Page 63 of Beyond Dreams

“What does this mean?” He asked her.

“I can explain it,” she promised. She took a step toward him, lifting her hand.

Likely, the brutality of his expression was what stalled her. Her cheeks burned with remorse, embarrassment mayhap, he could not say.

“I can explain it,” she repeated, “but please, not here.”

“What does this mean?” He asked her again, his soft voice belying the menace beneath it.

“Please, Duncan. If you have any feeling at all for me—”

“Dinna dare use the claws you’ve sunk into my—my flesh as a tool against me now,” he roared at her.Into my heart, he had almost said.Jesu, but what the hell had become of him? “What does this mean?” He asked very slowly now.

“I-I was—it was not supposed to be—I didn’t have a choice,” she stuttered and stammered, her chin quivering.

Duncan was unmoved, his heart protected by the ice shielding it. “What the bluidy hell does this mean?” He bellowed at her, waving the letter close to her face.

It took only a few more words to turn his world upside-down. With her head bowed, she delivered them into her chest.

“I...I’m not Ceri MacHeth.”

A gasp was heard, and then another. A soldier near the door blew out a harsh breath. Those were the only sounds for several seconds. The only movement was hands being clapped over horrified mouths.

Holly lifted her face to him. Her lips were yet red from his kiss. Tears slid down her smooth-as-silk cheeks.

Duncan’s chest heaved, his breath stolen by her duplicity.

Finally, he turned his back on her.

He said to Graeme, “Get her out of my sight.”

Chapter Eighteen

Holly paced the timberfloor of her bedchamber, which was now effectively her prison. Though Graeme had looked upon her with some transitory pity, he had done as he’d been ordered, had escorted Holly up the stairs to this room.

“Graeme, please,” she’d pleaded as they’d gained the second floor, her arm held firmly in his grip.

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