Page 29 of Love Me Forever (Highland Duo #2)

I t was time for Royce to leave. His men were ready and waiting, as was he—waiting for Brianna.

He had thought she would come and bid him good-bye.

After last night he had assumed they had settled their differences.

Obviously, they had not. She continued to deny the truth, the truth that she loved him.

“She can be stubborn,” Ian said, standing beside Royce. Ian noticed the tight grasp Royce had on the reins of his horse and knew he was annoyed.

‘Too stubborn,” Royce snapped. “She knew full well that I intended to leave this morning. She is purposely ignoring my departure.”

“Women? Who can understand them?” Blair offered, walking up to join the two men.

“Let Anne hear you say that, and you will get an earful,” Ian said with a laugh.

“Aye” —Blair grinned— “but I calm her soon enough with my charming tongue.”

“I do not know how to charm; it is not my way.” Royce glanced toward the village a short distance away.

He hoped he would see her hurrying past the many villagers who were busy going about their daily chores, but there was no sign of her.

His disappointment turned to annoyance and his anger rapidly took over.

Could she not put her stubbornness aside and bid him farewell?

Would she not miss him? His heart felt as if it were being ripped in two at the thought of not seeing her for several weeks.

He wanted to hold her tightly one more time, kiss her softly, and tell her how much he loved her.

Tell her that he did not want to leave her ever.

He mounted his horse swiftly and turned to his men. “Stay as you are. I will return shortly.” He turned to Ian. “Do you know where she is?”

“The last time I saw her she was walking with Moira and Anne north of the keep.”

Royce galloped away with a firm hand on the reins and a heated look in his dark eyes.

“He is angry,” Blair said to Ian. “You do not worry for Brianna?”

“He will not hurt her, he loves her. And my sister is being foolishly stubborn and will regret her actions later when it is too late to do anything about it.”

“A common error we all make one time or another,” Blair said.

‘True enough,” Ian agreed, “but Brianna has suffered enough. It is time for her to be happy, and she is happy with Royce.”

“You do not fault him for not speaking the truth to her?”

“I was guilty of the same myself with Moira. Sometimes it is necessary.”

“I do not think Moira or Brianna would agree with that remark,” Blair said with a wide smile.

Ian grinned. “Aye, but it is Royce who must deal with his woman. We have already dealt with ours.”

Blair slapped him on the back. “Then let us go watch the fun.”

* * *

Brianna walked in silence while Moira and Anne chatted. She nodded now and again when they addressed her, though she could not say what they asked her. Her thoughts were in turmoil and her heart ached.

She had argued with herself this morning as to whether she should bid Royce farewell or not.

This was not to be a final farewell, for he was to return; yet in her heart and mind she feared this would be a final farewell.

They would never again love as they did last night, and the thought brought tears to her eyes.

“You are teary much of late,” Moira said, stopping when she heard her sister-in-law sniffle. “Why not go to him?”

Brianna cried and grew annoyed with herself. “I am confused.”

“You are confused because you are emotional,” Moira corrected. “Your heart rules, not your head.”

“I can make sense of nothing.” Brianna threw her hands up in the air as though she completely surrendered—to what, she did not know.

“Love often does that.”

“It hurts to love.” Her tears refused to stop falling, and with an impatient swipe she wiped them away, though more followed.

Moira laid a gentle hand on her arm. “What hurts is that which we refuse to admit. Do you love him?”

“Aye, I love him. I do not refuse to admit that.”

“You do if you refuse to bid him farewell.”

Her tears flowed strongly and sobs broke her words. “He will never be mine.”

“Does he love you?”

“Aye, he does,” Brianna answered without hesitation.

“Then why do you believe that he will never be yours?”

She had no clear answer, and doubt and fear haunted her. She had thought Arran had loved her and she him.

Now she could see how wrong their marriage had been and how foolish she had been to believe his many lies.

Royce had not been completely truthful to her, as Arran had not been. Would she repeat the same mistake?

Moira was perceptive and questioned, “Do you fear Royce is as deceptive as Arran was?”

Brianna sniffled back her tears. “I do not believe him to be, but then, I did not believe Arran could be deceiving. I fear that I am a poor judge of character.”

“Women love deeply and not always wisely, but then, we love with our hearts, not our minds. If we would listen to reason, we might not make the mistakes we often do.”

“Reason tells me to be cautious with my heart while my heart tells me to surrender, thus the confusion.”

Moira gave her arm a comforting pat. “Then this time apart from him will be beneficial.”

“Then why do I not look forward to this separation? My heart already aches for him and he has only left.”

“He has not left yet.” Moira pointed past Brianna’s shoulder and she turned.

Royce was riding straight for them, and his look was one of a man ready for battle.

A chill ran through her and she braced herself for their encounter.

But as she watched him approach, her defenses began to melt.

He looked magnificent on his stallion; he rode with pride and confidence.

All he passed quickly scurried out of his path, and she could understand why men trembled with fear in his presence and women surrendered to him.

He was a portrait of power even with the scars. Yet she knew a different man, a tenderhearted man who had dealt with her with patience and understanding.

She did not fear the man she saw; she loved him and she paid heed to her heart.

Royce slowed his horse as he reached Brianna. His anger had mounted and he was ready to confront her. He dismounted with ease and took quick strides toward her.

Moira and Anne had walked off a distance to give the couple privacy.

He bore down on her and Brianna saw the anger in his eyes. She also saw his disappointment. She had hurt him and in hurting him she had hurt herself. Her heart ached for him and for her.

She did what she always did when she needed him. She called his name and it trembled on her lips, and tears once again threatened to spill. “Royce!”

“Damn,” he mumbled, catching sight of her tears and hearing the desperation in her voice. He opened his arms to her and she ran to him.

He hugged her tightly, her cries muffled against his chest.

Ian and Blair joined their wives, each receiving a poke to their ribs for grinning so widely.

“I will miss you,” he said, his hand stroking her back.

“And I you,” she said, raising her head to look at him.

Her bright blue eyes sparkled from her tears, her creamy cheeks were flushed a soft pink, and her lips begged to be kissed.

She did not wait for him. She kissed him like a woman too long denied. They held tight to each other, and their kiss ignited their passion.

He grabbed her face with a gentle firmness. “I do not want to leave you.”

Her own tears annoyed her, for she did not seem to have control of them, and his words worried her, for once again the thought that they would not be together haunted her.

“I will not be gone long,” he said, his hand moving to circle her waist. “And we will marry upon my return.”

She did not argue with him; the choice would be hers. She rested her head to his chest.

“You will rest and take care of yourself while I am gone.” He was firm in his edict.

That brought her head up with a snap. “I will do as I please.”

He laughed. “Aye, I know you will, but you will answer to me if there are consequences to your actions.”

She was about to object when she decided that if she was answerable, then so was he. “And you will answer to me.”

She heard her brother and Blair laugh along with Royce.

Brianna stepped away from him, or at least she attempted to. He was too quick and too strong. She was locked in his arms before she took one step.

He kissed her soundly, hugged her close, and whispered, “I will answer to you anytime.”

“You promise?”

“Aye, I promise. Now kiss me good-bye.”

She hesitated. Once she kissed him… he would be gone.

He rubbed his cheek to hers. “I will return soon.”

She brushed her lips over his before kissing him as though she never wanted him to leave her. They hugged each other tightly before they parted, and he mounted his horse.

Royce looked to Ian. ‘Take care of her.”

Ian nodded. “She will be safe.”

He looked to Brianna one last time and then turned and rode off.

She stood staring at him until he was out of sight, and then she began to cry again.

Ian started walking toward her but Moira stopped him.

“Let her be.”

Brianna walked off on her own, letting her tears fall and her heart ache.

* * *

Several days passed with Brianna spending most of her time alone. She spent the time alone in thought, deep in thought, until she could stand her solitary time no longer. She climbed the winding stairs to Moira’s workshop.

Moira had been raised in a convent since the time she was twelve.

She had always been inquisitive, and when a monk had arrived seeking shelter and care at the convent, she soon found an eager teacher.

When she had arrived at the keep, she had found an empty tower room and had converted it to her workshop, where she did her studies and experiments.

Brianna had been an eager student herself when she learned of Moira’s unique skills. She now needed to immerse herself in something other than her confused and indecisive thoughts.

“Do you need help?” Brianna asked of Moira, peeking passed the partially opened door.