An Auctioned Bride (Highland Heartbeats #4)(54)

With that, Hugh smiled, and the two broke into soft laughter. Hugh wrapped his brother in a tight hug, which Derek returned. “If it's a fight they want, we'll give those bastards a fight, but on our terms, not theirs.”

Dalla gathered that the interaction implied Derek's agreement to help them. And yet, despite her relief, she felt another layer of guilt lay upon her shoulders. Now she was putting both brothers into danger. Risking their lives to help her.

She didn't want this. Had not asked for it, and yet, these two Scottish brothers, whom just a few weeks ago, she would have thought of with distaste and abhorrence, were now helping her.

She was nothing more than a Norwegian captive and yet—no, she realized the truth of the matter. She was no longer a Norwegian captive. She was the bride of Hugh McInnis of the Duncan clan of the highlands.

For the first time in her life, she was beginning to understand these Scottish people and their fierce loyalty to their clans.

This was more than brother helping brother.

Even though Derek had left Duncan lands long ago, she realized, without it having to be said, that he would always and forever belong to the Duncan clan.





32





Hugh watched his brother speaking quietly to Broc— his partner or his first mate, or whatever he was—after he returned from the village. So far, neither he nor Derek had broached the topic of their estrangement so many years ago.

One of them had to do it. Especially since Derek was risking his life to help him.

Derek frowned and glanced occasionally over his shoulder where Dalla waited. She fidgeted, as if trying to make herself comfortable. He knew that Derek would help them, and was in the midst of preparing his ship for a short journey, but he didn't underestimate the trouble that he could be bringing down on his brother in doing so. Hugh wished there was another way, but he couldn't think of one.

He glanced at Dalla, now sleeping fitfully, half-sitting, half-slouching on top of the grain sacks. He had to admit it. He had to admit the reason for this mad scramble to the coast, rather than risking a chance of traveling overland. He was growing more attached to Dalla by the day, but he struggled with conflicting emotions and not a little bit of guilt when he thought of Elyse. He had given his heart to Elyse and never imagined that he would ever feel that way about anyone ever again, but the more time he spent with Dalla, the deeper his feelings grew.

They were both strong in different ways. Both had overcome life's hardships, and both, despite those hardships, did the best they could. While he certainly didn't know Dalla as deeply as he had known Elyse, he knew that the feelings he experienced now were true, and gave him hope for a future. And yet that future was dulled by the thought that in the next hour, the next day even, she or he could be dead.

And now, for helping him, Derek might also pay a hefty price. Hugh had so many questions for his brother, so much catching up to do, but there was no time.

Derek had said that they would leave after nightfall, in secrecy, but he still had to prepare the ship for travel. That would garner attention, no matter how careful he tried to be. That's what worried Hugh. He wanted to help, although he couldn't. To show his face in daylight would be to invite disaster.

They had already disagreed about his horse. At first, Derek had balked at taking his horse aboard.

“Do you know how difficult it is to get a horse on board a ship and into the hold, let alone keep the animal calm in rough seas?” Derek grumbled, shaking his head.

“But you can't leave Agnarr behind!” Dalla had said, eyes wide with concern.

Derek frowned, glancing between the two. “Who's Agnarr?”

“The horse,” Hugh and Dalla answered at the same time.

Derek gave him an odd look. “You named your horse Agnarr?”

Hugh sighed, and glanced at Dalla. “She did.”

Derek said nothing after that, merely shook his head and gestured toward one of the grain sacks. “Will he eat oats, or does he have more discerning tastes?”

Hugh grinned, although Dalla, not familiar with his brother’s humor, had frowned with misunderstanding. He'd had to assure her that Derek was merely joking. Then again, noting Derek’s present expression, Hugh wasn't sure that he was.

“He will be no trouble,” Hugh assured him.

Derek finished talking to Broc, stood for a moment, staring outside, then turned to look at Hugh before gesturing him over. Hugh glanced down at Dalla, now asleep, and approached his brother.

He appeared agitated, rubbing the back of his neck. Agitated about his sudden appearance in his life? Dragging a woman along with him, both now with bounties on their heads? It appeared that Derek wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. Hugh decided to get it out in the open.

“Change your mind, brother?” he asked simply. “If you have, just say so. No hard feelings.”

Derek glanced at him with surprise? “Change my mind, no… it isn't that.”

Hugh waited, but Derek seemed reluctant to say what was on his mind. Hugh asked the question that was on his. “Why did you leave like that? In the middle of the night, without a word?”

Derek tensed, his eyes narrowed as he frowned. “What? What are you talking about?”

“You left Duncan lands… in the middle of the night.”

Derek shook his head. Impatient. “No, brother, I did not leave in the middle of the night, sneaking away like a thief,” he said. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Hugh. “I talked about my leaving plenty of times before I did. You only had eyes and thoughts of Elyse on your mind.”