Page 76 of The Highlander's Dangerous Bride

“I love ye too, Raven. God, how I love ye.”

In the aftermath of their love-making, Raven lay upon his chest, while Arne cupped her buttocks, one in each hand. She was happy for a short while, juts reveling at being in his arms, at being loved by him.

But after a while, reality crept back in. The guilt and fear, the doubt and self-recrimination returned to nag at her when she thought of what she was about to do to him.

She waited on tenterhooks until he was asleep. Then she slid out of bed and got dressed as quickly and quietly as she could.

She went over to the bed and looked down at his sleeping face, framed by his short blond locks and left the letter on the pillow next ot him. She gazed at his rough, masculine beauty, thinking him more heartbreakingly handsome than ever. Bending over him, she pressed a butterfly kiss to his lips.

Read me letter and try tae understand why I’m doin’ this, me darlin’. I love ye with all me heart and soul. Be careful.

Then, she went to the door, and crept from the room as quietly as she could.

The sound of the door closing woke Arne. Confused for a moment, he rubbed his eyes and looked around the chamber.

“Raven? Where are ye?”

No answer came. That’s strange. Has she gone back tae her own chambers?

Feeling strangely restless, he got out of bed. And it was as he did so that he noticed a letter on the pillow addressed to him, in Raven’s distinctive hand. Suddenly, he felt like the bottom of his word had just fallen through, and him with it.

“Nae this time, nae again,” he muttered under his breath, not needing to read the letter to know she was leaving him, the same way she had three years before. Fueled by a mix of betrayal and desperation, he pulled on his clothes as quickly as he could and left the room, determined to catch up to her and tell her exactly what he thought of her. This time, there would be no excuses, no going back.

As he left the keep and looked around in the moonlight, he thought he spied the hem of a dress disappearing around a corner. He ran after it and caught up with her just as she was exiting a side gate that led outside the castle grounds.

Arne came up behind her and caught her by the arm, stopping Raven in her tracks. She turned to him, her face a picture of shock.

“So, ye thought ye could sneak off and abandon me and Thorsten again, like ye did before, in the middle of the night,” he accused her in a harsh whisper. He brandished the letter at her. “I dinnae have tae read this tae ken what ye’re up tae.”

“Arne, I—” she began, but he cut her off.

“I dinnae wan tae hear yer excuses this time. I should have kent it would nae last. All that “I love ye Arne,” that was just another load of yer lies, was it nae? I suppose ye’re laughin’ behind me back at how easy it is tae make a fool of me!”

“But, Arne…” she whispered, looking confused and upset. But he ignored it, putting it down to her manipulative nature.

“Why should I bother tae read a letter when I ken what’s in it? It’ll be the same as last time. Why should I trust yer? Why should I bother with any more of yer excuses when ye cannae even trust me enough tae tell me the truth about what ye’re plannin’?”

“Nay, Arne, ye’ve got it all wrong,” she cried. “Ye need tae read the letter. ‘’Tis all in there.”

“Nae Arne, listen please, I beg ye, ye must believe me, I am nae leavin’ ye,” she begged him, doing a good impersonation of someone who was desperate to be believed. “Struan has–”

He shook his head. “I dinnae want tae listen tae ye, I cannae trust ye. This is the end fer us, Raven. “’Tis over. I never want tae see or hear from ye again!” With that, he turned on his heel and strode back to keep, intending to pack his things and get out of there as soon as he could.

“Arne! Arne! Please, come back,” she called after him, but he ignored her, steeling himself against more of her lies.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

“Arne! Arne! Please, come back,” Raven called after him, desperate to make him understand. “Why did he nae just read the letter?” she asked herself, dissolving into a storm of tears. Feeling like her heart was being torn from her chest, she wanted to rush after him and explain, but she knew he would not listen, and she had no time. It was close to midnight already, and she was late. If she was not at the meeting place on time, what would happen to Thorsten?

Maybe ’tis better this way. They’ll be better off without me in their lives,she tried to convince herself.

She dashed the tears from her eyes and gathered herself. She hoisted her bundle and ran to the village, all the way to the old kirk yard. She was out of breath and panting when she arrived, but all was deadly quiet amid the ancient headstones behind the crumbling old building.

She waited and waited, her heart pounding in her ears, fear expanding in her chest at every tiny noise. She was almost vibrating with fear, starting to wonder if it really was all another of Struan’s cruel ruses, when she heard a step behind her and something hard collided with the back of her skull. She toppled to the ground, and the last thing she heard was the cry of a nightjar before darkness closed around her.

Arne was in his chamber, a bag open on the bed, throwing his clothes and other things into it, determined to be on his way before dawn. His heart was in shreds, and he did not want to hang around and have to explain things to Everard and Maxwell.Let them find out fer themselves what a compulsive liar their sister is. I’ve had enough. I’m goin’ home.

So, he was very surprised and annoyed when someone suddenly hammered on his door. “What?!” he shouted impatiently, at the end of his tether.

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