Page 39 of A Highlander's Bride

Her surroundings told her she was in a dungeon. She was so scared when it all happened that she wasn’t completely sure where this dungeon was.

Then she shook herself, remembering what had happened after they’d dragged her from her bed. They went down—stairs after stairs, until she thought they would be going outside.

Then Lady Chisholm had said she would remain hidden until Daniel married Lady Alice.

She knew the woman was unbalanced, but it appeared she was actually deranged.

Beth shifted around and realized Lady Chisholm had at least brought her bedding with her so she wouldn’t freeze. She had wrapped herself in it during the night. Now she stood and shook it out to see what vermin slept with her.

Her shift fell to the floor. Apparently when the woman rolled up all the bedding, her shift, that Daniel had removed, got caught up in the bundle. After shaking it out, thankful to have something with which to cover her body, she slipped it over her head.

More awake now, and starting to think about her predicament, she wrapped the bedding around her and began to shout. Someone had to hear her.

All she heard was her voice coming back at her, bouncing off the walls. She swallowed a few times, trying to keep the panic away.

Lady Chisholm said she would remain here until Daniel married Lady Alice. Since yesterday had been the deadline according to the king’s edict, and with Beth missing, it appeared Lady Chisholm thought Daniel would marry Lady Alice instead, switching brides like he was choosing a pair of shoes.

She had more faith in Daniel than to think he would do that. However, it did make her wonder what Lady Chisholm had plannedto have Daniel do as she wished.

Beth shivered and spent time yelling again, until her throat became more sore without any water to ease the pain. She leaned against the wall and slid to a heap on the floor, tears running down her cheeks.

She brushed at something else crawling up her arm.

Daniel. Can your heart hear mine? Please, come for me. I’m scared and I doona want ye to go along with the unbalanced woman’s plan.

I love ye.

*

Daniel glanced downat the papers Lady Munro held fisted in her hand.

“What is that?”

She shook her head and held one of the papers out to him. With a shaky hand he reached out and took it. His eyes scanned the note addressed to him.

I am sorry, my laird, but I have decided to visit my sister who is not too far from here. I have to think things over. Please don’t come after me.

Beth

It took him all of ten seconds to say to Lady Munro, “This is fake.”

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “How would ye ken?”

Since he no plans to tell her mother that he and her daughter had anticipated their wedding vows the night before, he merely said, “I asked Beth to marry me last evening and she was quite certain when she said yes. I have no reason to believe she’s changed her mind. And especially to be so foolish as to ride off in the middle of the night.”

Lady Munro jumped up. “We must go to my daughter Lady Alisa Grant’s home and see if Beth is there. If she is no’, then where is she?” She began wringing her hands and walking in circles.

“May I see yer note?” He reached out and Lady Munro handed him her wrinkled, damp parchment.

It was a note similar to his, just as short. He slapped the document against his hand. “I doona like this. There are several reasons I find these to be fake.” Before she started to speak he added, “However, I will ride to Castle Grant and fetch Beth back if she is there.”

He closed his eyes briefly and thought of the look on Beth’s face when she reached her women’s pleasure and afterwards when he held her in his arms. There was no doubt she was certain enough to not change her mind so quickly.

Their walks around the bonfire and the bed sport following had left a tired and satisfied Beth sound asleep when he’d climbed from her bed and returned to his bedchamber so as not to be discovered.

However, he didn’t think it necessary to tell Lady Munro why he was certain Beth wasn’t visiting her sister. Since he had few ideas as to where the lass was, the ride would give her mam some peace and him time to quell the panic and clear his mind.

Without raising notice, he ordered the castle and the keep searched. If that didn’t turn the lass up, the men he’d dispensed were to search the woods, abandoned bothies, and every tree and blade of grass from the castle to the village.