Page 145 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

Miserably, she gazed at the dress arranged so carefully in the chest. The one she would never wear. Lifting it from its place, she pressed it to her. Stroking the soft velvet, she held it close. Inside, something broke. A deep sob pushed out from her, taking her hard.

Nora collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. It was no use. She had seen the hurt in his eyes.

William would never come to her.

19

Tip, tap, tip...

The tapping penetrated William's consciousness. It came rhythmically, like rain. For a while, William thought that it was.

"N-Nora," he muttered, looking up. To his consternation, he was not in his bed. And he definitely was not in the rain. Instead, he found he was face-down on the hard study floor, papers spread around him.

Head throbbing, he sat up. The sound of someone trying the door came loudly. A rattling of chains and banging assaulted him. William thought his head would crack.

"William. William? Billie! Open this door right noo!"

It had been Nora, of course. He had seen her in his head. But it was Fiona's voice that barked at him through the bolted door. Within seconds, William's dream had popped like a bubble.

And now, the world was bright and too loud.

"Billie!" Fiona hissed, causing William to stand up and immediately crack his head on the bureau's underside. Blearily, looking around, he discovered that yes, he had been unconscious beneath a table.

This was not quite the look he was going for, especially not to his elder sister. Head throbbing, he clawed himself up, Fiona still pounding the door.

"Wheesht!" he growled impatiently.

Everything in the chamber spun around, the walls racing and jumping. Fiona banged some more. William felt his temper fraying.

"For God's sake, Billie, if ye're in there…" she started.

William opened the door in short order. He glared at Fiona.

"It's William!" he snapped, before leading her back into the chamber.

Now that she was in the study, Fiona acted a little more chastened. But only a little. Glancing around, her eyes took in the emptied whiskey flask, the tumbled goblet, and the strewn papers.

William watched his sister give a little glance before turning her attention back to him again. This time, she fixed him with a more kindly smile.

"William," she started. "I just came to see if ye were alright."

Her eyes wandered strangely, fixing on his head as if there were something wrong. William touched his forehead. It throbbed.

"Yer head, Billie—och, whatever. Who did this to ye?" Fiona came closer in the way only an older sister could, prodding him. She touched him lightly on the bump.

A little sheepishly, William staggered to the mirror. Even in this light, he could see the bruise, which was the size of a three-penny bit, shadowing the top of his eye.

"Nayone," he mumbled, tracing the outline of the bump that ached when he touched it. He wished he could remember how it had happened.

"Tell me it wasnae Nora," said Fiona, her eyes widening in shock.

William just looked at her. "Of course it isnae," he snapped, pushing her away in annoyance.

Fiona's blank face just followed him until he was forced to blurt the truth.

"Och, I fell an' banged my head," he said huffily. "I suppose…" This he added because, in truth, he was not really sure. All he knew was the throbbing in his head was real, as was the dryness of his throat.

Spying the whiskey jug, he went to take a swig, then, finding it empty, he growled. Without words, Fiona brought a flask over to him and began to pour. William almost snatched the dram off her, lifting the cup to his lips and glugging it hard.