Page 86 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance

“You’re loose with your tongue.”

“I speak the truth… do you?” Patrick asked with the quirk of his brow.

“First, you call me foolish and now a liar. Be careful, old man,” Torrance warned. “I will only tolerate so much.”

“You are like your father.”

“Finally, a compliment,” Torrance said, reaching for a chunk of bread, reminding himself that he couldn’t wait too long to get food to his hungry wife. “You knew my father?”

“Aye, I knew the evil shite.”

Torrance glared at him.

“If you want only lies, you are speaking to the wrong man.” Patrick cringed with a bit of pain as he went to lift his leg over the bench to leave.

“Stay where you are,” Torrance ordered, his tone angry enough to keep Patrick seated. “How did you know my father?”

Patrick looked at him strangely. “Do you not know that your mother was from these parts?”

Ryland failed to hide his surprise. “Nay, I did not. Nothing was ever mentioned of my mother’s family.”

Patrick scoffed again. “Being a Glencairn was all that mattered to your father. He disliked your mother’s family and that was no doubt due to a snowstorm that stranded his wife at Purdom Keep, leaving the next heir to Clan Glencairn to be born there.”

“That’s not true. All heirs of Clan Glencairn are born in the birthing room at Clan Glencairn keep.”

“That’s a lie. A snowstorm forced Torrance’s mother to give birth at Purdom Keep.”

“I am to take your word over my father’s?” Torrance asked annoyed, though such news made him wonder the truth of Torrance’s birth. “Are there any of my mother’s family left who could speak the truth to me?”

Patrick shook his head slowly. “They are all gone now.”

“Then there is no way of my knowing what is true,” Torrance said, his brow scrunching in frustration.

“There is one who may be able to help you, but you are being stubborn.”

“The Old Woman,” Torrance muttered, annoyed that everything seemed to point back to her. “She will not dictate to me.”

“Be careful, my lord, she always gets her way,” Patrick warned.

Torrance waited until Patrick left to stuff his cloth napkin with food for Esme. He was anxious to return to her and share what news he had learned and see if in any way, they could connect it to their present problem. And like it or not, he was going to need to consider having Esme go and speak with the Old Woman. His own orders might help with that. He could sneak her out of the cottage, have her meet with the woman, then sneak her back in. It was a thought, though not one that pleased him.

He kept an angry scowl on his face as he walked to the cottage so that no one would approach him and slow him down from reaching his wife. A light snow fell and with the air feeling colder than when he left the cottage this morning, he worried a snowstorm might alter any plans they might make.

He entered the cottage eager to see his wife, eager to talk with her, but mostly eager to take her in his arms and kiss her.

He entered, a strong wind along with him and he hurried to shut the door, then he turned with a smile. “I brought you fo?—”

The cottage was empty, the curtain drawn back to show the bed unoccupied.

Esme was gone.

CHAPTER 24

Ryland stood unmoving in the middle of the small cottage, the fire in the hearth crackling cheerfully, mocking him. Esme’s cloak was missing and so were her boots. Had she left of her own accord? He felt a punch to his gut. Or had someone taken her?

His hands clenched at his sides, fury twisting his stomach in knots. He didn’t believe she would go without leaving a word, but if he was right that meant she hadn’t gone willingly. And he didn’t like that possibility at all.

He turned sharply, scanning the room again as if it might yield a clue, some sign of struggle. But there was nothing, only absence, the aching, hollow kind. This time he felt it in his heart, as if something clawed at it, the pain so overwhelmed him. He couldn’t lose her again. Torrance had snatched her away from him before he could even make his intentions known to her. He would never let anyone take her away from him again.

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