Page 33 of Brigand

Chapter Nine

Violet pattered down the steps of the keep to the shore,barely able to focus. Pain stabbed her chest, the spot where her heart had oncebeat. It was dead now. Shattered by the force of two small words.

She’d heard those words before. Thousands of times. Suchsimple words.

She is.

This time, this one time, they destroyed her.

She collapsed at the bottom of the stone stairs and set herpalms on her burning cheeks. Gasped for air. The weight on her soul was soheavy she could barely breathe.

“I thought this girl was just a means to an end.”

“She is.”

The words rang in her head.

Oh, how could she have been so foolish? How could she havebeen so blind?

She was a means to an end and nothing more.

His whole reason for bringing her here had been to make herpay for all he’d suffered as a boy. Pretending to love her, seducing her hadbeen his plan all along.

He was a more sophisticated fiend than she could ever haveimagined.

A sound echoed off the fog and Violet started. She shot apanicked glance up the steps. Was he following her? Oh, she couldn’t bear it.She couldn’t bear to see his expression as he admitted what he’d done andmocked her for falling as hard and fast as she had.

In fact, she couldn’t bear to look at him ever again.

She leapt to her feet and ran down the rough pebble beach,out of sight of the watchtower. Her steps stalled as she spotted the smallpier.

A boat—a dinghy—was tied to the pylon, bobbing gently on thewash of the waves. The one Colin had come in, presumably.

No one had thought to guard it.

She should get into that boat and flee.

She ignored the trickle of fear, the snake writhing in herbelly at the thought of being on the water. Her gaze flicked over the placidriver. It was so deceptive, how peaceful and calm it appeared. She knew itwould swallow her like a tasty morsel if she let it.

She set her chin.

Well, she wouldn’t let it.

She could do this. She could row across the Tay to the farside of the shore. She could make her way to Perth—surely it was to the west.She could find someone who would help her get home. Where she would be safe.Where she’d never have to see Ewan McCloud ever again.

Although the damage was done.

She would never be the same.

* * * * *

“What do you mean, you can’t find her?” He didn’t mean tobellow, but fuck! It was a small island. There were only so many places a girlcould hide. When Ewan had gone into the kitchens, where he was certain she hadfled, Morna and Jessie had looked up from their baking, surprised at hisintrusion. They’d assured him she hadn’t come back.

So he’d checked the solar. Surely that was where she wouldhave gone to pout. But she wasn’t there either. Nor was she in any of the mustyunused rooms of the keep. Or in the cellar. Or the washhouse. Or the garret.

He’d become concerned then and sent the all men—includingColin—out to search the island. After hours of hunting, she still hadn’t turnedup. Dread prickled at his nape. Where the hell could she be?

The thought of her hiding somewhere, curled up and cold, orworse, injured and helpless, devastated him.