chair like he was some kind of monster come to drag her away. “Esther, lass, it’s me. Yer uncle. I’ve been lookin’ for ye everywhere.”
Esther’s eyes darted between him and Ava, her small hands gripping the back of the chair so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
