Chapter Twenty-Eight
Alana had just finished dressing and getting ready for the day when she overheard voices from outside. Angry voices. She rushed to the window to have a look and caught Rory punching her husband-to-be.
Nay! Alarm set in as confusion had her wondering what happened to bring the men to blows.
Racing down the stone steps, she needed to get to Rory.
She had to stop his assault. She had only been at Caer Rannoch for less than a full day and she had already realized how cruel and uncaring her betrothed was.
She didn’t want to think what would happen to Rory if he continued.
As she raced through the courtyard, closer to the men, the confrontation had already dissolved, and Rory was no longer in sight.
“Where is he?” She asked, her eyes darting around the landscape, trying to locate him.
“What does it matter? He is naught.” He spit on the ground at her feet, and bloody spittle splashed on her boot.
The man was vile.
“What happened?” She insisted.
“Yer escort,” MacDonell sneered, “insulted yer honor. I couldnae stand by and listen to such talk. I had to defend yer honor.”
Alana didn’t believe a word that he spoke. Rory would never say such things. Even now, when his heart hurt for certs as much as hers. He wouldn’t insult her. Nay, he had done everything to protect her. The exact opposite of what her betrothed had done.
“Ye are lying,” she accused. “I demand ye tell me what truly happened.”
He stalked toward her, grabbing her face roughly and forcing her to look at him.
She cried out at the biting pain his fingers caused.
“Ye dinnae order me aboot, bitch.” He pushed her away from him and she nearly fell backward, laughing as he watched her. “Ye are mine now. What does it matter what really happened?”
Her gaze went to the trail that led to the gate and beyond to the lush Highlands, then back to the man she was supposed to marry, and everything clicked.
In that moment all of it came to light. The control. The disregard and disrespect for her as a person. The arrogance he held over her.
The future of what her life would be flashed in her mind’s eye. She couldn’t live like that.
Wouldn’t live like that.
In a sudden burst of confidence, Alana took a step back, straightened her shoulders, and lifted her chin in defiance.
Her voice was cold when she spoke. “Then ye dinnae ken me at all.” In a swift move she ripped the engagement ring from her finger and hurled it at her betrothed’s chest. “I would rather be free and ruined than married and controlled. Especially by the likes of someone as vile as ye.”
MacDonell stood there shocked for a moment afore he gathered himself.
“If ye believe ye leaving has any impact on me, ye are sorely mistaken. I didnae want ye anyhow. Who would? Ye for certs cannae bear me any bairns. Ye arenae hearty enough for that. ’Tis best ye leave now afore ye succumb to the blistery Highland autumn and winter.
” He moved to leave, but paused, tapping his finger against his temple.
“Tell yer father I expect full repayment, along with interest for all I have had to deal with since ye darkened my doorstep with yer presence.”
Alana only waited for a moment afore entering the stable and asking the lad there if Rory had left.
“Aye, my lady. Through the gate he went.”
Biting her lip nervously, she kenned she wouldn’t be able to catch him on foot. “May I have a horse? I promise ye will be compensated.”
The boy thought for a moment. “I have just the one. He’s mine, not the laird’s and I’ve been training him. He’s a good boy.”
He disappeared out the back door of the stable and after a few minutes, returned with a beautiful chestnut horse and handed her the reins.
He leaned in close. “Ye neednae repay me. ’Tis my gift to ye for escaping,” he said with a wink.
“Ye dinnae belong here.” He helped her mount and then stepped back.
“Travel safe, my lady,” he said afore ducking back into the stable.
With a final look back at Caer Rannoch, she guided the horse to the open gate and kicked him into a trot. “Let us go find Rory!” She called, and only hoped she wasn’t too late.