Part 32 (2/2)

”King Henry's niece, eh? Och now, this just got better.”

Nora turned at a voice that sounded oddly familiar to her. It took a minute to recognize Isobail's brother Graham from the day before.

But this time, he wasn't alone.

There were two other men with him.

”What are you doing here?” she asked them.

Graham gave her an evil sneer that was cold enough to set her teeth to chattering. ”We're setting things right.”

”I beg your pardon?” she asked.

Before she could move, Graham pulled out a dagger. ”Come quietly, la.s.s, and we won't hurt you. Fight us, and you'll be much worse for the dare.”

Chapter 10.

Ewan stood in the stable, brus.h.i.+ng his horse as his mind whirled with the day's revelations. He didn't know why he was out here, except that he couldn't think of anything else to do with himself and the horse needed a good brus.h.i.+ng.

Maybe.

Not.

Basically, he needed something to focus on other than the burning pain inside his heart.

Ryan loved Nora.

But then, so did he.

He loved her more than anything. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Nothing he wouldn't give her.

Except his hand in marriage.

His stomach twisted even more as he felt hopelessness deep inside his heart.

Why was it ever his plight to love women he couldn't have? What were the chances of Nora's father siding with him and breaking Nora's betrothal with Ryan while Ryan loved her? Especially given the fact that their families knew each other. That Nora and Ryan had grown up together.

It was impossible.

Her father would never allow her to marry a man with so few prospects. He wasn't Lochlan who was laird or Sin or Braden who were t.i.tled lords.

He was a simple landowner with a slightly better than modest income.

One who lived in a cave.

You could take her.

Aye, he could, but to what purpose? Another feud for his clan. More death. More sorrow.

How could they have a happy marriage based on that?

There were so many lives at stake here. Things much more important than his own happiness, which seemed paltry when compared to what could happen again.

Ewan cursed as pain a.s.sailed him anew.

He should have stayed in the mountains. He should never have helped her.

Now that he had...

Ewan couldn't get her out of his mind. He needed her more than he had ever needed anyone or anything.

The mere thought of living without her was enough to send him to his knees.

How could he go back to what he'd been before her winsome smile had set him free?

”Ewan?”

He looked over his shoulder to see Catarina approaching. The la.s.s was toying with the tip of her long braid. She looked hesitant as she drew near.

”What is it?” he growled. ”Can't you see I'd rather be alone?”

She ignored his surly tone and stood by his horse's head. She patted the horse on the nose as she watched him. ”Nora didn't lie to you.”

He felt his nostrils flare as more pain wrenched his gut. ”What do you know if it?”

”I know enough to say that she would much rather have you for husband than Ryan.”

He tightened his grip on the brush, refusing to let her see how much her words bothered him. ”And I would say that you are not Nora and know nothing of her mind or mine.”

”I know what I see,” she said softly. She reached out and stopped his hand from brus.h.i.+ng the horse.

”You two belong together.”

Ewan stared at her hand on his. Her skin was pale, like Nora's, her nails every bit as well manicured.

But that hand didn't make him tremble.

It didn't cause his body to burn, his manhood to stiffen.

Only Nora did that.

And she was the one woman he couldn't have.

Alone he could fight for her. Was willing to fight for her. But if Ryan refused to let her go, it would be like Robby MacDouglas all over again.