Page 48 of The Highlander's Captured Bride
Darting a look at her father, the only person who could take the discussion from there, she was proven right when he said, “I have a dire suspicion that the enemy will strike again soon. News has spread about our search, our trip to Clan Hofte, and the death of Miss O’Bachnon, and I ken this perpetrator will strike while we have nay avenue to investigate.”
“Which means what?” Ethan asked.
“One of ye will have to leave,” her father replied. “I can only protect one of ye, Laird MacFerson and Master MacFerson, someone will have to leave, and the other stay, possibly in a secluded, safe space until everything's done and the danger has passed,” her father finished with his eyes shifting between the Laird and his son.
Leaning back in his chair, Ethan rubbed his face. “It only makes sense for me to leave. Faither is needed much more here and I... I ken the best place for me to be is our old hunting cabin. It’s out of the way and just the fo—three of us kens where it is.”
His abbreviated word, four, must have included Finley, himself, his father, and his uncle?
“When dae ye need me to leave?” he asked, his tone flat and monotone.
The air was getting tense and Violet felt that she might have to give them some privacy by leaving. She made to stand when the Laird shook his head. “Son, I dinnae want this, ye ken this is the farthest thing from what I want but…it must be done if yer life is in danger.”
Shifting in his seat, Ethan gave a thin smile. “I dae, but this is the best for all of us.”
Uneasy that she was in the middle of a room where, for all that mattered, a private conversation made her sink into the stonework, she kept as silent as she could. But her insides were topsy-turvy. Ethan was leaving and she did not know how long it would be before she saw him again. And especially after last night…could they just leave it all to dangle in the wind?
“It is,” the Laird added with a tight grimace. “How it got to this point—” his close fist landed on the desk with a loud thud. “I swear on me grandfather’s grave, I’ll send whoever pushed us so far into the lowest point of hell, even if I have to stand at the mouth and throw him in meself.”
Ethan stood and embraced him, his broad shoulders shuddering almost imperceivably. “I ken ye will, Faither.”
The Laird’s hand rested on his son’s back, that he patted twice. “Aye.”
Pulling away, Ethan nodded. “I suppose I’ll pack.”
The disquiet in her stomach doubled upon itself and she spoke, quietly, daringly, doubting herself even as the words slipped from her lips. “What if I went with ye?”
Three pairs of eyes spun to her and she stopped herself from squirming, her father had his brows at his receding hairline. “Pardon?”
Nervously, she stood and faced all three. “I just daenae ken it right for Ethan to be alone now. Worry and fear get worse when one is alone; I can keep him company, and between the two of us, I ken we can handle ourselves if danger comes around.”
“I agree,” Ethan said instantly, but the other two were not for it.
“Violet,” her father began, stepping forward. “I had only agreed to take this case so that ye would be near me, in this castle and safe. I cannae let ye go so far away, when I ken a killer is on the loose and I wouldnae ken if ye’re well. Even with all the shenanigans ye pulled in Sellek and Turren, I kent ye would be safe.”
“And I was with her all during both of those times,” Ethan’s logic filtered between the two. “As with then, I am sure I can protect her now. Besides, Violet is nay coward and with her senses, I’m sure we can make it through.” His eyes shifted between them and his father. “I’d die before I allowed anything to happen to her.”
“God forbid that does happen,” Laird MacFerson murmured. “What dae ye say, Mister O’Cain? I’m sure Ethan will live up to his word. I can bet me life about that.”
With her breath held in with hope and keeping still as her father visibly came to a decision, she prayed he would allow her to go. When his shoulders sagged and his fingers massaged at his creased forehead, her hope soared.
“All right, ye can go with him,” he replied. “But first, we need to make sure ye two arenae followed. Laird, dae ye have any man Ethan’s size and can ye find a girl close to Violet?”
“I’m sure we can find one.” The Laird squinted. “One of the women servant’s daughters will dae.”
“Good.” Her father then faced her and Ethan. “We’ll need to send them in the opposite direction of where ye are going, just in case someone sees ye. If ye send yer lookalikes off from the inner courtyard and ye take the back pass through the mountains, I ken we’ll be all right.”
Looking at Ethan, he nodded. “While ye get those two, we’ll hurry up and pack.”
“And I’ll send for the kitchen to scurry up some food for yer journey,” his father aimed for the door. The last thing Violet heard before she left the room was, “God help us if this goes wrong.”
18
With his home and father miles behind, the sinking feeling that had begun to grow in his stomach from the moment he had hugged his father was now like a lead ball in his gut. Guiding his horse through the mountain trail, he shot surreptitious looks at Violet who still had the cowl of her cloak over her head.
She had not said a word to him, but perhaps that was best. His mind was so scattered, he would not have been able to hold a conversation if tried. It was a good thing he had long-ago memorized the way to his father’s old hunting cabin—barely three miles north of the castle—or they would be lost.
This was unaccounted for; running away in the face of danger went against every rule he had learned those years while juggling his schooling and his education. He knew this was just for safety precautions but nothing good came from turning one's back to one’s enemy. He felt like he was giving in and giving up, allowing one man to take over his life.
