Page 27

“Take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the bed. She perched on the edge, trying to make the best of the situation.

I hope you don’t mind me finding you.

“Of course nae! I’m glad ye are here. In fact I was just dreaming about ye last night,” he smiled, but when she looked into his eyes she did not find much joy. There was something that could not elude her mind.

The innkeeper said that he did not know you.

Ro swept his hand through the air, dismissing her concern. “Oh, he is just being careful. He was trying tae protect me, that’s all. I am glad ye hae seen wisdom though. I was afraid ye would nae accept my offer.”

I’m ready, she wrote. She stared at the words, feeling her heart grow with courage. She was taking the first steps towards her new life and there was nothing that could stand in her way now. She was finally becoming just like Pascal and Fleur, and soon enough she would make her mark on the world with Ro. It was a shame to leave the nunnery, but she could not stay there forever.

His smile lingered upon her, and the longer he stared at her, the more she sensed something sinister happening. There was something different about him. He didn’t seem as gentle or forthcoming, and the way he looked at her… it was devoid of the adoration that had been so evident on his face. At first, she tried to tell herself that she was just being silly, because the inn wasn’t as she expected, but then there was a knock at the door. She expected to find the innkeeper, but instead, it was a swarthy man she did not recognize. He closed the door behind him and chuckled with delight when he looked at Amelie.

“Well, ye really did bring the French wench here,” he said. Ro wore a smug look on his face. The words stabbed in the air and Amelie tried to piece things together. Why was this man calling her that? Who was he, and why was Ro allowing him to speak about her in such a manner? “I should never hae doubted ye, Munro,” the man continued.

“I told ye I hae things well in hand. See, she is sae pathetic that she came tae me herself. It’s almost like she wanted tae be kidnapped,” Ro said. Or actually, Munro said. His voice had a harsher tone to it and he loomed over her like a titan, as though he had her future in his hands.

Things fell into place when she heard his name. Munro, the last survivor of the fallen Laird. The man who had fled when his father’s tyranny had been stopped. Now she realized why he was so familiar, because she had seen the painting of him when she had first visited the clan, not long after Pascal had won the battle. Now she couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it sooner. He had shaved off his beard and his face looked more gaunt than it had been when he had gorged himself on the clan’s food reserves while other people had starved, but his eyes had the same blackness to them, a blackness he had done well to hide.

And she had let herself be blinded by him. Her heart cracked open and she felt like such a fool. All this time she believed he cherished her, but he had only wanted her for one thing, and she had fallen right into his trap. He was right, she was pathetic.

She furiously started to scribble some words of resistance, for her emotions were such that the words clung to her throat. However, Munro snatched the slate from her hand. The piece of chalk fell to the floor and rolled under the bed.

“Now ye are gaeing tae stay here and dae as ye are told. Dinnae worry, I am nae gaeing tae hurt ye, well, unless yer brother values his Lairdship over yer life. But if he chooses tae sacrifice ye, well, he will nae be missing much,” Munro said savagely. He then took the slate in both his hands and brought it crashing down upon his knee. The slate splintered and shattered, falling into fragments on the floor, too small to be put together again. Munro laughed, having just taken away her only method of communication. It felt as though someone had ripped out her tongue and she just stared at the debris on the floor as the two men laughed.

She had been wrong all along. Her breath hitched as her chest tightened. Something snapped inside her. She knew she couldn’t go on like this. She couldn’t go on being helpless, because there was nobody to save her now. The only person who was close enough to make a difference was Evan, but she had turned him away again. How she wished now that she had listened to his words and been more forgiving. How she wished she had remained in the nunnery, for now, she was at the mercy of one of the most wicked men in the Highlands, and she didn’t believe him for a second when he said he wasn’t going to hurt her.