Page 388 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Iain barely registered her dazzling smile before she was off the bed and flung herself into his arms. Dropping the poker, he staggered back a step in order to regain his balance while holding her close.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his chest, then stepped back.

Victoria crossed to the bed and retrieved her nightshift from the floor. She slipped it over her head, allowing the sheet to fall to the carpet. Rosy nipples shone like tiny buds through the sheer material, and Iain dropped his gaze to the curls between her legs. He pulsed in response to the erotic picture and she drew a sharp breath. He met her gaze. Red flooded her cheeks. Grabbing the robe that still lay across the foot of the bed, she hurried in the direction of the door.

“Where are you going?”

Without looking back, she waved her hand over her head and said, “To see Katherine.”

Iain had just lowered himself onto the bed, when five minutes later the door swung open and Victoria rushed in.

“My lord.”

He leapt to his feet. “She is gone.” Victoria’s voice shook, and Iain wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. Taking her by the shoulders, he eased her onto the edge of the bed. “What has happened?”

“Katherine—she is not in her chambers.”

“Perhaps she could not sleep. She may have gone to the library, or to the kitchen for some warm milk,” he said, though, in truth, he doubted the girl would dare tramp past the men sleeping in the great hall. He released Victoria and reached for his breacan. “No harm can come to her within the castle walls.” If she’d been wise enough not to leave the castle.

Iain had his tartan wrapped around him a moment later, and they hurried to Katherine’s room. Just as Victoria had said, the girl was gone. Her dress lay in a heap on the couch. Iain threw back the heavy curtain that hung across the balcony door and found it locked. He dropped the curtains and crossed the room to Victoria. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her along until they reached his bedchamber.

“Wait here,” he ordered, and pushed her across the threshold.

“I will wait in the hall,” she insisted.

Iain lifted a purposeful brow. “You forget the men sleeping in the hall.”

Victoria shook her head and tried to push past him.

“Cease,” he said. “I will return in a little while, and with that girl. Though she may receive a beating first.”

At the shaken look on Victoria’s face, Iain realized he had hit upon the memory of the spanking he had given her. He would have laughed but, instead, made a hasty retreat.

Twenty minutes later, Iain cursed at sight of Victoria hurrying across the courtyard toward him.

“Nothing?” she asked once she had reached where he stood beside the stairs leading to the battlement.

“Nay.”

Fear flashed in her eyes.

“We are making a thorough search,” he said more gently.

“Do you think this has to do with Edwin?”

“Aye,” Iain admitted, though how, he couldn’t fathom. He asked the question that had bothered him.

“Why did he bring her?”

“Because he knows I care for her, and he hoped she would persuade me to return to England. Fool,” she muttered. “He must have known the danger.” She searched Iain’s face. “How would he get her out of the keep?”

“He could not have.”

“Perhaps she went back to the cottage.” Victoria stepped aside for a warrior who hurried past and bound up the stairs. “I will look.” She turned, but Iain caught her arm.

“Nay, I do not want to worry about you as well.”

Her face paled. “If anything has happened to her…”