Page 33 of Betrayed by His Highland Wife

Wondering if she had said the wrong thing, Nora waited watchfully.

"Ach, I saw it in my mother's auld chest," he said, looking away.

Nora immediately felt a twang. "Yer mother," she said gently. But inside, the sound of her heart colliding with her ribs banged loudly.

"Aye," said William, pressing his head back and leaning on his hand. He appeared to be thinking. Tensely, Nora waited.

They were near. Far too near. His hand was within easy touching distance. Not to mention the rest of him there, on the bed. Just laying...

William tilted his head back as he addressed her. "Aye, there was a chest o' her auld things. I hadnae ever kent afore." He stopped. Nora noticed his eyes softening somewhat, as if she had witnessed some private moment accidentally.

"She..." struggled Nora. Her brain reeled, desperate to keep up. She could not remember exactly where William's mother was, and it had been one of those awkward questions she was unsure of asking.

"She died when I was wee," said William.

Nora immediately felt bad. Then, a rush buzzed through her. "Mine too," said Nora, her heart in her mouth. For a moment, she was overpowered. This revelation was very much unexpected. Perhaps it should not have been. She ought to have remembered that William, too, had no mother. But something troubled her.

"I thought ye had a mother or stepmother."

She frowned, realizing her mistake a moment later. How she wished she could remember everything her father had told her!

William looked down. "Anabelle was my aunt. Oor mother's sister. She betrayed us. She may as well be dead."

Nora felt herself tensing. This was not what she had been expecting. Uncertainly, she moved a little closer to William.

"I-I am sorry," she said, touching his hand. The moment her skin brushed against his, she tensed. Then, a warm tingle ran from the bottom of her arm to its tip. And he faced her.

"Dinnae be." He smiled. "It's nae yer fault. Ye didnae kill anyone, nor betray us all."

Nora flinched. She could not stop it. Instinctively, she wanted to blurt it all out. And deep inside, she felt sick. Seeing her pale face, William looked at her kindly.

"An' I ken ye dinnae have a mother," he said somberly.

Nora felt someone kick her in the guts for a second time. Narrowing her eyes, she squared up to William. Did he know?

Bewildered, Nora really was not sure. Was he taking her for a fool, or did he really not know what had occurred that night with their mother?

But William's deep blue eyes told another story. They danced with sincerity. Confused, Nora looked again. Certainly, he knew about the feud. But perhaps William genuinely did not know that their guards had killed her mother.

In fact, now she came to think of it, why would he? They had never admitted it. However, that just made things worse.

Nora jolted. A strange, sick feeling entered her. She was split, cold with anger for the loss of a mother but also alive with desire for William. And his revelation about his own mother had caught her unawares. Now her emotions towered high.

Just as she was finding her feet, William suddenly stood up and smiled. Looking down, he made his way to the door.

"I apologize for interrupting ye again. I should leave ye to dress properly, but dinner will be taken shortly downstairs, an' I would like for ye to join me. Alone!"

His eyes glanced upward, giving Nora a strange thrill. Before she could say another word, William had gone, leaving her on her own, with her beating heart.

This was all too fast. Trying her hardest to keep on task, Nora scraped her hair back into a headdress. Anything not to have to think.

But think, she did.

All she could do was think. And the words William had said kept repeating in her mind.

Ye didnae kill anyone, nor betray us all.

It was no good. How on earth was she going to do this?