Chapter Ten
Despite the chill still lingering in the air, Darach tossed the length of his plaid back and blotted the perspiration from his lip. Scattered pieces of broken board littered the ground, but he’d succeeded in freeing five of the six kitchen windows from concealment. He hoped Tessa would be pleased, but he dinnae ken freeing every window in the house would change her mind about him.
None of the physical force and frustration he’d put into his task had diminished the knot twisting his gut nor helped him think of a way to mend the chasm between them. In truth, mayhap he shouldnae. Mayhap ’twas good she’d kept him from revealing his feelings for her. ’Twould make their parting easier.
He pushed the tip of the bar Emily had given him beneath the edge of the last kitchen-window covering and leaned in to put his weight to the task when the back door burst open and banged resoundingly against the interior wall. The vibration still rippled through the bar in his hands when Tess, dragging Emily in her wake, stormed out.
“Tell me it wasn’t you!”
He’d barely taken a step back before she was all but chest-to-chest with him, her green eyes sparking with fury. Like spitting emeralds, he thought, unable to grasp what was happening.
“What wasnae me?” He had the foolish urge to drop the bar and raise his hands in surrender.
“The candle,” she snapped. “I swear, Darach, if you set up that stunt, you’re out of here. I won’t tolerate—”
“Stunt?” He felt the blood drain from his face. He dropped the bar and grasped Tess by the upper arms. “What stunt? Are ye hurt?” He glanced at Emily, then back to Tess to search her face for reassurance, trembling with the need for retribution for whatever they’d endured. Therewouldbe a reckoning.
“Tessa!” he snarled. “Were ye harmed?”
“Don’t, Darach,” Emily cried, reaching up to pry on his fingers. “You’re hurting Aunt Tess.”
“We’re all right,” Tess cried. “Darach! We’re both fine.”
Through his haze of fear and anger, he realized he’d all but lifted Tess off the ground. His stomach pitched as he relaxed his grip and drew her too him, touched his forehead to hers and fought for control. “Forgive me, lass.” He held out an arm, beckoning Emily to join them. “Both of ye.”
With a sob, the lass snuggled against them. Darach sighed in relief as the tension drained from Tessa’s shoulders and she rested her hands at his waist.
“I didnae mean tae scare ye love,” he whispered, inches from her mouth. “Ye ken I couldneverharm ye, either of ye, do ye no’?”
“I know.” She relaxed against him, laid her cheek on his chest. He hardly dared breathe. He held the two most precious things in his world, and if he moved, breathed too deep, this moment might shatter, and he’d never get it back.
“It’s partly my fault,” Tessa said. “I shouldn’t have come at you like that. I was just so upset. I guess it was easier to be angry than afraid.”
“That makes two of us.” Darach sighed and glanced at Emily who watched him with a mixture of relief and uncertainty clearly etched on her wee face. He smiled and brushed a hand over her hair. “Ye’re a brave lass, Emily. We could have used yer courage, at Culloden.”
The words were out before he realized what he’d said. Tess leaned back and gave him a puzzled look. “Scotland, I mean,” he quickly added. “Scotland could have—can—use someone as brave as ye.”
He turned back to Tess. “Can ye tell me now, what it is that had ye in such a fash?”
Tess scowled, some of her anger coming back to narrow her pretty eyes and put a crease in her brow. “Someoneput a burning candle in a small storage room. It could have burned the whole place down.”
“It was Jack,” Emily stated. “I saw him.”
“Emily.” Impatience sharpened Tessa’s voice as she pulled out of Darach’s arms and paced several steps away before turning to face them.
Those few feet of separation felt like a mile and Darach fought the urge to reach for her. Bring her back.
“We’re through with the Jack routine.” Tessa glanced between Emily and Darach. “I don’t want to hear his name again. This is serious. Game-time is over.”
The look Emily turned on him was a desperate appeal for support. How could he let her down? But if he didnae, he’d be banished. Tessa had made that very clear.
“If you didn’t put that candle in there, Darach, there’s an intruder in that house with a twisted and dangerous sense of humor.” She sighed and shrugged. “I wish it had been you. At least then I’d know what to do about it.”
She looked away and pressed her lips together as if wishing she could take her words back, but mayhap ’twas only he that wished it.
“Ye truly think I’d be cruel enough tae do something like that? For what purpose?” A surge of irritation quickened his pulse. “I assure ye, if I did indeed wish tae frighten ye, I wouldnae need tae resort tae trickery.”
She whipped her head back. “Do I detect a warning in there somewhere?”
