Page 162 of The Highlander Who Protected Me

“But you’re kidnapping me.”

“I ain’t. You’re comin’ of your own free will. Now shut your damn mouth, else I’ll shut it for you.”

Ainsley clamped her lips shut and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Tira cuddled against her, now quietly sobbing into the lace trim of her pelisse.

“Hush, darling,” she whispered. “Mamma won’t leave you, no matter what. No one will ever take you away from me again.”

At this point, that was all that mattered.

They’d almost reached the carriage when Angus finally managed to stagger toward them. “Stop, ye bastards,” he shouted.

“He ain’t no threat,” said one of the men. “We got his pistol.”

The brute beside her cocked his own pistol, even though the old man was unarmed.

“Angus, stop,” she called out. “Think of Tira. She might get hurt.”

He stumbled to a halt, his bloodied features pulled tight with anguish.

“They’re going to take her either way,” she said to him. “So I’m going with her.”

“Lass, you canna do this,” he choked out. “Ye’ll make it harder for Royal to get the wee one back.”

“I’m sorry, Angus. But I will not be separated from her ever again.”

Her captor jabbed her in the shoulder. “Get in the bloody coach.”

She looked Angus straight in the eye. The old man was in tears. “Tell Royal I love him.”

“Lass—”

“Angus, go home, now.”

She turned and climbed into the carriage that would take her to the man about to ruin her life.

Again.

* * *

“It’s my fault.” Royal braced himself as the town coach swung hard around a corner. “I never should have left the house.”

“The marquess would have gotten his hands on Tira sooner or later,” Logan said from the opposite bench. “The law would have seen to that.”

Angus, seated next to Logan, scowled. “To hell with the law. We’ll take care of the English bastards ourselves.”

In the dim light of the carriage lamps, the old fellow’s bruised and swollen features looked gruesome.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Royal asked.

The side of his grandfather’s mouth that wasn’t swollen lifted in an attempt at a ferocious smile. “Dinna fash yerself, lad. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You were almost—” He clamped his mouth shut against the rage and fear that threatened to swamp him.

Angus divined his thoughts. “ThatSassenachcodpiece has no reason to hurt our lasses. He’s got what he wants. For now.”

“He doesn’t give a hang about Tira, but hewillpunish Ainsley.” It was driving him mad just thinking about it.

“It’s been less than two hours,” Logan said. “Your wife is a smart, capable woman. She can take care of herself and Tira until we rescue them.”

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