Page 43 of His Highland Duchess
“Spotty!” she cried out, her voice drowned by the rumbling of thunder. “Spotty!”
She rushed through the stables, checking the other stalls, looking between the legs of the horses, ducking around piles of hay and stacked boxes. “Spotty!”
The puppy was nowhere in sight. Her eyes wandered across the stable to a doorway at the back, which swung open off its hinges. Again, her stomach dropped, and she felt like she might be sick.
With little choice, she ran back into the storm and through the garden. “Spotty!” she cried out loudly, over the noise of the rain and the wind. “Spotty! Where are ye!”
It was hard to hear clearly, but she thought she could just make out the sound of yelping. It was pained and frightened, and she hurried through the garden toward a row of trees. The rain lashed her. The wind battered. But she pushed on, ignoring the wet and the cold as the sound of the poor puppy crying grew.
“Spotty!” She spied him huddled underneath a tree, shaking. He saw her, his big brown eyes widened with relief, and he sprinted for her, leaping up and into her arms. “There ye are. Oh, what were ye thinkin’!”
She laughed with relief as she held his shivering body close. He licked her face and yelped, his tail wagging, his big ears flopping about as he shook his head. “Come on…” She tucked him under her arm. “Let’s get ye back to…” She trailed off when she looked across the garden, through the howling storm, to see the duke coming for her. “Oh nae…”
“Margaret!” the duke shouted as he strode toward her. He held a hand up to cover his face. “What are you doing out here?” A crack of lightning in the sky drowned him out. “Have you lost your mind?”
“I…” She caught her tongue, no idea what to say. The puppy was tucked under her arm, impossible to hide. “It’s nae what it looks like.”
He came to a stop ten feet away, spying the puppy. His body was drenched, hair hanging limply over his face. But she could see the confusion in his eyes… and then the anger as he put the pieces together. “What is that?”
“I can explain.”
“Explain?” He made for her, and she flinched back. “Whose dog is that?” He pointed at Spotty as if she were clutching a rabid wolf to her breast.
“I…” She considered what to say, thinking to lie to him.Nae… I am sick of lyin’. Sick of constantly worryin’ how he might react. He wants the truth? He can have it. And damn the consequences.“We found him last week!” she shouted over the storm. “Lost and afraid.”
“We?”
“Me and the girls,” she said defiantly. “In the stables. I have been lookin’ after him since.” She held him close to show the duke that she would not be letting him go. “The girls named him Spotty, and I dare say that they have grown rather attached to him.”
The duke groaned and ran a hand through his head. “And you came out here to do what?” A rumble of thunder overhead. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is!”
“And ye care?”
The duke reared back as if struck. Despite how angered she was by him, she could see from the look in his eyes how much her comment had hurt him. Yes, they had fought. And yes, they were yet to find sound footing. But that single reaction told her that beyond their mutual attraction, there was a part of him that cared for her.
“I am sorry,” she said.
He shook his head. “Where have you been keeping it?”
“The stables.”
He groaned as he looked past her at the stables. His brow furrowed, and he gritted his teeth. “Inside, Margaret. Follow me.”
“And Spotty?”
“Bring him.” He strode for her, holding up an arm to block out the rain as he came in beside her. But the wind was heavy, the way was slippery, and she almost fell. “What’s wrong!” he called.
“Nae – naething!” she stuttered from the cold.
He stopped and looked at her, biting his lip as he considered. And then, without question, he stepped into her and lifted her body into his arms.
“What are ya doin’!” she cried out in surprise.
“Careful,” he commanded.
Again, Margaret felt her body set alight as she wrapped her arms around his thick neck. He was so strong. So powerful. But also…surprisingly caring and gentle.Being in his arms like this brought upon her a familiar sensation deep within her loins, one she had been actively trying to avoid. Needless to say, it added to the confusion like nothing else.
Still, she could feel the anger in him as he carried her. Or was that worry? Likely, even he wasn’t certain.
