Page 39 of Kilty as Sin
Someone else said the words, but she was there. Her hand…someone was holding her hand and answered for her. Father?
A voice—so dry it sounded as if it might crumble to dust—declared her wed.
Married? She was married?
Barclay.
Nay, nay, not Barclay. Barclay had left her. The darkness had claimed her after he’d left. He was gone.
She was married?
Her head hurt from trying to understand what was happening. Or perhaps that was the wine.
Wine? Nay, poison. She’d been poisoned, hadn’t she?
The darkness enveloped her once more and she sank gratefully into oblivion.
The next thing she was aware of was gentle hands and a soft voice. It reminded her of her nurse who’d become her lady’s maid. Grace felt her head being lifted, heard someone coaxing her to drink.
The liquid was cool and soothing, not at all like the wine her father had tricked her into drinking, and Grace eagerly drank it all. The gentle hands laid her head back on the pillow, and the darkness…
Somehow, the darkness became a little less black.
Grace could hear movement and murmured voices. A few words.
Wake soon.
Married.
Milady.
Fetch the bridegroom.
Laird MacGill.
Grace struggled to understand, to lift herself from the darkness…and to her surprise, it was less difficult than it had been.
She became aware of the feeling of soft linen against her palms and she knew she was lying in bed, trying to sit. Instead, she curled her fingers around the bedclothes, concentrating on her breathing.
Aye.
Aye, she could do this. She would beat the darkness.
Gradually, the sounds ceased as she heard the people leaving the room. Shewantedto call out to them, to beg them to return.
But since she couldn’t, Grace knew she had to pull herself awake on her own.
When she was able to open her eyes, the darkness faded to a sort of gray and she thought she recognized her old room. Her eyelids were less heavy now, and she forced them open for longer.
Then…footsteps. Heavy footsteps.
The door slammed open, and she heard a man stomping across the room. Her heart began to beat harder.
Barclay?
“Wake up, ye stupid bitch.”
If she’d needed proof ‘twas not Barclay, the sharp pain from the blow to her cheek would have confirmed it. Grace sucked in a startled breath.
