Page 111 of The Highlander's Auctioned Virgin
But Elinor did not respond. She couldn’t. Not when her throat was clogged with tears. One of the maids hurried after her, but she was faster. She slipped into another part of the passageway before the maid could catch up.
Her feet carried her to her quarters without her bidding. She pushed the door open and slipped inside, her chest heaving with sharp, ragged breaths. Footsteps followed close behind, and it was not until she heard Anna’s voice that she knew who it was.
Her sister closed the door slowly, though Elinor could sense the strain in her movements.
She clapped her hand over her mouth. The lace of her glove caught against her lip. The sting in her eyes blurred the room.
“He cannae leave me,” she choked out. Her voice broke, the sound worse than any scream. “Nae after everything. Nae after he promised.”
Anna came to her and placed her hands on her shoulders. Elinor did not look up. She felt her throat work around the sob she could not hold in.
“He just cannae,” she said.
Anna pulled her close. She did not try to tell her otherwise.
The door opened behind them. Thomas stepped inside, his eyes focused, and the usual concern plain on his face. He must have been watching this charade unfold and was beginning to grow frustrated that Ciaran had not come back.
“I’m going after him,” he declared, his voice flat. “I willnae come back. Nae until I find him and bring him back to ye.”
Elinor raised her head. The tears made her vision swim.
Thomas’s face reflected something more than determination. Something she could not name, no matter how hard she tried. But she did not counter him or even try to stop him. Instead, she nodded once, and her hand fell from Anna’s sleeve.
“Thank ye,” she whispered.
Thomas did not answer. He turned to the door, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword as if he meant to crush it.
A soft knock sounded at the door before he reached it. He pulled the door open to reveal a maid standing there, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide. She bobbed a slight curtsy and looked straight at Elinor.
“M’Lady,” she greeted, almost out of breath.
Elinor arched a questioning eyebrow.
“He is back,” the maid announced.
Her words hung thick in the air. The room went still, and Elinor felt her heart pound against her ribs.
The maid swallowed. “He is approaching the gate.”
Anna grabbed her sister’s hand, but this time, Elinor did not feel it. She hiked up her skirt and brushed past them to get out of the room.
