Page 59 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

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The journey back to the Duncan castle was a long and lonely one. Alone, it seemed to take longer than before, although Fiona was careful to retrace her footsteps fully.

Even without making any wrong turns, the painful loneliness of the journey was nearly unbearable. It had not taken long for Fiona to question herself. Barely seconds away from the clearing where she had left Clyde, the recriminations started.

I shouldn't have left him. I gave up too quickly. I should have found a way of helping him.The voices in her head were loud and harsh and judged her quickly.

But they were not the only ones. Taking the reins of Lizzie May, Fiona tried her hardest to blot out the other voices shouting in her head.

But he betrayed me! How could he do this tae me? It's all his fault.

Now struggling up the hill, Fiona squinted into the distant horizon. She was still much too far away to see Duncan Castle. But just the thought of it loomed large in her mind.

What was she going to say to the elders? Her family? She had been tricked and left empty-handed. Laird Anderson had their gold. It was all such a mess.

Suddenly, the hopelessness of her situation overwhelmed her. Sending her gaze up to the heavens, Fiona felt tears trickle down her face.

She had messed everything up. Or Clyde had. And her emotions were in such a flux.

One minute she hated him, the next...

The look on Clyde's face as he had been taken off by his cousin was imprinted on her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, he was there—that haunted look he had as she had ridden off.

She was grateful to him for his help, but now she wondered if she should have taken it. Yes, the situation he had got himself into was all his own doing, but he had saved her—twice. That had to count for something.

And despite wanting to hate him, deep down, she just couldn't.

"Hurry now," Fiona said, bidding Lizzie May to go faster. She knew she was asking a lot and had not forgotten what had happened the last time she had pushed her too far. But now more than anything, she needed to be home fast.

But the Duncan lands were still a long way. Shaking her head, Fiona set her mind to the ride. She could only hope that by the time she had reached them, she had come up with some idea of what to do.

Clyde needed help, and now.

"Miss Duncan!"

The shocked face of the elder greeted her as she went through the castle gates. Wearied and hungry, Fiona could barely register a response on the back of Lizzie May.

Her horse was equally tired, having completed the ride in record time. Fiona had bedded down for a few hours—it was nigh on impossible to travel in darkness—but set off again at first light. In short, she had done everything possible to get here as soon as possible.

But now that she was there, she couldn't help wishing she was anywhere but. From upstairs in the castle, she felt her bed calling.

"McDermot?" She smiled, hoping fervently that this was the man's name. From the tight, gnarled knot the elder drew his brow into, she could only guess that she was wrong.

"Miss Duncan!" said the elder, once again looking shocked. Fiona tried not to let a sigh escape. Low-grade horror seemed to be his stock expression. Nothing she did met with his approval.

And he didn't even know what had happened! Fiona bit her lip. Her news was likely to trigger a cardiac arrest. Gloomily, she passed through the gates.

The winds around the valley teased her senses. It wasn't quite enough to rouse her—Fiona didn't think even a tornado could do that—but it injected a little ripple into her.

"I will tell ye all," said Fiona sleepily, as she dismounted her exhausted horse. As Lizzie May was taken gently off to the stables, she attempted to smile. "Just after..."

She had been about to say, a wee sleep, an' a warm bath, but the ancient counselor leaped on her words with a vengeance.

"After ye get inside, aye, miss, very good. The council of elders will be waiting for ye."

And before Fiona could get another word out, he was gone. For an aged person with a crooked leg, he suddenly seemed capable of surprising speeds. Fiona watched him and cursed silently.

The last thing she felt like was addressing the clan right then. She still hadn't gotten it completely straight in her own head what she was saying.