Page 81 of Beyond Dreams

He stopped fighting off the hands that detained him when indeed, Holly appeared.

He went still, scarcely aware of anything but her. She’d been crying—often, recently—was the first thing he noticed.Jesu, but what had he done? She did not descend the stairs, but stayed upon the landing with now three women, including Lucas’ wife. Though he’d only met her once, Cora Thain was instantly recognizable for her blunt cut hair and that odd device of glass pieces that sat upon her nose. And there was Michael’s wife, the pretty lass with the golden-red hair, presently gliding down the stairs.

But his regard was for Holly, whose stubborn expression offered little hope that she might be interested in anything he had come to say.

“There she is,” Lucas said. “As stated. But before you can speak with her, we should—”

Duncan lunged forward again. Hands held him in place. “Bluidy hell—what is this?”

“Quarter hour,” Michael hissed at him. “That’s all we need.”

“Gentlemen, please,” said Michael’s wife, coming to a stop directly in front of Duncan.

Michael instantly shifted, releasing his hold, coming around to Duncan’s front, holding up a cautionary hand near Duncan’s shoulder. His other hand moved to his waist and his sword, the message clear.

“Duncan,” said the woman, meeting his confused gaze with her dark green eyes. “Your bride is well and will have conversation with youafteryou have spoken with your friends.”

His nostrils flared as he considered her. Their mouthpiece. She, all of them, knew he would not challenge her soft directive, certainly that he would not push past her.

Holly called down from the landing, her voice small. “He won’t believe you. He’ll only hate you, too.”

Bluidy hell! What went on here?

“Better us than you, lass,” Michael called back, not taking his gaze from Duncan.

That was what settled Duncan, Michael offering to take on that role rather than let Holly absorb Duncan’s expected hatred. Their overt protectiveness of his wife calmed him down. He relaxed his stance and gave a curt nod, and one last glance at Holly, who had yet to meet his gaze.

His tunic, which had been twisted in someone’s hand, was released.

“Let’s go,” Lucas said behind him. “Take this away from the keep.”

One more spark of suspicion niggled at Duncan.

“Holly? Look at me,” he said. He was beyond baffled by the nearly alarming behavior of his longtime friends. Their sudden want to get him out of doors might be construed as part of a plot. He trusted them, but just now realized that too much was off that he suddenly questioned their fidelity. But Holly, he knew, believed with his whole heart, would not lie to him. “Holly,” he called again and finally she lifted her perfect brown eyes to him. “All is well?”

She understood. “There is no danger here, not from these friends.”

Duncan nodded, mostly appeased, and allowed himself to be led outside.

“Just walk,” Lucas said, possibly not wishing to wait for horses to be saddled. “Beyond the gate.”

“Your men returned to Thallane?” Aedan asked. “Is that how you kent she was here?”

“Aye,” replied Duncan. “Jesu, where is Graeme?” He knew some guilt for only now recalling his cousin.

“And we’ll get to that,” Lucas said, wringing another frown from Duncan.

They walked down the lane and through a thicket of trees and into the Thain village. Duncan felt awful for having a sense that some treachery was afoot, for believing any of these men—all of them at once!—might be capable of deceit such as he was beginning to suspect.

Lucas led them to the door of one cottages, pausing with his hand on the handle as he considered Duncan.

“Your wife told you where she came from?” Lucas asked. “Whenshe came from?”

“Och. Shite.” He was instantly filled with humiliation, that his wife had blathered this sour business about. They would know she was mad now, would know that he didn’t care, that he—

“It’s all true, Duncan,” said Michael.

Duncan’s lip curled with distaste and contemplated the ground for a moment.What the bluidy hell?

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