Page 69 of The Icy Highlander's Bride
He turned back to the man with a glare. He caught his eye as he held his sword to his throat. "We will discuss ye visiting the child," he said carefully. "I willnae bar ye from being in her life. But if ye ever try to take her again, I willnae show mercy."
Daniel stepped back, dropping the tip of his sword to the ground. He nodded at Cameron, signaling for him to do the same.
Cameron was unsure, and he took a moment to consider. But then he backed up.
Laird MacDougal sighed in relief. "Thank ye," he said, scrambling to his feet. He made for his sword.
"Leave it!" Daniel cried, and Laird MacDougal froze. "Get out of here."
The old man hesitated, clearly torn. Daniel glared at the man, daring him to reach for the sword. If the man did, Daniel had half a mind to take off his hand. But he wasn't given that satisfaction.
Instead, MacDougal turned and rushed to his horse, scrambling to pick up the reins from the ground. He ungracefully threw himself atop his mount, landing on his belly, and then he turned, rushing down the path he had come from.
"Make sure he gets home," Daniel ordered the guards who had finally arrived.
They rushed into the barn to saddle their horses, determined to follow Laird MacDougal all the way to his castle.
28
Lana followed Daniel into the castle, clutching Skye to her chest. She thought he would turn back to them and check that they were alright, but he didn't look at them.
"Ye're alright now," Lana whispered to the little girl as she cried into her shoulder. She exchanged a glance with Cameron in the entryway as they both watched Daniel storm down the hallway, headed for his study.
"Will ye take her?" Lana asked.
Cameron nodded, and she passed him the little girl.
"There now," Lana told her. "Uncle Cam's got ye. He willnae let anything happen to ye."
"Where are ye going?" Skye cried, holding her arms out to Lana even as Cameron pulled her to him.
"It's alright, dear one. I must check on yer papa."
Lana gave Skye a reassuring smile and waited for a flicker of understanding in her eyes. Skye sniffed and give a small nod.
With that, Lana rushed down the hallway, following Daniel's long shadow as he stormed to his study.
She caught the door just as he was about to slam it shut, and she pushed through, slipping into the dark room. Daniel was walking in circles, pacing like a caged animal around the furniture. She thought he would wear a hole in the floor with his intensity.
"Ye could have been killed," he mumbled. "I could have lost ye both."
"But ye dinnae," Lana said gently.
He wasn't looking at her. His sword was still unsheathed, clutched in his hand so hard that she could his knuckles turning white.
"We're still here."
"I let ye out of me sight. I let ye go."
"It was me fault," Lana reasoned. "I took her to see the animals. I dinnae listen to ye."
"I couldnae bear it. I couldnae live with meself if I let it happen again. Nae with ye."
Lana took a careful step forward, catching his eye. Daniel paused and stood still, as if noticing she was in the room for the first time. His face relaxed as he took her in, and she stepped closer.
When Daniel didn't move, she closed the distance between them and put her hand gently on the hand still holding his sword.
Daniel looked down, confused by the sword in his hand. With tenderness, Lana pried his fingers open, taking the hilt from him. The sword was much heavier than she had expected, and she needed to hold it with both hands, but she managed to carry it toward the hearth. She propped it carefully against the wall before turning back to him.
