Page 108 of In Search of a Husband
Gabriel carriedFinn into the carriage that had been discarded on the side of the road and hitched the horse.
“Yer parents must be in the village,” he said, turning toward Kate.
She nodded sleepily, her body exhausted from the day’s events.
Elsie pushed past her and climbed in beside Finn, cursing at him as he swatted away her hand. Even near-death didn’t bring peace between those two.
Another day, she might have smiled.
Instead, the marquess led both girls out of the woods. Whatever he said to them must have been funny because they laughed. Then they tore away from him and raced toward Gabriel, who dropped to his knees and hugged his nieces.
“Kate was so brave,” Maisie said.
“Mr. McQuarrie should be in trouble. He hurt Aunt Elsie.”
“I ken, sweet,” he said, gazing down upon, brushing his hands over their hair. “And ye two were the bravest of all, my girls.” They buried their heads into his neck, refusing to let go. He dropped a kiss on top of their heads and squeezed his arms tighter.
Kate had done the same with the girls as they waited only hoursearlier, soaking in the details in case all was lost. She couldn’t imagine it. Wouldn’t allow it to enter her mind.
But her hand trembled by the carriage door. Her voice wasn’t much better. “Elsie, your head needs to be looked after by the surgeon. Finn, keep still.”
“If you tell me where the surgeon is, I will escort him to the castle,” the marquess offered, strolling up.
“That would be helpful, thank you. Perhaps you could locate my parents as well?”
“Only if you wish it.”
Kate was surprised by the laugh that scraped her throat. “Thank you for your assistance today. And yes, I suppose it would be best to know where they are. I don’t know if they’re cut out for the Scottish Highlands.”
“But you are, Kate.”
She shrugged, studying his handsome face. The man had brought her life to a halt while also showing her a new one. In time, they might be friendly. It was because of him that she had everyone back who mattered most to her.
The constable dragged Duncan out of the woods. The older man staggered, his head bleeding, before he glared at Kate and the others.
“Keep yer mouth shut, McQuarrie,” the constable hissed. “Ye’ve done enough already.”
Kate swore he mumbled “not enough” under his breath, but she didn’t have it in her to watch as he was loaded into the wagon with the rest of his men.
“MacInnes, we’ll be needing to talk ye.”
“Can it no’ wait until later?” he shouted back, standing in front of the girls. “Finn needs a surgeon.”
“Och, that’ll do. Go on, then.”
Gabriel stood, picking each girl up in his arms, clean off the ground as they giggled and ruffled his bronze hair.
“Ye’re a beastie with the sword,” Lorna said. “Kent it’d be handy.”
He chuckled, looking between the girls, before setting his gaze toKate as twilight quickly faded to the cover of night. The air was bitter cold, that last hint of autumn missing. Winter was creeping in.
Duncan held them in the forest for only a handful of hours, yet it felt a lifetime. A lifetime in which Kate would have given her life to protect the girls and Elsie. The bruises around her wrists and ankles throbbed as her heart began to steady. The neat kick to her ribs ached, and though she hadn’t been schooled much on the topic of anatomy, she would hazard a guess that she might have a bruised rib or two. It was most painful.
But not nearly as much as the broken heart thrumming in her chest. A constant reminder of how the day began.
Leaving Dunsmuir Castle behind.
Leavinghim.
