Page 55 of Married to the Highland Devil
“I shall make ye my clan’s healer if ye arenae careful,” he joked. “Ye ken a lot about herbs and healin’.”
“I shall be honored,” she answered him, matching the light tone of his laugh. “Really, I shall be. I like Elijah, and I am sure we will work well together.”
They continued talking and laughing till late in the night, neither of them aware of how much time passed while they were locked in his study.
Early the next morning, Amelia was still basking in the warmth of sleeping in Duncan’s arms. It was a feeling she could get used to, and she hoped it was the same for him.
She was still grinning to herself as she lay on the bed, but the knock on the door suddenly halted the peace and serenity they enjoyed.
Duncan left the bed and walked over to check while Amelia adjusted the sheets covering her body.
“My Laird,” she heard the person on the other end say, “this is an emergency.”
The grave rush in the man’s tone made Amelia’s nerves stand on high alert. She only ever felt that way when something was terribly wrong.
“What is it?” Duncan asked.
“It is yer sister, My Laird. We cannae find her in the castle. I think she has been taken.”
24
Duncan and Arran returned from the moors where they had gone to search for Yvaine.
“She’s not there,” Duncan said to his mother, who had been crying since the moment they had realized Yvaine was not in the castle. “Nay one has seen her since.”
“I saw her last night,” Elspeth said amidst her tears. “We were together in the garden, and I left her there because she said she wanted to stay out for longer. She was crocheting a blanket, and a servant found that crochet in front of the keep.”
“She was taken,” Duncan rasped and ran his fingers through his hair.
Amelia sat on the bottom step quietly, and when Duncan looked from his mother to her, he did not know what to do next.
“This is my faither’s doin’,” Arran said in a bitter tone, and Duncan turned to see the fearsome look in his friend’s eyes.
Arran’s nostrils flared, and his breathing turned noisy. His eyes seemed to bulge, and he began pacing around the keep.
Duncan’s own body tensed to the point where his muscles hurt.
“I shall ride home,” Arran said. “It is safer if I go, and I shall bring Yvaine back with me.”
“Arran—”
“Ye cannae stop me, Duncan,” Arran interrupted. “I ken I stopped ye the last time, but this is Yvaine that has been taken!” he yelled.
Duncan saw his friend’s flushed ears and the veins that stood out in the base of his neck.
“I cannae let him get away with hurtin’ her. I willnae stand for it.”
Arran’s words were edgy, and Duncan could sense his frustration. He had always known Arran cared for his sister. The only culprit Duncan could think of was Laird MacGregor, and the best person to go to him was his son, Arran.
He willnae hurt his own son.
“He willnae hurt me,” Arran said as if reading Duncan’s mind. “I will return with Yvaine.”
“I will go with ye,” Duncan offered.
“Duncan,” his mother and Amelia called at the same time.
He turned to see Amelia had risen to her feet, and she was now walking towards him.
