Page 72 of The Highlander’s Improper Wife

“My lord,” Taran said.

“Where did you get off to?” The man looked at Caroline. “A stolen moment with your bride, perhaps?”

Taran canted his head. “She is hard to resist.”

Caroline shot him a narrow-eyed glance, but he seemed not to notice. Not surprising. He didn’t realize she’d figured out the truth, and he was intent upon attending to the guest in the dungeon. Her pulse jumped. Father. Uncle had murdered her father. She tamped down on the rising tide of emotions that threatened tears.

“If you will excuse me,” Taran said.

“My lord.” Caroline grasped his arm. “I will walk with you.” He gave her a thin lipped look, but said nothing.

Caroline nodded to the others. “Forgive us. I must speak with my husband.” Before anyone could protest, she started him towards the stairs. He veered left, and she was forced to follow him into a narrow servants’ corridor.

“In here,” he said, and opened a door on the right.

Taran shoved her through the opening and she found herself in a storage room filled with towels and linens. She turned as he closed the door. His gaze met hers. All at once, she wanted to throw herself into his arms, shout the question, Why have you lied to me?

Instead, she began, “The man who attacked me was taking me to my uncle. He said I should have married you and left well enough alone. He must have mistaken my leaving

Strathmore for the decision to find out what happened to my father. “ “You said you recognized him from the Cross Keys Inn,” Taran said.

She nodded.

“He did not harm you? I want the truth.”

“I am well, my lord.” She flushed. “As you know. He was intent upon delivering me to my uncle.”

“How did the bastard think he would ride with you all the way to England and without being caught?” Before she could answer, he added, “Because Etherton is not in England. What else did he say?”

“That is all. But there is no doubt he is the man from the Cross Keys Inn, and he somehow knows of my conversation with Liam.”

“Liam?” Taran demanded. “Who is Liam?”

“The stable master at the Cross Keys Inn. That morning, I rode with him too see where the race is run.”

Anger flashed across his face. “Caroline, I realize you wished to put to rest your father’s death, but I would ask that you cease going off alone—or in the company of strangers.”

“If I had not gone off alone, I would not have learned that my father was murdered.”

“And you would not have nearly gotten yourself killed. For all you know, this Liam is part of this scheme.”

“He had no reason to tell me of the strange events surrounding my father’s death. Had he kept quiet, I would have remained ignorant.” Caroline placed a hand on Taran’s arm. “My father was murdered,” her voice choked, “by my uncle.”

Tears at last crashed through the barrier. Taran pulled her close. Her legs gave way and he swung her into his arms. He crossed to a crate and lowered himself onto it, then settled her across his lap. Caroline clung to his neck, her face buried in his chest as he whispered indistinguishable words into her hair. At last, the tears subsided. Her chest remained tight with sorrow, but she could breathe, could think.

Taran grasped her chin and tilted her face upwards. “Will you be all right while I see to the man?”

She straightened. “I will.”

But would she be all right once this business was sorted out and she faced her husband with the question of why he had lied to her?

Chapter Twenty-Two

From the corner of her eye, Caroline scanned the ballroom for Taran, but found no sign of him amongst the still too-crowded room. She nodded without hearing the droning of a doting mother, who chattered loudly enough to be heard over the orchestra about her daughter’s first season. An hour had passed since Taran had instructed her to entertain their guests, then disappeared into the dungeon. Why would he take so long with her attacker?

The music ended and the woman’s voice sliced into Caroline thoughts. “Your husband has promised to attend our next ball. We expect you to accompany him, of course. Oh, but Sophie has three offers already. None that we can consider them, only a baron and two military men. I do not know what possesses them to think they should offer for the hand of an earl’s daughter.”

Caroline shifted her attention onto the woman. “My husband was a mere military man, until his brother’s unfortunate accident.”