Page 50 of A Virgin for the Highland Beast
In a sudden rush of anger and determination, she snatched a candle off the table. The small flame flickered in the darkness, casting long shadows on the walls. She didn’t want to spend the night alone, wallowing in uncertainty or letting the fear seep any deeper than it already had.
Emma pulled in a deep breath to steady her nerves as she dug deep to pluck what little courage remained within her. She wasn’t about to let Hunter push her aside any longer, nor was she going to put up with his erratic behavior that was tearing her apart. She wouldn’t allow him to toy with her emotions any longer.
Emma was worth more than that. And tonight, she would make him see that.
Stepping out into the hallway, Emma moved down the corridor, her eyes set on her destination. As she turned the corner, she crashed into Nora. The shock on Nora’s face was lifted the moment she saw Emma.
“There ye are. I’ve been lookin’ all over for ye,” Nora said, curling her fingers around Emma’s shoulders. “I was so worried, after Geoffrey showed up and the way ye left the banquet. Are ye well?”
Emma forced a smile as she bobbed her head, choking down the emotional turmoil that was rumbling within her. “Fine.”
“Where are ye goin’ in such a hurry?” Nora asked.
Emma glanced over Nora’s shoulder, down the hallway. “Forgive me, Sister, but I was just going to get some fresh air,” she said.
“I’ll join ye,” Nora offered.
“Nay, that willnae be necessary,” Emma said in haste.
The last thing she wanted was for her sister to witness her confrontation with Hunter.
“What’s goin’ on? Ye’re rather jumpy,” Nora said, tilting her head as her eyes bored into Emma’s.
Hoping the darkness would mask the blush in her cheeks, Emma swallowed hard. “I’m meetin’ wit’ Hunter,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nora’s eyes softened as her suspicions melted away. “Then dinnae let me keep ye,” she said with a playful smirk.
Emma nodded and, without another word, rushed down the hallway to the stairs. She descended as fast as she could, hoping she wouldn’t be stopped again. By the time she reached the side door, her heart was racing, and her thoughts were even more jumbled than before.
As she stepped out into the cool night, the flame of her candle fluttered in the wind, threatening to go out but resiliently clinging to its wick. The tiny beacon of light danced against the backdrop of the omnipresent darkness, casting long, eerie shadows that flickered across the stone pathway.
Unwavering, much like the flame, Emma felt a deep, resolute energy emanating from her heart, radiating through her entire being. It was a strange mix of dread, resolve, and anticipation that filled her, making her heart pound in her chest like a wild drum.
Yet, the fear was not paralyzing. Instead, it made her alert and pushed her towards Hunter.
19
In the pitch-black serenity of the lake, Hunter swam with determined strokes, striving to outrace the relentless specters of his past. Yet, despite his physical exertion, his thoughts remained inescapably tethered to Geoffrey.
The cold water against his skin did little to chill the scorching memories seared into his mind—the echoes of his imprisonment reverberating in the silence of the night.
Vivid flashbacks of the austere cell where he had been confined invaded his thoughts, as oppressive as the stone walls that had enclosed him. The chilling snippets of overheard conversations between his captors rose to the surface of his mind.
Their words, alluding to the Knox girls needing to be “tamed,” sent a shudder through him that stilled his movements mid-stroke, causing him to float motionlessly in the heart of the lake. The shock of the painful memory was jarring and unexpected.
With a desperate gasp, he dove beneath the dark surface, as though trying to drown the haunting images in the inky blackness. However, the obscurity of the depths only seemed to amplify the clarity of the visions. The silence beneath the surface provided a stark backdrop to the grim tableau playing out in his mind.
Running out of breath, Hunter surged back to the surface, inhaling the cool, crisp night air greedily. He flipped over onto his back, floating effortlessly and looking up at the inky black sky dotted with a million twinkling stars. The vast, silent expanse above mirrored the darkness that had settled in his heart.
A streak of light caught Hunter’s eye, pulling his gaze from the fixed stars to the tail of a shooting star cutting across the midnight canvas. It was a fleeting distraction, a brief respite from his dark thoughts. He tracked its path, his eyes following the ethereal glow until it disappeared from sight. As the stellar spectacle vanished, a flicker at the periphery of his vision drew his attention.
In the dim light of a distant candle, a figure was moving towards the lake. From his position, he could only make out a silhouette against the moonlit landscape, but as the figure drew closer, its features began to emerge.
Hunter’s heart skipped a beat as he recognized Emma, her features softly illuminated by the candle she was carrying.
With renewed energy, he began to swim towards the shore. His strong strokes cut through the water, each one pulling him closer to the candlelit figure. The frigid water did little to dampen his fervor as he moved with purpose, the image of Emma waiting by the lake shore providing a beacon of light amidst his dark thoughts.
Emerging from the cold embrace of the lake, Hunter approached Emma. His eyes remained locked on her as he wondered what brought her down to the lake so late at night. A part of him wanted to ignore her and send her back to the castle, yet the fact she’d come to see him, alone, thrilled him.
