Page 52 of Captured By the Highland Devil
In a tight tone, Ruben ordered, “Take him to the healer hall and I need two guards with him day and night. If he wakes, send for me immediately.”
He turned to Paige. “When we rejoin the children, nae a word to them. When we get home, ye and I are going to talk. Men, take the prisoner the long way around so ye daenae scare the children.”
Spotting the doll she meant to give to Nera on the ground, she swiftly swept it up and brushed it off. “I daenae ken if I can act as if nothin’ happened,” she was still breathless. “I—I am still in shock.”
He grasped her arm. “Take deep breaths and force a smile on yer face. Ye cannae scare the children. Put on a brave face and act as ye have had the best time today. When we get home, ye and I are going to talk.”
“From yer tone, I daenae think ye want totalk,” she said pointedly.
Ruben gave her an eye. “Ye’re right. I am going talk, ye are going to be quiet and listen. Ye are too impulsive and easily swayed, which in these lands, is a death sentence waitin’ to happen.”
Swallowing, Paige pressed a hand to her still rioting heartbeat. They began to walk back to the main part of the fairgrounds, as she said, “The child was lookin’ for her maither. Isnae that a reasonable reason to help?”
The urge to punch something made his palm itch. “The reasonable thing would be to take the guards with ye before walkin’ off with the child. A child, mind ye, that has conveniently disappeared in the fracas.”
Paige held the doll to her chest as they rounded a booth and spotted the caretakers organizing the children. Ruben’s astute eyes ran over the group, hoping none of the children, especially the older ones, saw the attack.
He did not want to explain the situation to any of them, mostly because he was not sure why it happened or who was behind it. It rankled him, made him feel weak and powerless when certain situations were beyond his control.
He was a leader— he had to be in control. Something unsettling and gut-wrenching settled under his skin every time he was left picking up the pieces from an attack.
What could have happened if I’d nae been as quick to follow her as I did? She could have been taken like Norah.
His gut roiled with the feeling that he might have been too late to stop their attack and that made him want to find something and break it.
“I daenae think she will have a problem, me lady.” Mother Etna told Paige and Ruben realized he had missed something.
He sharpened when Paige gave the doll to a drowsy Nera. The poor girl looked tucked out from walk but brightened when she saw the doll.
“For me, me lady?” Nera reached out for the toy.
“Aye,” Paige said, “It’s for ye.”
To the lass’ credit, she was pretending very well. The tight lines around her eyes and the brittle edge to her smile did show she was tense. Only to him though; the children were not clever enough yet to see those signs.
The sun was setting; painting a vivid image that could only be found in the highlands. Vivid hues of orange bled into red and shimmering gold while the encroaching indigo of the night sky slowly ate away at the mélange of colors.
“T’is time to return to the castle,” he said, nodding to his horse. “Let me help ye up.”
Paige let out a long sigh of relief as she sank into the warm bath that had been delivered to her room.
As Maisie massaged soap into her hair, Paige rested her head against the towel draped over the edge of the tub.
“A good day, me lady?” Maisie asked.
She tensed a little but forced herself to relax. “Very, aye. The orphaned children enjoyed the day and so did I. I believe I even saw Ruben smile once or twice.”
“Sounds like a good day to me,” Maisie said.
She sent Maisie to her other duties while she gazed at the timbered ceiling. After the frightening day she had endured, the stillness and warm water added up to pure bliss.
Closing her eyes, the image of the man grabbing at her, the wicked snarl on his face, the tight grip of his scarred hands, the foulness of his breath as he shouted in her face—she startled.
“Nay, nay, nay…” the words tumbled from her lips, much as they did when he had grabbed her. “Let me go! Let me GO! I?—”
“Lass—” Ruben’s voice was faint in her ears, as a hand shook her shoulder. “Wake up, lass! Ye’re dreamin’!Wakeup!”
With a gasp, her eyes flew open, and she stared at Ruben. The surrounding slowly came together and eroded the frightening gaze of the man who’d tried to abduct her. “W-what happened?”
