Page 50

As stunned as she still felt after what she had just witnessed, Katherine gazed into his eyes and saw a vulnerability she hadn’t known the laird was capable of. He had fought to protect her. His rage, and the massive bloodshed had all been for her.

Earlier when he had kissed her, Katherine had known deep down that her feelings were growing, but in that very moment, she came to a conclusion she could never have imagined.

She was falling in love with Domhnall McLeod.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

His heart was still thumping when Katherine’s eyes fluttered.

“Katherine! Katherine!” he barked.

But no amount of shouting stopped her eyes from finally closing, and a second later, her head lolled back.

“Nay. God, nay!”

Hurriedly, Domhnall pressed his head against her bosom. Relief rushed through him as he heard the beat of her heart. It was faint, but it was still there. Scooping her up, he ran back to the village at an unnatural speed. Only when he reached the houses did he slow and run like a normal man might. No one could know, even if it nearly killed him to curb his power. Katherine needed immediate help, but still, no one could know.

There were gasps from the villagers at the sight of him, and he heard men and women calling out, asking if he was all right. He ignored them all, just like he ignored the fact that his blood-spattered clothes, face, and hands, likely had people terrified at what must have happened.

Upon finding his horse where he had left it, he jumped upon the beast, and with Katherine held tightly to his chest, he thundered off in the direction of the castle. He pushed the horse as hard as it would go, praying that she would hold on until he got her to Enya.

Ye have tae mak’ it, Katherine. Ye have tae.

As the horse thundered on, Domhnall’s mind continued to race, torn between the need to protect her and the guilt that he might have failed her already.

What had she been doing in the village in the first place?

He didn’t know the answer to that, and nor did he really care. He just needed to get her to safety.

As he approached the gates, he yelled at the top of his voice. “Open the gates. Open the gates.”

He watched as the men on the wall hurriedly called out to the men at the gate, and a moment later, the gates opened, just in time for him to thunder through them.

Bringing the horse to an immediate halt, he jumped from the beast with Katherine still in his arms.

“Get me Enya,” he bellowed.

Several guards hurried away, while Domhnall ran across the courtyard toward Brianna’s cottage.

He thundered his fist on the door, yelling for her to open it. When she did, Domhnall wasted no time with greetings.

“Och, me God. What has happened?” Brianna gasped.

“I need a bed,” Domhnall demanded.

“In here,” the old woman cried, leading him through the cottage that was so small, he had to duck his head for fear of him knocking himself out on the wooden beams above him.

“I’m here,” Enya said, several minutes later.

She entered the room and immediately, her mouth fell open as she took in the scene. Katherine was now lying on the bed, and while Brianna was looking her over, Domhnall could only stand there feeling entirely helpless.

“Oh, God. What happened?” Enya cried, hurriedly reaching the bed.

“She’s injured,” Domhnall growled. “One minute, she was awake, the next, she wasnae.”

“She’s hit her head,” Brianna said calmly. “I can get her something fer?—”

“It’s all right, Brianna,” Enya said. “I’ll deal with this.”