Page 59 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance

Her racing heart slowed, seeing concern rather than anger in his eyes. “I need to know one thing.”

His concern deepened and he spoke as if he had stepped into her mind and knew what she was thinking. “Aye, Torrance, is dead.”

Relief turned her legs weak, and his arm tightened around her. Tears tickled at her eyes, not out of sadness but joy that she was free and would no longer live in fear… unless.

She looked up at Ryland.

Confusion showed in his eyes. “You shed tears for him?”

“Nay, I shed tears of relief that I am free of him, but tell me, what fate awaits me with you?”

Ryland wished he had more time to talk with her, explain what he could, ease her worries, and do what he wanted to do most… kiss her. He really had to quell his desire for her. Bloody hell. He knew it was much more than that. He loved her with all his heart and if he wasn’t careful it would get in the way of the plan.

“That has yet to be decided, but you have my word that no harm will come to you. You are safe with me,” he assured her. “Now, we must go. We can talk more when it is safe to talk.”

Ryland led Esme through the woods, his grip on her hand firm and his pace quick, as if time itself were nipping at his heels.

Esme noticed that he didn’t return to the spot where the men had surprised them but instead, he took her near the bend of a shallow stream, were a handful of warriors were gathered.

These were the men Ryland had spoken of—men loyal to him, not Torrance. Relief was short-lived. Strangers, no matter whose name they answered to, were still strangers.

A lean, tall, though not as tall as Ryland, warrior stepped forward at the sight of him.

“Finally,” he breathed, with relief. “I was beginning to worry that you were dead since we haven’t heard from you after receiving your first cryptic message.”

“I’m a difficult man to kill, Nug,” Ryland said with a grin.

Nug closed the distance between them and pulled Ryland into a fierce embrace, slapping his back as if proving to himself that he was real.

“Thank the Lord,” Nug said, stepping back after giving Ryland’s arm a firm squeeze. “You’ve no idea what it’s been like. Not knowing, worrying, praying.”

“I had no choice. The opportunity presented itself and I could not turn away from it,” Ryland said. “I thank you for trusting me and keeping my silence.”

“That was never in question. Need I remind you that we have been friends since we were young, Ryland? If you cannot trust me, who could you trust?” Nug said, then his gaze swept over to Esme. “I recall seeing you on a visit to Clan Glencairn. You are Torrance’s wife.”

The men behind Nug were all watching her now, silent, curious, waiting for her response.

“Widow. I am Torrance’s widow,” she corrected, surprising herself.

The silence that followed made her question her choice of words.

Then Nug arched a brow at Ryland. “Is it true? Torrance is dead?”

“Aye,” Ryland said with a nod. “I watched him take his last breath, though I had no time to bury him.”

“Then how can you be sure he’s dead,” Nug argued. “Evil is hard to kill.”

“I’m no fool, Nug. I went back when time allowed,” Ryland said. “The forest animals left enough trace of him for me to be sure.”

Before Ryland could respond, hoofbeats sounded nearby. Esme’s head snapped toward the sound, unease stirring in her again.

Two riders emerged from the dense forest, one barely big enough to ride the horse, and the other large and formidable.

“Dru,” Ryland said under his breath, and sure enough, the petite, young woman flung herself off her horse the moment it halted. Her red, wind-tossed hair was as fiery as her nature.

“I knew it!” Dru marched straight up to Ryland and jabbed a finger at his chest. “You lied to me. I knew something wasn’t right about Torrance. He would have never allowed Knox to wed me, not unless he meant to have Knox beheaded the next day!”

Knox dismounted with far more restraint, his gaze sweeping the area, then settling on Esme. He gave a polite nod as he came to a stop near his wife.

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