Page 41 of Much Ado About a Scot

“I love you,” he whispered.

Her breath caught in her chest as her gaze snapped back to his face.

“I didn’t plan for that to happen, but it did,” he continued, then leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

She knew he spoke the truth. She saw the emotion shining in his eyes. And the sight made her numb with fear. Whenever she loved someone, something, they were always taken from her. “You cannot love me. Love has no place in my life. I loved Rory and he was taken from me too soon. I loved the idea of Ezra before he too slipped away. And, I love my land, my estate—and look what has happened here.” Her hand stretched out toward the devastation that surrounded them. “Nay, ’tis best if you go to your brothers-in-arms and leave us so that nothing happens to you.”

“Nothing will happen to me, and your land is not gone. It will regenerate. That’s part of the cycle of life. Death and rebirth.” He reached out, running a finger down her cheek.

“I’ve had my share of death in this life. I need no more.” Her stomach clenched and she shifted away from his touch. “Nay. I cannot risk it.”

He frowned. “What are you so afraid of, Isobel?”

“Leave me alone.”

“Are you afraid of being loved?”

She said nothing. She couldn’t look at him as the truth swelled in her chest. She wasn’t afraid of being loved. She was afraid of loving him more than she already did. She brought her fingers up to her lips to keep herself from revealing what she’d just now realized.

“Isobel,” he whispered.

“I have to go.” She spun around, hurrying across the grass until she reached the safety of Dunbar Manor.

Chapter Sixteen

Xander sent a shrill whistle into the air. Almost immediately, his horse galloped toward him. Sliding onto the animal’s bare back, Xander went to join his brothers-in-arms. The moment they’d been waiting years to achieve was finally upon them.

“Are you ready for this?” Reid Douglas asked as he and his brother Quinn came forward. His other brothers-in-arms and part of their combined army fanned out, surrounding Dunbar Manor.

“Aye. The question is whether Bothwell will surrender himself without a battle.”

Quinn frowned. “He’s decidedly outmanned. What possibility could he have of success if he chose to fight?”

Xander straightened as his gaze moved to the manor house that was now Bothwell’s prison. “That has been our problem for the past three years. If we underestimate the man, we will not win this day.”

“Then let’s get this over with.” Reid turned his horse back toward where Rhys, Malcolm, Lachlan, and Cameron waited.

Xander and Quinn followed. “The sooner we bring Bothwell to Haddington and put him on trial for his crimes the better,” Xander said. “Then we can move forward with the charges of treason against the crown.”

“Agreed,” the twin brothers, Reid and Quinn, said in unison.

Flanked by his brethren, Xander dismounted and drew his sword as he approached the front door. After only one rap on the knocker, Pringle answered. “How may I be of service?” His face was pale and the elderly servant visibly trembled.

“This has nothing to do with you, Pringle. Please tell us where we might find Francis Bothwell?”

“Last I saw him he was in the upstairs study. Shall I take you to him?” the retainer asked with a shaky voice as though this were some kind of social call.

“Nay, Pringle. I know the way,” Xander said, keeping his voice light so they would not scare the older man any further. “Are Atholl, Gowrie, and Montrose here?”

Pringle shook his gray head. “They were to come later this day, milord. They were planning a big meeting after their midday meal.”

It sounded like the Seven had arrived just in time. “You might want to wait outside. Our men will give you safe passage.”

Pringle nodded and slipped past them, heading toward safety.

“Up the stairs. Second door on the left,” Xander told his brothers-in-arms.

“Xander, Quinn, and I will go into the chamber first.” Reid signaled for the others to fall in behind them as they raced up the stairs, swords drawn.