Page 34 of Abducted By the Highlander
Roisin watched Hughcarefully place her letter into a pouch hanging from his belt, but the unease wouldn’t leave her. She was certain her sisters would know the letter was from her, but she wasn’t certain that receiving it would ease their minds. How could it, when she’d had no option but to leave out so many details that would explain her true situation?
And it wasn’t just the details she’d omitted that would cause them distress. She hadn’t been able to bring herself not to mention the terrible fate that had befallen the brave warriors of Eigg. They deserved to be found by those who had once known them, so they could be given a proper burial. She only hoped her directions on where the brigands had attacked were straightforward enough to follow.
“I don’t like to leave ye, but will ye be all right in here for a few moments while I find a messenger?”
“Of course.” She smiled at him, so he didn’t guess anxiety knotted her stomach at the notion. If only Grear and Ecne were here. It was most unconventional that she should be left unattended in a strange inn, miles from home, but then, it was just as irregular she was spending so much time alone with Hugh and she didn’t mind that, did she?
“I’ll leave the door open so ye can keep an eye on me.” He frowned. “Unless ye’d prefer the door shut? I know this isn’t what ye are used to, but I cannot think how else to send the message. ’Tisimperative Symon knows nothing of it.”
A new thread of anxiety attacked her at the thought of Symon catching Hugh in an act that, she was certain, Darragh would consider treachery. It hadn’t occurred to her until now just how much danger Hugh was putting himself in so that she could get word to her sisters.
“Leave the door open,” she said, even though a part of her wanted it shut, to hide her from any curious eyes. But the possibility of strangers casting a glance her way was a small consideration when it meant she would be able to keep Hugh in her line of sight.
He gave a brief nod and stood, and for a surreal heartbeat as she lost her senses in the blue of his eyes, she fancied he was about to kiss her. She tipped her head back, a blatant invitation, yet she couldn’t help herself, and her breath caught in her throat as anticipation sparked through her.
But instead of leaning across the table and kissing her until she lost all sense of time or propriety, he merely brushed his fingers across the back of her hand before swinging on his heel and leaving the room.
She expelled a shaky breath, her gaze fixed on his back as he strode across the hall towards the bar. Her skin tingled where his fingers had trailed across her knuckles and it was both intoxicating and utterly foolish that such a brief touch could affect her so.
Within moments, he was in an animated conversation with a woman who was serving drinks to her customers. The innkeeper’s wife, perhaps? Then she lost sight of him as he weaved his way through a throng of men. It didn’t matter how she told herself to stay calm. Nerves spiked through her chest regardless.
This was madness. Hugh wasn’t about to abandon her. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look out of the window, so it didn’t appear as though she was desperate for his return. Not that the view of the stone wall of the stables was enticing, and she shook her head at her folly of being unable to get Hugh out of her mind and turned her attention to tidying away her ink and paper.
There was a sharp tap on the door, and she looked up, startled. The innkeeper Hugh had been talking with earlier stood there holding a tray with the food he’d ordered and an interested gleam in his eyes. Roisin’s stomach churned.
As the youngest sister, whenever she’d been outside Sgur Castle it had never fallen to her to assume responsibility in any given situation, since she’d always been accompanied by Amma, Isolde or Freyja. Even though Hugh wasn’t here, but before panic had a chance to lock her tongue, it occurred to her the innkeeper wasn’t nearly as frightening as Darragh and she’d managed to speak to him, hadn’t she?
She forced a smile and inclined her head. “Thank ye.”
He entered the room and placed the platters and flagon of wine from the tray on the table. “I hope it’s to yer liking, mistress.”
“I’m sure it will be.” Should she mention that Hugh—her husband—would be back at any moment? But maybe that would draw too much attention to the fact he wasn’t here with her now. Before she could agonize on the wisdom of saying anything more, or not, Hugh returned, with Symon behind him.
Dismay streaked through her. Had Symon caught Hugh sending the message? Neither of them appeared to be spoiling for a fight, which was surely a good sign. As the innkeeper finally tore his attention from her to focus on Hugh, she slid her hands under the table before anyone noticed them shaking.
After a few inconsequential words between the three men, the innkeeper left. Hugh ignored his old seat and came to sit beside her. Before she could get too excited by that development, Symon kicked the door shut and then sat himself opposite them both.
“’Tis lucky ye saw me at the bar,” Symon said. Then he placed a tankard of ale and a hearty bowl of stew on the table and dug in as though he were starving. He swallowed before continuing. “It wouldn’t have occurred to me to start looking in private rooms for ye.”
Hugh poured wine into the goblets and handed one to her. “I was keeping an eye out for ye.”
Roisin kept her eyes on her goblet, but a shiver trickled over her arms at how easily Hugh had lied. But what else could he say? The truth?
The truth would put them both in danger. And since he was only doing this to help her, she’d tear out her tongue before she inadvertently gave him away.
Symon nodded, as though Hugh keeping an eye out for him was a commonplace thing. “Now we cannot be overheard, ye can ask me what ye want to know.”
“There’s no need. The satisfied look on yer face tells me ye got a good price.”
“Aye, better than Darragh hoped. We’ll be able to get all the supplies we need. And that was by selling only two of the horses.” He glanced at Roisin and had the grace to look a little abashed. “With apologies, my lady, but ’tis no exaggeration to say finding ye was nothing short of a miracle for us.”
She knew it wasn’t his fault they had been attacked by brigands, but it was hard to keep her feelings to herself when his miracle had only been made possible by the deaths of the MacDonald warriors of Eigg. Irked with herself for not having the courage to respond, she picked up her goblet, and then it seemed her reticence fled. “’Tis a pity yer miracle is drenched in the blood of my countrymen.”
Her rebuke rang in her ears and echoed around the suddenly silent room. Usually, her unwary thoughts remained locked tightly inside her head. Had she really spoken them aloud this time? A swift glance at Hugh’s face assured her that she had. He looked mortified.
“Roisin, Symon didn’t mean to offend ye. He doesn’t always think things through.”
“Aye, Hugh is right. I shouldn’t wish to upset ye, and I’m sorry that I did. But when ye live life on the edge, ye must grab whateveradvantage ye can.”
