Page 74 of Married to the Highland Devil
Duncan could not read the lies anymore, so he squeezed the letter in his hands and tossed it to the ground.
“Do you deny these allegations?”
Duncan rose to his feet and downed the rest of his brandy in one long swing. “I wouldnae hurt yer daughter, ever,” he said through gritted teeth. “Amelia wouldnae have sent ye that letter. It is lies and only lies written there.”
Arthur rose to his feet too. “Then prove to me that you have cared for her as per our agreement. I want to see Amelia. Have a servant bring her to the study. I must see for myself that she is hale and all right.”
Duncan met the Duke’s gaze, and before he averted his eyes, he saw the tinge of disappointment that hovered in the older man’s dark eyes.
“She is not all right, is she?”
“Amelia had an accident yesterday,” Duncan revealed in a hoarse voice. “She is unconscious.”
“You bastard!” Arthur yelled, lurched towards him, and leveled his fist at Duncan’s face. “You promised to take care of her! You promised to protect her.”
“I am a man of my word, Your Grace,” Duncan replied after he dodged another blow from the Duke.
Arthur’s face reddened, and his lips parted into another sigh.
“I have done my very best to protect yer daughter,” Duncan insisted. “It is my fault that this happened. I should have done more. I should have done better.”
He felt his tears rush to the surface again, but he pushed them aside and shook his head.
“This is all my fault,” he continued. “Amelia is hurt because of the grievances I have with another laird, and that letter ye received is probably orchestrated by him. Amelia couldnae have sent ye that letter. She has been happy here,thatI am most certain of.”
“I want to see her,” Arthur said in a grave voice and turned away from Duncan. “Right now.”
“All right.”
Duncan led Arthur to the chamber Amelia was kept in, and the healer was feeding her another dose of tonic when they walked in.
“Leave us,” Duncan ordered Elijah, and once the chamber door closed after the healer, he faced Arthur again.
Arthur sat on the edge of the bed, Amelia’s hands in his and his face lowered as he sobbed.
“I am so sorry, my child,” he said as he wept. “Your father is so sorry.”
Duncan’s heavy heart felt like it would explode as he watched the scene. His own grief ate at him, and he could no longer pretend to be fine. He left the Duke and Amelia, headed for his stables, and picked the first stallion he saw to ride out into the village.
Duncan galloped away at full speed, not caring for anything or anyone in his path as the horse left a trail of dust in his path.
The heavy wind in the Highland clouds made it seem like it would rain, and soon, Duncan felt the first droplets of the coming rain kiss his skin.
He made no move to slow his ride and find shelter, even when the downpour finally came. Duncan let the rain soak every inch of his clothes, and he allowed the cold to seep into his bones.
He needed to feel physical pain and exhaustion. That way, he could live with the ache in his heart. He did not realize how far he rode under the rain until he reached the borders between Kret and Plockton.
Slowing his pace now, he panted and wiped a hand over his forehead to swipe away the wet hair clinging to his forehead.
He basked in the feel of the cold water slashing against him as he sat astride his horse in the middle of the fields. Everyone had sought out shelter from the rain, but it did not matter to Duncan as he stood there in the middle of nowhere, allowing the rain to soak him.
When he finally sought shelter, it was in the shed of an old woman, one he recognized as soon as she opened the door.
“Ye,” Duncan said immediately as he stepped inside. “Yer that seer.”
His hand moved to the sword at his side, and she turned towards him. Duncan remembered her words, and it stirred his anger.
She shall bring doom.
