Page 77 of A Virgin for the Icy Highlander
Whether or not Oscar believed her remained a mystery. He swept a tense hand through his dark hair. His gaze flitted between Grace, the little girl, the kitten, and the carriage behind him, far in the distance.
“Can I take Ellie to him?” Grace asked Lord Huston, hating every speck of his toady face.
He smiled. “Of course, my darling.” He gestured for her to proceed. “Careful, so you do not drop her.”
Placing Snowflake in Ellie’s arms, Grace carefully picked up the girl and carried her to the other end of the aisle, where Oscar waited. He still wore that look of utter confusion.
Just a step behind Grace, Lord Huston followed. The barrel of his pistol dug into the middle of her back.
“Remember,” Grace said, handing Ellie and the kitten over. “Straight back to the castle. Do not let Maddie get out of the carriage. She won’t understand, and shewillfight you.”
Oscar held the child close to his chest, dodging a swipe of the kitten’s claw. “AmIsupposed to understand?”
“Perhaps not, but please know that these are my wishes,” she replied, forcing a smile.
For a dreadful moment, Oscar hesitated. Then, with a bemused shake of his head, he stepped out of the chapel with the precious cargo in his arms. The nudge of the barrel against Grace’s back told her that she should follow.
Out in the cold, Lord Huston whistled, and a horse emerged from the darkness down the side of the chapel—a gravel avenue between the chapel and the main building of the school.
“Get up,” he said roughly.
Casting a sorrowful look back at Ellie, Grace put a foot in the stirrup, grabbed the edge of the saddle, and heaved herself up with all her might. She tried not to grimace as she felt Lord Huston’s hand on her backside, pushing her the rest of the way. It wasn’t to help her; she could have managed by herself.
Seated atop the horse, a tempting notion crept into her mind. She could ride away before Lord Huston had any hope of stopping her.
But Ellie… Maddie… and Laird Muir… No, he would surely shoot me before I made it anywhere.
Oscar huffed out a strained breath. “Grace, this is yer last chance.” He cradled Ellie’s head. “Are ye certain this is what ye want? Do ye nae want to say farewell to the lassie at least?”
“She has made her choice, and there is no time to wait for the girl to wake up,” the Earl replied tersely, pulling himself up behind her, far too close to her liking. “And if you make a move to question that choice, it will not be you or Lady Grace that I shoot. It will be that little girl.”
With a snap of the reins, the horse lurched forward. A moment later, the muscular beast breezed past Oscar and the child.
Hooves thudded on the gravel as the beast settled into a run. Hurtling down the driveway, they charged straight past the carriage where Maddie was keeping watch, oblivious to the fact that her dear friend had just signed her life away.
Gracejustglimpsed her friend as they sailed past and prayed it wouldn’t be the last time.
But I will never see Hunter again.
As the wind whipped at her face, stinging her eyes, she let the tears come.
30
“Maybe I was mistaken,” Ailis said, rubbing circles on her green pendant with her thumb. “It wouldnae be the first time. It might be that the lad got tired of waitin’ for me to arrive and treated himself.”
Hunter paced the floor of the Great Hall, once used for feasts and festivities, which was now the center of their search for Ellie. Maps were spread across the enormous feasting table alongside lengthy lists of where his soldiers were busy looking, and details of every search party that had been sent out—those who had come back and those who were still out there.
“I hope ye are wrong,” he muttered, “but I dinnae think ye are. The castle has been searched thoroughly, and there’s nay sign of her. And the maid who summoned ye to help that ‘lad’ cannae be found. Someone has her; I ken they do. And when I find out who it is, I’ll?—”
“Laird MacLogan!” a familiar voice screeched from the hallway beyond, as chilling as a banshee’s wail. “Laird MacLogan!”
He whipped around as the heavy double doors of the Great Hall groaned open and two figures fought to barge inside.
Threefigures.
“Ellie?” The word left Hunter’s mouth in a whisper. He was hardly able to believe what he was seeing.
He dropped the list he’d been holding and ran across the room to retrieve his precious daughter. She was asleep in Oscar’s arms, pale and damp from the rain that drizzled outside, but alive. She was alive and in her home and had been safely returned to her father’s arms.
