Page 96 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
Reluctantly, he let her go.
“That isnae enough,” she said simply. “It could never be enough for me when ye shut me out of everythin’ else in yer life.”
She pulled away from him, lifting her skirts and swiftly walking away. As she returned to the castle, she passed Theo, who stood watching them sadly in the falling rain.
“Will ye ask a maid to attend me?” she asked stiffly. “I need to pack me things.”
Adam watched her go, his gut clenching as she disappeared inside the castle. He left the stables, surrounded by flitting shadows as the guards went about their duties.
Although it was still early morning, the clouds had made everything look gloomy and gray as he walked through the gardens toward the cliffs.
He passed his father’s statue, wondering what the late Laird would have made of his choices to date. He knew that his father would approve of vanquishing his enemies—he had done it all his life. But Emily was a puzzle that was more difficult to solve.
Adam had always longed for peace, and James’s death brought him one step closer to that goal. He tried to convince himself that Emily’s leaving was a good thing. It would allow him to pursue that aim again, and he would be able to throw all his energy into ensuring that his clan was as stable as it had ever been.
He walked across the tufts of grass and stones, eventually coming to a small oak door at the corner of the gardens which was partially covered by ivy. He shoved it open and then made his way out onto the edges of the cliffs.
The castle was set back a few hundred feet from the sheer drop, and Adam breathed in the fresh sea air, filling his lungs and trying to calm his thundering heart.
I want to go back inside and beg her to stay, and that is why I must stay away from her until she is gone for good.
He couldn’t afford to let himself get caught up in this. Emily would be happier without him.
He scowled as he heard slow footsteps approaching from behind him—Doughall had followed him out. Adam was ten or so feet from the edge when his friend came up beside him. The rain was abating, but it still pattered on the ground before them.
“Yer wife is leavin’, I hear,” Doughall said evenly.
“I suppose ye have come out here to tell me I am a fool?”
Doughall scoffed. “Ye ken how I feel about marriage.”
“Ye are the one who told me she was influencin’ me. I should have never let her.”
There was a long silence, and Adam’s skin began to itch as he felt the weight of his friend’s disapproval.
“Aye,” Doughall said slowly. “I did say that. And perhaps I was right.”
“Ye were. I can be a better laird without a woman cloudin’ me judgment.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
“Without her, yer sister would still be missin’. Ye would still be fightin’ Stewart. But because she agreed to yer mad plan, ye are the stronger for it.”
“I am stronger because Stewart is dead.”
“And why did ye kill him? Because of Laura or because of Emily?”
Adam opened his mouth to insist he had done it to avenge his sister, but the words would not form on his tongue.
“Ye were happy,” Doughall said softly. “I havenae seen that frown on yer face since before the weddin’.”
Adam shook his head, looking out at the wide ocean before him and refusing to believe his friend was right. For the past two weeks, all he had been focused on was Emily.
He thought of all the letters on his desk that had gone unanswered. He thought of all the work there was still to do, which he had barely considered since he had met her.
He clenched his jaw as the rain finally stopped, revealing a clear patch of blue sky above them. The sun came out, beating down on the sea.
