Page 19 of Loving Graystoke's Heir

Donal heard more than a single snickering laugh coming from the people watching their little exchange, and it didn’t hurt his feelings or make him angry. No, he knew what he’d done and how angry it had made her. To be completely honest, he didn’t even mind if she wanted to take a swing at him. He could take it.

“But let’s be clear, Mister Graystoke.”

Oh, he was in trouble.

“Whatever you thought you were protecting me against was nothing compared to the worry and anguish that I went through. Do you have any idea what went through my mind? Every report of a man fitting your description that was found in a hole or rotting by the roadside, wore your face.

“Every night when I went to sleep wondering if you were healthy. If you had a roof over your head. If you had food to eat. All of those thoughts drove me crazy! All I needed to know were two things. One – that you were alive and well.”

He nodded, and gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “And two?”

Donal swore he could hear her heart pounding in her chest, and his own heart found a way to match the thundering rhythm.

“Two.” She shook her head and stepped back putting another foot between them, making it feel like it was the Grand Canyon. “Why did you have to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to get away from me? What did I do to make you leave me behind?”

Chapter Five

It wasn’t about hurting him, but Tamsin felt some little pang of satisfaction when she saw the impact of her words hit him like a physical blow. But that satisfaction fell away instantly, and the hurt turned right around like a ricochet and hit her square in her chest.

It almost doubled her over.

Staggered her back.

And that canyon of distance yawned between them.

Whatever relief she’d felt was now bottoming out into sorrow.

For herself.

All those years, wasted.

All those years, believing that he was alive, but incapable of contacting her. Incapable of easing her worries.

All. Those. Years.

“Hey.”

She swung her head toward the voice and saw Magheli’s eyes full of concern.

“You should sit down.”

He reached out for her, but a moment before his fingers could touch her, Donal was there, his hand wrapped around Magheli’s wrist.

“Donal?”

His focus wasn’t on her. Donal’s eyes, and every ounce of emotion in his body, were focused on Magheli. White knuckles slashed in contrast to Donal’s sun-tanned skin and as his mouth opened, Tamsin caught sight of bared teeth. “Don’t touch her!”

“Donal, stop.” It took her a moment to gather her wits around her. “Donal, let him go.”

It seemed like he couldn’t hear her. His whole body was rigid and strung tight like a bow.

And then she put her hands on him. On his shoulders.

His whole body reacted to her touch.

The fury in him melted, and he turned, letting the other man go so quickly that Magheli staggered back as Donal moved almost through her.

One moment she was trying to pull Donal off of another man and then she was moving, her feet dangling above the ground. Moving further and further away from the camp. It all came at her in a rush. Broad, flat leaves slapping against her back and her arms, she focused her gaze back in the other direction. She couldn’t seem to grasp what was happening, but she was able to grasp him.

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