Page 68 of The Highlander’s Unexpected Wife

Erin frowned. “I—that is, I think it best if Alison returns to the ballroom with me.”

Fear streaked through Alison. Erin’s fear was palpable.

“You need not worry on my account, Erin. Let Cameron know I am here. He will understand.”

Erin looked from her to Mister Napier. “Please, sir, you are a gentleman. Let us return to the ballroom.”

“I advise you to mind your own affairs, Miss Lennox.”

Erin grasped Alison’s hand. “Come, Alison. Mister Napier is not a gentleman. He cannot be trusted.”

Napier seized Erin and Alison’s arms and dragged them toward the darkness.

“What are you doing, sir?” Erin demanded.

“Silence,” he hissed.

“Why are you doing this?” Erin’s voice trembled as they reached the boxwood-lined path.

He didn’t reply.

“Mister Napier,” Erin persisted, “what—”

“Be silent or I will kill you now,” he snapped.

“You intend to kill us anyway,” Alison said.

She yanked back her elbow and drove it into his ribs. His hold on her arm loosened. Alison yanked free, threw her fisted hand forward, then swung back as hard as she could into his belly. He doubled over. Alison lunged for Erin, seized her hand and dove right, toward the bushes.

Erin cried out but leapt through the foliage with her. Mister Napier growled. Alison pulled Erin through another hedge. Fabric ripped as they stumbled out the other side onto a path. Alison looked over her shoulder at the mansion. How did they get back without crossing paths with Mister Napier?

“This way,” Erin whispered, and tugged Alison to the right.

They raced down the path, then took a left, then a right. Alison’s head whirled. They were going away from the mansion. They needed to get back to the ballroom. Erin pushed through more bushes. A branch scraped Alison’s arm as they emerged in a flower garden with a fountain at the center.

Erin started around the fountain. Bootfalls crunched gravel at a run somewhere behind them. Alison couldn’t believe it. This was the second time in two days she was running from someone who wanted to kidnap her. Kidnap? Mister Napier wanted to kill her and Erin. Her stomach cramped, but she forced her legs to keep going as they rounded the fountain and made another right on the path.

The mansion came into view up ahead. They raced down the path. Could they reach the mansion without encountering Mister Napier? She and Erin reached a T in the path, and Erin pulled her left, away from the mansion.

Alison started to say something, but a man cursed nearby. Her blood chilled. They pushed through more bushes and Alison nearly cried out when they broke through to the lawn. They ran. Faster. Faster. A shout went up behind them. Two ladies on the balcony looked their way.

Erin fell and cried out. Alison skidded to a stop and whirled. Mister Napier had broken through the hedge behind them. Alison grabbed Erin’s hand, hauled her to her feet and stumbled away. They recovered their balance and ran. The women on the balcony moved toward the steps.

“Help!” Alison shouted.

The women looked at one another. Alison and Erin reached the stairs. Was that a man’s panting breaths behind them? Alison’s lungs burned. She held tight to Erin’s hand as they raced up the stairs. The two women looked past them, but Alison didn’t stop. People emerged from the ballroom. A loud murmur went up when Alison ran straight into one man’s arms.

“Help us.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Erin collapsed in another man’s arms.

Had Mister Napier followed them up the stairs? Alison couldn’t look.

“What the devil is going on?” a familiar male voice said. “Alison?”

Alison pushed away from the man who held her and stumbled into Cameron’s arms.