Page 42 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance (Highland Revenge Trilogy #3)

E sme welcomed her husband’s intimate touches the next morning that swept her away in a whirlwind of passion. It allowed her to forget the problems they faced, the secrets yet to be discovered, and the fear of what might happen to Ryland when it was discovered he was not Torrance.

Ryland lay beside Esme in the afterglow of their lovemaking, his hand locked around hers. He warned himself that now was not the time to ask her, but the thought had tormented him so badly last night that he had difficulty falling asleep. This might not be the time, but he had to know.

“I shouldn’t ask this now when we have just shared such pleasure. It is probably selfish of me, but I cannot hold my tongue.” He turned on his side, facing her. “How often did Torrance raise his hand to you?”

Esme turned on her side, moving closer to him, his arm going around her. “A few times.”

His gut twisted as he asked, “Did he hit you after any of my visits?”

She narrowed her brow in thought. “Come to think of it, he did.”

“How many visits of mine did you suffer that?”

Another moment of thought and her brow rose in surprise. “All of them.”

Ryland brushed his lips over hers. “I am so sorry you suffered because I could not hide my love for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Brack told me that he and Torrance knew Ryland loved you, that it was obvious when I looked at you. That Torrance got great satisfaction out of knowing that he had gotten you as his wife knowing I wanted you. He made you suffer because of my love for you, and I never knew, or I would have done something about it, gone to war with him if necessary. Like you praying for Torrance to die, I went to war intending to kill him, stop his evil madness… and free you.”

“I never knew. Torrance never said anything.”

“He wouldn’t have. It was enough that he knew. Besides, he wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of knowing that another man favored you.”

“You’re right about that. He told me often enough that I was lucky he wed me, that my father begged him to wed me since no one else wanted me.”

He brushed his lips across hers again. “I wanted you more than anything in the world from the first moment I laid eyes on you, Esme. You haunted my thoughts and dreams since that day and when I returned to Clan Glencairn as Torrance, I was overjoyed to see you but heartbroken that I had to treat you as badly as Torrance did.”

“But it’s different now that I know who you are but more so that I know how much you love me.” Her brow wrinkled. “Why did Brack tell you that?”

“He’s suspicious of me. He questioned how I have changed since my return home and that if he didn’t know any better, he would think Ryland not Torrance returned. He told me that I look at you the way Ryland once did.”

Esme couldn’t hide her worry. “What are we to do? If Brack suspects you killed Torrance to take his place, he may want revenge.”

“We do nothing, at least not yet. We find out what we can so I can present the truth to the clan, whatever that might be, and decisions can be made.”

“We shouldn’t waste any time in talking to Patrick,” Esme said, moving away from him to get out of bed to dress.

“Aye, and to make sure he is all right.” Ryland followed suit, getting out of bed, but before reaching for his garments he pulled Esme into his arms. “Never forget that I love you.”

“The same goes for you. Never forget that my love runs deep for you and always will.”

The exchanged a quick kiss and began dressing.

“What did you mean about making sure Patrick is all right?”

“Brack told me he had to encourage him to talk.”

“Surely Breann would have spoken up out of fear,” Esme said.

“Breann was unimportant to Brack. Patrick was the one who received the message and the one who took me into the woods. His words were what Brack wanted to hear. We will go to the meeting hall for the morning meal and have Patrick brought there to join us.”

Ryland draped Esme’s cloak over her shoulders, then slipped his on once they were ready to leave and they stepped outside surprised by a flash of sun and rise in temperature. Snow was beginning to melt and children hurried to make snowballs while they could and toss them at each other laughing.

Ryland opened the door to the meeting hall for Esme to enter and raised voices greeted them.

“What goes on here?” Ryland demanded in Torrance’s commanding voice, seeing Breann trembling as she stood before Brack.

“Patrick has vanished,” Brack said, standing.

Ryland hurried Esme to the table where Brack stood, and food waited.

“Patrick is a warrior,” Ryland said, assisting his wife to sit. “He would not confess his intentions to a healer.” He turned to Brack. “Who discovered Patrick had fled?”

“I did, my lord,” Breann said, continuing to tremble. “I went to his cottage to see how he was, and he wasn’t there.”

“And she did not report her findings to me,” Brack said. “It was only when I went looking for him that I discovered he was gone and that she had known it and said nothing.”

“I didn’t know he had fled,” Breann argued. “An empty cottage was no indication to me that he fled. He simply was not there.”

“Or you lie and helped him flee,” Brack accused.

Ryland took command of their exchange. “Need I remind you again that Patrick is a seasoned warrior and would need no help fleeing. If he has fled, then he has done so on his own. You may leave, Breann.”

“Wait,” Esme said and looked to Ryland. “May I speak with her privately, my lord, a small healing matter.”

“A moment,” Ryland said sternly and waved at Brack to follow him.

When the two men stopped by the door, Esme whispered, “Who has been here at Purdom the longest.”

If Breann thought the question odd, she didn’t show it. “That would be Ida. She has seen many chieftains come and go. She knows the history of Clan Purdom well. So does Patrick, the last of his family. And I truly do not know where he is, my lady.”

Esme smiled softly. “I never thought you did, Breann.”

“Is that all you wanted to ask me, my lady?”

“Nay, if asked, please say I wanted to know how long before I know for sure I am with child.”

Breann smiled. “Did you miss your monthly bled?”

“It isn’t due for a few days, but I suppose I am anxious,” she said, realizing that now, finally, there truly was a possibility that she was with child.

“That is the first indication, tender, fuller breasts are another, and stomach upsets in the morning or throughout the day.”

“Thank you again, Breann.”

“I pray a child grows safely within you, my lady, and you can find Ida two cottages away from mine. It is the one with a fresh winter wreath on it. Ida’s fingers may be gnarled with age, but she still makes the loveliest wreaths.” Breann bobbed her head and headed for the door.

As Esme suspected, Ryland, though the stern look he wore spoke more of Torrance, stopped her. As Breann spoke, Ryland’s eyes darted to her and Brack grinned like a fool.

Brack continued to wear the grin as he approached the table with Ryland.

“Some possible good news among such unpleasant matters is most welcome,” Brack said.

“The news also leaves her more vulnerable,” Ryland said annoyed. “Since there is no news to spread just yet, I want no word of this getting around.”

“Aye, my lord, a wise decision,” Brack agreed.

“Now take some men and see if you can find Patrick,” Ryland ordered. “And we will not linger here. Prepare the men to leave tomorrow and send the tracker ahead to make sure no surprises await us.”

Brack nodded, then hurried off.

Ryland swung his legs over the bench to sit next to Esme. “Did you ask those questions because you believe you may be with child or to mislead?”

She smiled gently and took hold of his hand. “To mislead, though after I asked, I realized there is a chance now I could be. But I won’t know for a while yet.”

“I would be pleased to hear that you carry our child. It was something I thought about when I planned to wed you. That we would have many bairns together, sons and daughters,” —he grinned— “since I knew I’d never be able to keep my hands off you, and also that our keep would be full of laughter and love. ”

“I would love that,” Esme said, her heart swelling with the possibility of such a good life with him.

“As would I. Now tell me what you truly asked Breann.”

“I asked about the eldest person at Clan Purdom and Breann told me it was a woman called Ida and that she has seen many chieftains come and go.”

“Which means she would know about my mother,” Ryland said, nodding.

“We’ll eat and go speak with her,” Esme said. “She might know the healer who attended your birth.”

Ida’s face paled when she opened the door to see Lord Torrance standing there, though her worry eased some when she saw that Lady Esme was with him.

“How can I help you, my lord?” Ida asked.

“I have a few questions, if you don’t mind,” Ryland said and ushered his wife in, leaving Ida unable to deny him.

Ida stood staring at them for a moment, then closed the door. “Please sit, my lord and lady. I will get you a hot brew.”

“Nay, Ida, you sit along with my wife while we talk and a brew is not necessary since we just finished the morning meal,” Ryland said and pointed to one of two benches.

Esme hurried to sit knowing Ida would not sit before she did, and the woman looked too frail to be standing yet there was a spryness in her eyes that suggested she had strength despite her advanced age.

“What can you tell me about my mother?”

Ida smiled, gently. “Lady Claire. She was a lovely woman, kind, generous, thoughtful to all in the clan.” Her smile faded. “Her life was so sad. I wept along with others when she passed.”

Ryland nodded to his wife, leaving the conversation to her, knowing Ida would talk more easily with her. He took a step back closer to the corner of the small hearth where Ida might forget he was there and speak freely to Esme.

“What do you mean, Ida, when you said that her life was so sad?”