Page 52 of The Devil in Plaid
All lightness fled Jamie’s face. His brow furrowed. “Kenneth’s men have landed on the shores of Loch Ewe. Yer father’s army is also ready to march.” He held her hand in his. “We must ride out and meet them. We’ll bring horses and wagons and the necessary supplies Kenneth could not bring over on the ships that carried his men.”
“How long will ye be gone?” Fiona asked.
“Three days. Alasdair will ride with me. I leave Matthew here to assist ye.”
A knot formed in her stomach. “When must ye go?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Within the hour.”
“Tonight?” she exclaimed, heartsore at not having another night to spend with him. But then she squeezed his hand. “Forgive my outburst. It was selfish.”
He leaned close and brushed his fingers down her cheek. “I will return to ye as soon as I am able. I take no pleasure in leaving yer side.”
She sat straighter, trying to keep her thoughts on duty and honor. “What ye do is for the good of our people.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I will miss ye.”
She now regretted that they had not consummated their union. What if something happened to him? Her chest tightened, making it difficult to draw breath.
“Do not fash yerself,” he crooned in her ear. Then he leaned close and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “I will return to ye, and I’ll bring home an army.”
