Page 26 of Kilty Until Proven Innocent
“I believe her,” the King rumbled. “She’s yer Angel, aye? And ye sent her after him.” A pause, as if the couple were communicating without words. “If she says Drummond is innocent, I’ll take her word.”
Oh Christ.
Oh Christ.
She’d used him. She’d manipulated him and used him, just as Rebecca had.
Holy shite on a stick, she’d beeninvestigating himall this time? When he thought they’d been working together? “My rooms,” he gasped, unable to stop the words from escaping. Someone had rifled through his rooms, and he’d taken that as proof the King had sent someone after him.
But it had beenBrigit?
Thiswas the reason he’d always vowed not to trust women!
And he’d been right!
Bile rising in his throat, Drum turned a livid glare toward the woman he’d only just considered trusting.
Ye did trust her, a tiny voice reminded him.She was doing this for yer own good. Trying to save ye.
Snarling, Drum shook his head, trying to push away the reminder. She’dbetrayedhim! She’dmanipulatedhim!
And then—and then—Brigit turned to him.
Turned to him, those green eyes tortured, hands turned palms-upward in a signal of helplessness, of offering…and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
The words punched him right in the gut, and Drum would’ve gone down again, had his fingers not curled desperately around the chairback so tightly he could hear the wood creak.
Sorry? She wassorryfor betraying him?
She was trying to help.
He shook his head again, this time more desperately.
In the background, vaguely, he could hear the monarchs discussing him.
“Well if Drummond is not the guilty one, husband, who is it?”
“Ye have yer Angels on the investigation, aye? Then I’ll have my Hunter put his mind to it as well. Between them, they’ll find the bastard who’s trying to kill me.”
The Queen sounded almost amused when she said, “It seems as though they work well together.”
“Yer Majesty,” the scarred lady-in-waiting murmured, “are yecertainye can trust him?”
Drummond was already forcing himself upright, forcing himself to turn back to his King, when the man said, “Aye.”
The King of Scotland pushed himself to his feet, knuckles on the table, and held Drum’s gaze. “Aye,Drummond Kennedy was my first Hunter, and the best of them. I can trust him.”
Focus focus focus.
His name had been cleared and the King trusted him again. Now was not the time to obsess over a woman’s betrayal.
Drum slammed his fist against his chest, the contact extra-hard to remind his heart to start working again, and bowed low at the waist. “I havealwaysbeen yer loyal man, Yer Majesty.”
When he straightened, the King nodded regally, then smiled almost conspiratorially as he sank back down in front of his mutton. “Then get out there and find the bastard who did this.” He glanced up at Lady Avaline. “And fetch some more wine, will ye?”
As she nodded and stepped back, Drum bowed again, not as low. “’Twill be—” His voice stuck, and he had to swallow and start again. “’Twill be a pleasure, Yer Majesty. If I might be excused to begin?”
The King waved lazily and Drummond found himself exhaling. In relief, in sorrow.
