Page 55 of The Runaway Bride and the Highlander
The paper shook as his hands trembled, and like a volcano, the emotions began with a small rumble deep inside of him, growing and spreading and becoming more and more intense. The crescendo continued to build until he could contain them no longer, and eventually, they exploded out of him. It was at that point that Maxwell let out a mighty roar of pain and despair.
Striding around the room in frustration, he could hardly believe his stupidity. Her words were hardly wrong, for he had spilled his feelings, and though he had been terrified, being so open and vulnerable in front of another, he had not realized he had made it all about howhefelt. But thinking back, perhaps it was true. He had made excuses for his behavior in the hope that she would understand his motivations for pushing her away. But in the end, he should have simply said that he was wrong.
After all these years, after all his loss, he had finally found a woman who had stolen his heart with her kindness and enchanted him with her beautiful spirit. Unbeknownst to her, she had cast a spell on him, nearly binding him to her, for he could not rid her from his mind. He had experienced perfection lying next to him in his bed last night, and in his foolishness, he had lost her. Clearly, in pushing her away, he had pushed her too far.
Perhaps I should go after her? Surely, that is what every woman wants, tae be shown how much they are loved and needed. I could show her how much she means tae me then.
But would that not be yet another manifestation of his selfishness? She had specifically asked him not to come after her. In doing so, he would be thinking once again of his own needs and not hers. His thoughts tormented him as he juggled with what he ought to do. If he ignored her instruction and chased after her, she would see his actions as selfish. If he stayed, he might go out of his mind and not only with worry, for he had no doubt at all that Johnson’s men were still out there somewhere, roaming about the glens and waiting for their first chance to snatch her. But nor would he now be given an opportunity to try and convince her that he would change, that he would be a better husband and a better man.
But surely, that is me being selfish again. Arrghh!
He could take his inner confusion no longer. He needed to talk to someone who could help him work out what he should do. Dressing quickly, Maxwell hurried from his bedchamber and swiftly made his way down the corridor. Without knocking, he stormed in Bram’s room.
A squeal came from the young maid in Bram’s bed as she swiftly pulled the furs over her naked body.
“For God’s sake, Maxwell,” Bram barked, his face growling with anger. “Just because ye’re miserable in yer marriage doesnae mean ye have tae ruin everyone else’s pleasure.”
Maxwell ought to have felt guilty, but there simply was no room in his being with all the other emotions thrashing about. He was far too focused on his own problems and, with that, ignored the embarrassed maid and Bram’s anger.
“I need ye in my study now,” he demanded. Maxwell did not linger and instead, with anxious energy rushing through his veins, headed straight for his study.
He was pacing back and forth, still highly agitated when Bram strolled in a little while later, not appearing at all phased by his brother’s excitable state.
“What the hell’s gotten intae ye, man? Ye cannae be bursting intae a man’s bedchamber like that, Maxwell. It isnae right.”
“I’m sorry,” Maxwell blurted. “But I need ye tae see this.” He shoved the letter toward Bram, and with a furrowed frown, his brother took it from his hand.
For a moment, Bram was silent, concentrating as he read the words on the note line for line. After a minute, he looked up at Maxwell with a suspicious scowl, his anger apparently growing by the second.
“What have ye done?” he growled.
“I dinnae ken,” Maxwell replied, for once truly not knowing what he had done. Yes, he perhaps had been selfish, but on further consideration of Skylar’s letter, not everything she said made sense.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” Maxwell added.
“What did ye say tae her last night?” Bram demanded, waving the letter. “She says something about ye talking about yerself too much.”
“I was trying tae explain why I’ve been acting like such a fool this last while. I did what ye told me tae do and told her everything. Wasnae that the right thing tae do? I was only trying tae mend what I had broken.”
“And the maid?” Bram snarled, the anger still very present.
While Maxwell had been confident in answering the last question, he felt a rush of guilt at that one. He also feared his brother’s judgement. Maxwell was well aware of how fond of Skylar he was. He knew one thing for certain. He was not going to like the answer.
“It was a stupid idea—” Maxwell started to explain.
“Did ye sleep with her?” Bram barked.
“Nae!” Maxwell blurted. “I couldnae go through with it. But,” he hesitated before having no choice but to continue, “Skylar arrived at the bedchamber door just as the maid was leaving.”
“Och, my God.” Bram huffed, shaking his head in dismay. “Well done, Maxwell, just excellent. What a great way to begin your marriage,” Bram snapped with heavy sarcasm.
“Nothing happened,” Maxwell defended.
“I dinnae care!” Bram yelled back. “The very fact that ye even had a maid sent tae yer chambers when ye’ve been ignoring the woman ye married from the minute ye married her is bad enough. The poor lass has been in utter turmoil, trying to understand what ye were going through. And how do ye repay her care and kindness? Ye shag a maid.”
“I didnae shag her,” Maxwell pressed.
“I dinnae care!” Bram bellowed back. His brother paced back and forth before turning back to face Maxwell. “What the bloody hell were ye thinking?!”
