The Intended by May McGoldrick

Author:May McGoldrick
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: philippa gregory, Historical Romance, macpherson, henry viii, duke of norfolk, Highlanders, trilogy, Scotland, diana gabaldon
ISBN: 9780451408068
Publisher: Topaz
Published: 1998-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

As he pulled open the window, the wind and rain abated momentarily, and the Highlander stepped silently into the room.

She neither raised her head nor moved, but remained as she was—huddled on her knees with her back to him. Jaime continued to cry; he could see her shoulders hunched forward and quaking a bit. Without taking his eyes from her, Malcolm reached behind him and pulled the window shut. The wind and the rain picked up again, and the sound of the drops beating against the diamond-shaped panes, along with the dropping of the latch penetrated her solitude, and her head snapped around to face him.

Her look of surprise quickly gave way to relief and—dare he even think it!—happiness as recognition set in. But there was also something extremely vulnerable in her attitude, in her face. He took a step in her direction and then stopped as Jaime came quickly to her feet and glanced nervously at the music room door. Though he had certainly given her every reason to fear him, the last thing Malcolm wanted now was for Jaime to run away from him.

With a quick look over her shoulder, Jaime crossed the room to the door. Malcolm nearly called out to her, but hesitated, suddenly uncertain about what to say. He had been waiting outside the window, wishing Mary Howard out that very door, but he knew that if Jaime truly wanted to go, there was nothing he could say that could stop her.

She reached the door in a moment, and then paused. Jaime dropped the latchbar in place as Malcolm felt a sense of relief wash over him. She wasn’t running from him. She wasn’t going for aid. She wasn’t afraid of being alone with him. He watched as she turned around and rested her back against the door.

“I had to see you, Jaime,” he said finally.

Her voice was husky from crying. “You came down the wall—you could have continued on into the night. You could have escaped.” She quickly wiped away the streaks of tears from her face.

Malcolm knew the truth would sound hollow and false after what he had done to her, so he held his tongue. How could he admit that for him, there was no leaving this place, unless she left with him. “How far would I get on a night such as this.”

“True,” she whispered. “And with no one to help you to get onto the north road.”

The feel of the stiff parchment inside his boot reminded him of those who would help him, but this was not the time to bring that up. In truth, he’d only brought the letter in the event that she would reject his presence outright. He certainly didn’t want her to think that the letter had anything to do with why he’d climbed down the wall to see her.

“Are you unwell?” he asked quietly, looking at the dark circles under her eyes.

She shook her head, clearly unenthusiastic about dwelling on herself. For the first time, she lifted her eyes to his wet hair and drenched clothes, and whispered her concern.

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