Page 30 of A Laird and a Fugitive

Chapter 12

Caroline was overwhelmed by emotion when she embraced her sisters. She closed her eyes and buried herself in their embraces as she checked them over.

“Are ye well? Hae ye been hurt?” she asked.

“I want tae ask ye the same thing,” Nessa said.

They assured each other that they were fine. Caroline glanced awkwardly at the door.

“I cannae stay here for long, but I wanted ye tae know that I am well, and that I will nae let anything happen tae ye,” she promised.

“But what about ye? What happened last night? Did he come tae ye?” Tara inquired, her voice hitching and her eyes widening in fear.

Caroline lifted her head proudly. “I am handling Laird Knox. He wants many things from me, but he may find that having me as a bride is more troublesome than he thinks. I am nae gaeing tae let him hae everything as easily as he would like. I am still a Gilmour, and I will nae sacrifice my clan. But ye must be strong. He is gaeing tae make things difficult for ye. I will dae all I can tae make things better for ye. But please cease yer bickering. I know that ye can get on each other’s nerves, but while we’re here it’s important that we all work taegether, even if we are separate.”

“But I’m scared. I dinnae like tae think of ye with him all the time.” Tara squeezed Caroline’s hand in a tender gesture.

“I know, but Nessa will keep ye safe.” Caroline turned to Nessa, giving her a meaningful stare. Nessa pinched her lips together and nodded. “And Nessa, dinnae discount Tara’s ideas. She is a clever lass, and she just might come up with a way out of this.”

“I will nae,” Nessa replied. This may have been a harrowing situation, but at least it had brought Nessa and Tara closer together.

The guard outside cleared his throat and gave Caroline a look of warning. Caroline hugged them tightly again.

“I will free ye soon. Dinnae dae anything rash, and dinnae worry about me,” she whispered.

Nessa and Tara cried out to her and Caroline hated turning her back on them, but it was necessary. She held the emotion inside her tightly, not wishing to reveal her anguish to anyone else.

“Ye may take me back tae my room,” she said, and the guard seemed relieved.

Caroline was not about to push the limits of her authority just yet. She wanted to see how Ryan reacted first, because she was certain he would hear about this. She couldn’t imagine anything happening in this Keep without him knowing about it.

When she returned to her room, she felt becalmed after having seen Nessa and Tara. They were fed and unharmed, so at least Ryan was keeping his word in this respect. But in order to give them more freedom, she was going to have to sacrifice more of herself.

She ran her fingers across her exposed chest and wondered at what point Ryan was going to take his marital rights. Fear coiled within, but there was a shadow of curiosity as well, and this feeling both shamed her and burned as fiercely as the fire in the hearth.

The day was slow. Caroline had no way to mark the passage of time other than taking note of when the meals were delivered. She didn’t even have a book to read, and the windowless walls were maddening. She closed her eyes and thought about the land she had witnessed the previous day. Her imagination was so powerful that she could almost feel the wind against her skin.

Her thoughts were broken when Ryan returned to her. She had come to recognize his gait by now. Thunderous footsteps made her heart tremble. He walked in wearing that usual arrogant look, his eyes filled with intent. He could take anything from her whenever he liked. Was he just toying with her to make the moment he did even worse, or was there an element of good in him that prevented him from crossing this moral line? She wasn’t sure she would ever know the truth.

“I heard about yer little walk taeday. Very clever of ye,” he said, wagging his finger in the air.

“I wanted tae see my sisters. I am the lady of the clan, am I nae?”

“Of course ye are, and it’s rare that anything should take me by surprise. I hae spoken with my guards and made sure that they understand ye are nae tae be given tae much liberty. I cannae hae ye thinking that ye are a free woman now, can I?”

“I dinnae care about me. I care about my sisters. I hae given ye what ye wanted, there’s nae reason for ye tae keep them captive. I can hardly marry ye over and over again. They deserve their lives,” Caroline spoke with emotion.

Her words were impassioned, and this time she was not sitting on the bed. Instead, she was standing beside the fire, hoping to show him that she was not going to cower before him. Ryan remained silent for a few moments.

“There is still a reason, lass. There is still the matter of the heir.”

Caroline shook with tension and then barked a laugh. “I am never gaeing tae give ye an heir, for as much as I can help it. I will never give ye the means tae take my clan.”

“I already hae the means, but an heir would prevent anyone else from waging attacks and pressing their claims. I’m sure ye hae all manner of greedy cousins who would want it for themselves. Of course, if they want tae attack, then sae be it, but there will be enough unrest already.”

“There already hae been, and I will show ye just how resistant the Gilmour Clan can be. I am nae gaeing tae give ye what ye want, nae as long as my sisters are suffering.”

Ryan moved with alarming speed. He suddenly took hold of her arms and drove her against the far wall. The impact cut the breath from her lungs and her body was pressed against his. His grip was like iron and his eyes blazed with fury. He was so strong that he lifted her off the ground without struggling. Her feet dangled and kicked out, but they had no effect on him.