Page 68 of Healing the Highland Sinner
“What can I dae tae help ye?” he said.
She frowned. “Ellair, I understand why did what ye did. But the fact remains that ye betrayed me. And I cannae forgive that.”
“I understand,” he said. “What can I dae tae help ye?”
Rosalind exchanged a glance with Ciar who gave her a small nod, reminding her that whatever she did, he was with her. She drew strength from him.
“I’m tired of bein’ Hugh Sinclair’s pawn. Tired of bein’ anybody’s pawn,” she said with a direct glare at Ellair that made him lower his head again. “I’m done with all that.”
“So, we’re goin’ tae let Gunn’s shipment through then, eh?” Ciar asked.
She nodded. “Aye. Laird Gunn should be able tae defend himself against Sinclair.”
“What about Blaine?” Ellair asked.
She felt her heart skip a beat. “I’m goin’ tae have tae trust that what ye said was true… that he’ll think me more valuable with me braither alive than dead. We’ll have tae figure out how tae find and rescue him.”
“I’ll help ye any way I can,” Ellair said.
“It daesnae make things right between us.”
“I ken that. I just… I want tae help.”
She nodded. “Hopefully, if Gunn is armed and equipped, he’ll take on Sinclair and maybe while those two are locked in a fight, Hugh will be too distracted tae worry about me. Maybe while his attention is elsewhere, we can save me braither.”
“I think that sounds like a plan,” Ciar said.
She nodded. “Start puttin’ out feelers. I want tae hear from anybody who thinks they might have an idea where that bastard took me braither.”
“I’ll get right on that, lass,” Ciar said and quickly walked away.
“I’ll put word out as well,” Ellair said.
She stared at him coldly. “I meant what I said, this doesnae make us square.”
“I understand.”
“And when I have me braither back, ye and me, we’re done.”
His expression was pained but he nodded. “I understand that too.”
Without another word, Rosalind turned and walked away from him, her heart breaking a little more with every single step. As she melted into the crowd, a tear spilled down her cheek.
CHAPTER 30
Ellair sat on the edge of the bed in his room at Rosalind’s compound. Now that his deception had been revealed and the bond between them had been shattered, he knew he should go. There was nothing left for him there. Worse, whenever he did manage to catch Rosalind’s eye, the rage and contempt he saw reflected back to him were almost too much to bear.
Part of his mind screamed at him to leave, encouraging him to rebuild the walls he had lived most of his life behind, never letting anybody in, and never opening himself up to anybody ever again. The cost was simply too great.
But a different piece of his mind told him to stay. Told him that this was a mess of his own creation and that he needed to see this through to the end, whatever that might be.
And yet, another voice echoing through his mind, small and faint, whispered to him that redemption could still be had. That he could do something to earn her trust—and her love—back.
He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, fighting off the emotions that gathered within him like a furious storm. “Bleedin’ hell. How has it come tae this?” he muttered to himself softly.
He resigned himself to staying with Rosalind, not because he hoped to find a path to redemption and reconciliation with her, but because he’d given her his word. He’d promised to defend her against whatever was coming next, and he would do what he’d promised. And after he’d done that, and ensured her safety or died in the trying, he would leave Rosalind’s compound and never look back, as was her wish.
A hard knock at the door startled him and he looked up as it opened and Ciar stepped in. His expression was sympathetic and not unkind as he looked at Ellair. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something, but closed it again and nodded, as if to himself, before clearing his throat, his hand still on the door handle.
