Page 63 of The Anguish of the Scottish Lairds
“Good job, lass. Now we need to focus on getting free. Tell me what you learned. Did you find out where the bairns are?”
“Nay,” she said, forcing herself to recall the trek she took. “But there’s another set of locked chambers in the otherdirection from the staircase. I would wager the bairns are over there.”
“Good. Do you recall enough that you could lead us there?”
“Aye.”
“Not yet. You need to warm up. Just soak up my heat, then we’ll talk.”
She sat there as if she were in her own private heaven, no one to bother her. Closing her eyes, she willed her body to stay that way, absorbing Sloan’s quiet tones and warm embrace, his relaxing voice taking her to another place. A place where men didn’t hurt her, where she had friends she could trust, a place where she was loved for who she was. Never threatened and not hated for her noble blood, for being the chieftain’s sister.
Where people didn’t hate her for who she was, for her name, or for where she was born.
A place of hope.
“Eva,” he whispered a few moments later. “You’re doing much better, but now I can tell you that I’ve seen him twice and I’ll never forget him. I will make you a promise, lass.”
She turned her head a touch, just enough to gaze into Sloan’s eyes, her lower lip the only part of her still trembling.
“I will make him pay, whatever his name is.”
The tightness in her chest seemed to lighten. The cold, hard covering she kept it in broke just a wee bit.
Sloan Rankin had fractured the ice encasing her heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Connor
The next morn, Connor stood at the shoreline next to Dyna just before high noon, both scanning the sea for signs of any boats.
Dyna asked, “How much longer, do you think?”
“I honestly have no idea. But do you know something odd?”
“As if there haven’t been enough odd things, Da. You have to give me another one? Make sure Mama doesn’t hear you.”
Connor smiled. “Nay, this is a good thing.”
“Then please do tell.”
“I woke up this morn and felt like I’d been with Mama and Da.”
Dyna said, “Oh, praise God above. I felt the same way! What were they doing? You first.”
“They were sitting together watching something. Every once in a while, Da would get up, walk in a circle, his hand on the hilt of his sword.”
“Mama would chat, but he would quiet her?”
“Aye! You had the same dream?”
“I did, Da.”
“What were they watching? I couldn’t see.”
Dyna’s eyes misted. “The bairns. They were watching Sandor and Tora. They are watching over them, Da. I know it.”
Maitland and Alasdair joined them, Maitland heading directly to the beach. “What the hell is that?”
