death meant losing one’s sense of self and one’s desire, primary traits that members of the
Clan shared with the mortal world, and so he had believed that he was dying.
Apparently, that belief had been wrong.
Earlier, he had felt lonely, certain that Catriona had forgotten him and already had other affairs on her mind. In the dense
gray light he had inhabited for what seemed eons, he had feared he would never again see her lovely face.
But suddenly, he had seen all three of them, and he could hear them, too, but he could not speak and obviously they could
not see him.
Who was the scoundrel with Catriona, and why did she flutter her lashes at him? Never before had he felt such helpless frustration.
As Kit rode away from Mute Hill House, his usual sharp wits threatened to abandon him and he found himself shifting uncomfortably
on his saddle. Half-formed thoughts collided with one another before any could fully form itself or make much sense. His lips
burned, and for some distance, his body’s reaction to the woman he had just kissed made sitting difficult and his ride thus
a penance.
He had never met a woman like Lady Anne Ellyson, but the same independence of mind and spirit that attracted him had stirred
him to take liberties that no gentleman should take with a lady. On the other hand, had he not kissed her, he might well have
shaken her for taking such dangerous risks with her life.
What if he had not been there when she chanced upon the reivers? The thought made him shudder. At the least, Sammy and his
lot would have taken her horse and left her to walk the rest of the way in the treacherous darkness. At the worst… But he
refused to entertain thoughts of the worst. Reivers were guilty of many things, but rarely did any of them harm innocent women
or children.
Of course, any innocent, sensible young woman would have relinquished her mount to any band of reivers that demanded it, but
he had no doubt that Lady Anne would have continued to raise a fuss had he not been there to intervene. What had her people
been thinking to allow her so much freedom?
Other men than reivers stalked the Borders, after all, including English and Scottish soldiers and the vermin that skittered
in their wake. Moreover, nothing that he had heard about Armadale led him to believe the earl would have approved of his daughter’s
behavior or that he would have countenanced such goings-on whilst she lived beneath his roof. Clearly, Lady Carmichael, although
born into the same family, was not cut from the same bolt as the earl.
The tip of a quarter moon peeked over the eastern horizon, spilling more light onto his path. Urging his horse to a trot,
and satisfied that Willie’s beast would follow, Kit continued to try to impose order on his scattered thoughts.
His primary course remained the same, for it was more important than ever now to learn what his uncle was up to and to decide
exactly what he himself must do to sort out his affairs and reclaim his rightful lands and titles. But he could no longer
ignore his erstwhile betrothal while he looked into those things.
Certainly poor Fiona, in the belief that he was dead, was being led to the altar unwillingly and under false pretenses. Whatever
else she might believe about Eustace Chisholm, both she and her mother clearly believed that by marrying him, Fiona would
become Lady Chisholm and reign as mistress over the vast Chisholm estates. As for his greedy uncle, evidently the man was
not satisfied to have usurped the estates and titles but was determined to carry off the heiress, too.
However, they were all acting without considering Lady Anne, and Kit had the feeling that left to her own devices, her ladyship
might come up with a way to stop the wedding. Even as that thought formed, it stirred an appreciative smile, although he knew
she had little chance of success on her own.
If she were to declare that he lived and should be the one to
Clan shared with the mortal world, and so he had believed that he was dying.
Apparently, that belief had been wrong.
Earlier, he had felt lonely, certain that Catriona had forgotten him and already had other affairs on her mind. In the dense
gray light he had inhabited for what seemed eons, he had feared he would never again see her lovely face.
But suddenly, he had seen all three of them, and he could hear them, too, but he could not speak and obviously they could
not see him.
Who was the scoundrel with Catriona, and why did she flutter her lashes at him? Never before had he felt such helpless frustration.
As Kit rode away from Mute Hill House, his usual sharp wits threatened to abandon him and he found himself shifting uncomfortably
on his saddle. Half-formed thoughts collided with one another before any could fully form itself or make much sense. His lips
burned, and for some distance, his body’s reaction to the woman he had just kissed made sitting difficult and his ride thus
a penance.
He had never met a woman like Lady Anne Ellyson, but the same independence of mind and spirit that attracted him had stirred
him to take liberties that no gentleman should take with a lady. On the other hand, had he not kissed her, he might well have
shaken her for taking such dangerous risks with her life.
What if he had not been there when she chanced upon the reivers? The thought made him shudder. At the least, Sammy and his
lot would have taken her horse and left her to walk the rest of the way in the treacherous darkness. At the worst… But he
refused to entertain thoughts of the worst. Reivers were guilty of many things, but rarely did any of them harm innocent women
or children.
Of course, any innocent, sensible young woman would have relinquished her mount to any band of reivers that demanded it, but
he had no doubt that Lady Anne would have continued to raise a fuss had he not been there to intervene. What had her people
been thinking to allow her so much freedom?
Other men than reivers stalked the Borders, after all, including English and Scottish soldiers and the vermin that skittered
in their wake. Moreover, nothing that he had heard about Armadale led him to believe the earl would have approved of his daughter’s
behavior or that he would have countenanced such goings-on whilst she lived beneath his roof. Clearly, Lady Carmichael, although
born into the same family, was not cut from the same bolt as the earl.
The tip of a quarter moon peeked over the eastern horizon, spilling more light onto his path. Urging his horse to a trot,
and satisfied that Willie’s beast would follow, Kit continued to try to impose order on his scattered thoughts.
His primary course remained the same, for it was more important than ever now to learn what his uncle was up to and to decide
exactly what he himself must do to sort out his affairs and reclaim his rightful lands and titles. But he could no longer
ignore his erstwhile betrothal while he looked into those things.
Certainly poor Fiona, in the belief that he was dead, was being led to the altar unwillingly and under false pretenses. Whatever
else she might believe about Eustace Chisholm, both she and her mother clearly believed that by marrying him, Fiona would
become Lady Chisholm and reign as mistress over the vast Chisholm estates. As for his greedy uncle, evidently the man was
not satisfied to have usurped the estates and titles but was determined to carry off the heiress, too.
However, they were all acting without considering Lady Anne, and Kit had the feeling that left to her own devices, her ladyship
might come up with a way to stop the wedding. Even as that thought formed, it stirred an appreciative smile, although he knew
she had little chance of success on her own.
If she were to declare that he lived and should be the one to
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