“You’re a good man, Ewan. One with a good heart. If Isobail couldn’t see that, then she was an even bigger fool than her brother. But I see you. I know you.”
His eyes were filled with agony as he stared at her. He took her hand into his and pressed it against his lips.
Ewan inhaled the sweet scent of her. He wanted this woman with every piece of his heart. But at the end of the day, he knew Graham was right.
He had stolen her from another.
For all he knew, Ryan would be like Robby MacDouglas, pining away for her.
And who would blame him?
Nora was wonderful.
He didn’t deserve someone like her. He deserved nothing at all.
“Go back inside, Nora. Please.”
To his relief, she nodded and obeyed.
Ewan stood back, trying to draw a deep breath to alleviate the pain in his chest.
He had to let her go and yet all he wanted was to hold onto her.
Why couldn’t he ever find a woman for himself? One who wasn’t promised to someone else?
Lysander joined him. “Your friend has decided with a little help from yours truly to leave the village immediately. Are you all right?”
“Thank you. Aye, I’m fine.”
Lysander glanced in the direction Nora had vanished. “She’s a good lass.”
Ewan nodded in agreement. “That she is.”
“Are you to marry her?”
He shook his head. “She’s not meant for me.”
“Then who is she meant for? I can’t imagine any other man showing her the patience you do. I for one would go mad if I had to tolerate her for any length of time.”
Ewan snarled at him.
He laughed. “There’s my lad. You’ll tolerate no one to insult her. Sounds like love to me.”
Ewan grimaced at his words. “You know nothing of it.”
“True enough. I know naught of Cupid’s arrow and have no wish to be educated. But if I were ever to be stricken by his machinations, I don’t think I could just let go of the one who held my interest and see her in another’s arms.”
Ewan’s mind flashed to the sight of Isobail rushing toward her lover. The two of them had embraced and kissed.
Dumbfounded, he had watched them until his anger spurred him to attack.
Night after night, he’d lain awake wishing he had beaten the knight. That he had continued to fight until the man killed him.
But he’d been too heartbroken to breathe.
“Thank you, Ewan,” Isobail had said coldly, her eyes icy as she regarded his beaten and bloody form. “Without you, I’d still be locked in the Highlands with no hope of ever seeing Gilbert again.”
Her lover had thanked him then, never knowing what Isobail had promised Ewan if he would help her, and the two of them had ridden off.
