Page 62 of The Laird's Wicked Game
Of late, the world had lost its sparkle, and a knot of misery had lodged tight in her throat.
A clenched fist can hold nothing.
Rae wasn’t a fool. He knew she was afraid. But the harder he’d pushed, the higher her fear had swarmed. In the end, nothing he’d said would have made any difference.
A tear escaped then, scalding her cheek as it trickled down to her chin. A second one swiftly followed. Her throat burned now as she fought the storm inside her.
The whisper of the door opening behind her made her startle.
“There ye are.” Tara’s voice filled the lady’s solar. “I thought, since it’s yer last evening here, we might—” Her voice cut off as Kylie hurriedly knuckled away her tears and turned from the window to face her. Tara’s features tightened. “Sorry … I shouldn’t have burst in like that.”
Kylie managed a brittle smile, even though there was little point. Tara could see she’d been crying. “This is yer solar too,” she replied huskily. “Of course, ye can enter whenever ye wish.”
Tara nodded before cautiously approaching her. And then, before Kylie could protest, or step away, she enfolded her into a tight hug.
She went rigid initially, panic fluttering in her chest, yet Tara’s hold merely tightened. A moment later, she gave herself up to it. Liza and Makenna weren’t here to comfort her, but she trusted Tara too, and it was exhausting remaining so stoic.
Tears started to trickle down her cheeks once more, and she hiccoughed, swallowing a sob.
Eventually, Tara drew back, her gaze searching her face. “I don’t understand,” she said softly.
She hiccoughed again and hurriedly wiped at her wet cheeks. “Apologies … I’m not myself this evening.”
“If it pains ye to leave Dounarwyse, then why are ye doing so?”
She shook her head as her throat constricted. Curse Tara, she meant well, but this conversation wouldn’t help her. “It’scomplicated,” she said, her voice hoarse. Stepping back, she sniffed. “But it’s best I go.”
Tara’s eyes narrowed. “Jack thinks something has happened … between ye and Rae … and I didn’t believe him initially.” She paused then, her expression shadowing. “Yet now I do.”
Kylie’s heart lurched. She didn’t reply, for her tongue felt as if it had welded itself to the roof of her mouth.
All the same, her silence was damning, and Tara’s mouth curved into a gentle smile. “Aye … my husband is more perceptive than me, it seems.” She paused then, searching her face once more. “Is it really so bad to be in love with him?”
Dizziness swept over Kylie. “I’m not—” she croaked.
However, Tara cut her off. “He’s a good man … one of the best.”
Her chest started to ache. “I know,” she whispered.
“Did he do something to offend ye?”
Kylie dragged in another shaky breath and turned from her friend, moving to the window again. Cool, wet air feathered across her heated cheeks, soothing her a little. “No,” she whispered.
“Then why are ye so upset?”
Silence fell between them, and Kylie let it lie. Her pulse started to race. She couldn’t spill her guts to Tara—and not just to preserve her own dignity, but for Rae’s sake too. It was too private, too raw. “I’m sorry … but I” —she broke off there and dragged in a deep, shaky breath, swallowing the sob that clawed its way up— “I c … can’t talk about it.”
“Don’t fash yerself, hen,” Tara answered softly. The scuff of her slippered feet followed as she drew near once more. A moment later, her hand rested on Kylie’s shoulder. “I’ll not pry it out of ye.”
24: READY TO LEAVE
The Sound of Mull
STANDING ON THE deck ofThe Night Plunderer, his legs bent slightly at the knee with each roll of the cog, Ramsay MacDonald stared west.
He couldn’t see it, yet the Isle of Mull lay there, shrouded by night and a curtain of mist.
Ramsay clenched his jaw and scowled into the darkness. As much as he hated to admit it, that weasel Tormod was right. This morning was the perfect moment to strike Dounarwyse. The rain had eased off, making the Sound easier to navigate. It would also mean they wouldn’t be washed out of the storm drain when they tried to climb it.