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.She cried and called out your name and still she kept trying to get rid of the mud."Slade gripped Ian's arm."Jesu! You should have gotten her out of there, made her stay on top of the mountain!""Would you have stayed where it was safe if she'd been stuck beneath a tree and you thought she might have been alive?" retorted Ian."The two of you are a real pair of stubborn mules."Slade shook his head."No way in hell."Ian's expression softened for a moment."Lainie opened a hole big enough for her to fit through," Ian said."Only Lainie.When it opened up, she was through it before Lachlan or anyone else could stop her or even object.All that mud could have buried her alive along with you.""What?""Somehow she shoved herself through that little hole.She started pushing the mud away from you, and then two more slides shook the mountainside.Lachlan yelled at her to get out but she didn't, she just kept on crying out your name and tugging on your shoulders.You think she'd do that if all she cared about was her own safety? If she felt no loyalty? No love."Slade's hand clenched on Ian's arm hard enough to leave bruises."She didn't get out…" Slade repeated tonelessly."You’ve been lying to me.Where is she? Where is Lainie?""The third slide left an opening that she could pull you through, and somehow she was able to get you through to fresh air.When Lachlan got to her, she was still pulling on you, crying your name, trying to save your life and to hell with her own.Is that a woman who knows naught of loyalty and honor?"Slade opened his mouth, but no words came through the constriction in his throat."You may have found my little sister under questionable circumstances," Ian continued in a savage voice, "but she's more precious to us than life itself.I want the song in her heart to bring her only happiness.I think you hold the key to fill her heart with your song.And if you don't convince me she is precious to you as well, I…"Eyes closed, his body shaking, Slade fought for control."She stayed long enough to hear you run off at the mouth about lying treasonous whores," Ian told him."Then she washed up, put on a faded dress she's had forever, and rode out of here.She's had enough pain in the last year to last a lifetime and you have only added to it.Convince me you plan on changing that."Slade put his head in his hands.He had thought he could hurt no more than the moment when had learned of Lainie's betrayal.He had been wrong.But Ian was still talking, and Slade was still learning how much pain he could deal with.Moisture filled his eyes."She left you a message," Ian said.With a deceptively easy motion, Ian tossed the letter on his chest."Don’t know what it says, but I’ll bet it will explain something to you.And here’s another little trinket for you to look at it."Slade opened the small bag and pulled out the gold button he’d seen once before.Now he knew whose button it was.The tattered blue fabric the button clung to was that of an English soldier.Bertram…The agonized expression on Slade's face made Ian regret his harshness but only for a moment.He reached toward Slade, but the Englishman was already on his feet, walking away form the white parchment that had floated lazily to the earth where Slade had been sitting."Where are you going?" Ian asked.Slade didn't answer."You’re going to leave Lainie alone now?" Ian called."To hell with you," Slade said savagely.He wasn't going to stop until he caught up to the one woman who cared more for him than she did herself.He was a bloody fool.#"Stay in your room, please.It's more comfortable," Callie said."The ship is nice but it will be your home for awhile.And I miss you.""I can't.There are too many memories I want to forget.When I'm inside the castle, they all come rushing back with a vengeance.I need peace and quiet," Lainie said."I'm trying to understand.""But you don't?" Lainie smiled hesitantly."I don't think you can.My heart has been ripped apart.I feel as if I have nothing left to give.There is not a second in the day I don’t want to cry.And Lachlan hovers around me as if I might change my mind and agree to be his wife.I couldn't do that to him.""Then it's not Bertram that's making you run away this time? "Tis Slade, isn't it?" Callie asked, cocking her head to one side as if she were trying to understand.“Why don’t you fight for him?”Lainie shook her head."No, 'Tis not Slade and 'tis not Bertram either.Did Catriona tell everyone?""Just your brothers [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]