Page 438 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Chapter Twenty-Seven

For two nights, Iain had lain awake knowing Victoria didn’t sleep. Yet watching her now sitting between him and Aurari at the table in the great hall as the evening meal was in preparation, Hockley’s death two days before seemed a lifetime ago.

Iain hadn’t asked, but he knew she wouldn’t leave him. Where would she go, after all? But he knew the answer. Though present in body, she could do what his mother had done: fade away in spirit.

“My lord?”

“What?” Iain was shaken from his thoughts by Victoria’s address.

“Will it be necessary to speak with William?”

Iain smiled gently. “Do not worry, love. Bran assured me he will explain everything to William. William will likely canonize Aurari and her kin for killing David Robertson.”

Victoria smiled, then turned back to Aurari. “Just as I said.”

“That you did,” Aurari said. “I am pleased to find your prediction so promising.”

Evan sat across from Aurari and lifted his mug in salute. “And we are even more pleased you were right.” His statement elicited enthusiastic agreement and raised goblets from the other Gypsies seated beside him.

“At last,” Aurari murmured.

Victoria’s head tilted in a bemused fashion. “At last, what?”

“There is much light.”

“Aye,” Victoria agreed. “There is no need to hide in darkness.”

“Love has a strange way of bringing that about, does it not?”

Iain jerked his attention onto his wife. She flushed and angled her head in graceful assent to Aurari’s statement, and he realized she was aware of his scrutiny.

“’Tis the finest reason of all,” she said without looking at him.

“Reason?” Iain repeated.

“Aye,” she murmured. “The reason we do everything.”

As unexpected as a bolt of lightning, Iain remembered the question he had asked when they were reunited, “What did you hope to accomplish by putting yourself in such jeopardy?” Christ, what a fool he’d been.

“Why did you do it?” he asked.

“Because I love you,” she answered as if having read his mind.

“What?” His near shout quieted the din of conversation.

Victoria met his gaze. “Had you expected something else, my lord?” She rose and headed for the postern door.

Iain shot to his feet, sending his chair clattering to the floor. He stared at her for a long moment before shaking from the shock and started after her.

“Did you say you loved me?”

Victoria glanced over her shoulder as she pulled open the postern door. “I did.”

Iain halted and someone bumped into his back. He glanced back and scowled to find the occupants of the great hall lined up behind him. The impulse to command them to disperse was forgotten when the door slammed shut.

Iain dashed forward. He reached the door, yanked it open, and stepped outside in time to see his wife making her way across the compound.

“Victoria,” he called, but to no avail. “Stop her!” Iain yelled at a man about to pass her.