Page 84 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
It wasn’t some random woman.
It washer. Ava.
He swallowed.
“Greetings, My Laird.”
They both continued to stare at each other for the better half of a minute, one waiting for the other to start speaking.
Brodrick was unable to take his eyes off her no matter how hard he tried. Did she return? Had he imagined the entire thing in his head in the first place, and she had not even left?
“What is happening?” Ava asked gently, beginning to realize that three anxious-looking people were standing before her.
“We’re lookin’ for—” Darach began, but Brodrick held up a hand, shutting him up almost immediately.
“Looking for what?” Ava prompted, slight worry lacing her voice.
Brodrick leaped into action almost immediately. He moved closer to her, looking her right in the eyes. “Ava, I cannae stress how important this is, but did ye see anyone leavin’ the castle on yer way here?”
Ava’s eyes glazed over as if she was trying to remember. “I did see a young blond man in a carriage ride past me. I remember because his horse hit one of my boxes and he didn’t even wait to help me pick them up.”
Brodrick staggered backward.
Young. Blond.
“Laird MacMungo?” Flora asked, before Brodrick could even form the words. “What would he want with Margaret?”
“Margaret?” Ava echoed.
Brodrick could see it. Her ears were perked up, and her pupils dilated. She was starting to panic.
“What has happened to the child?”
“We think whoever ye saw?—”
“Laird MacMungo,” Flora interrupted.
“We dinnae ken that,” Brodrick fired back, then turned to Ava again. “We think whoever ye saw… took her.”
“Took her?”Ava gasped.
Brodrick was no longer able to answer questions. Instead, he turned to Darach, a determined look on his face. “We’ll comb the path and see where the tracks lead to. Fetch the horses from the stables.”
Darach nodded and hurried out of the kitchen. Brodrick was about to follow him when Ava declared, “I’m coming with you.”
“Nay, ye’re nae,” he said without a second thought.
“I am. It’s Margaret we’re talking about here. I need to make sure she’s all right.”
“That is what I’m doin’. Ye dinnae need to come along.”
“Brodrick—”
“Ava, please!” His voice was curt and sharp, almost betraying the fear he had managed to hide since he heard the news.
He had managed to remain calm for the past hour. Now wasn’t the time to break.
Ava froze, taken aback by his outburst.
