Page 110 of Highland Ruse

She returned their warm expressions in what she hoped appeared genuine, for all she could focus on at present was Claire.

This was the moment Kaid had wanted for so long, what he’d sacrificed and risked death to achieve. Though he’d never said it, she knew he felt as though he’d let his people down before. And now he would be their savior.

Her gaze swept over the crowd once more, and the pull on her heart dipped even lower. Still no Claire.

Something brushed Delilah’s fingers, warm and soft. She jerked her attention to the touch of a hand, but it was Torra.

“Ye look more nervous than I feel,” Torra whispered. Her fingers trembled against Delilah’s.

“I’m looking for someone.” Delilah let her gaze roam over the crowd once more. “And not finding her.”

The clan cheered and clapped, and many faces turned toward her. She smiled at them. Kaid must have been unveiling her participation in the ruse to free Torra.

“Rhona?” Torra asked.

Delilah shook her head and almost replied with Claire’s name, but then it occurred to her Torra had not ever met her. “A young girl with blonde hair.”

Torra drew a shaky inhale. “There are so many people here.” Her voice was a thread of a whisper.

Delilah turned her attention from the crowd and found Torra’s face white and glistening with sweat. “Torra?”

“Too many people.” She gave a long, slow blink.

Delilah grasped her hand and found Torra’s palm wet and her fingers like ice.

“Take a deep breath,” Delilah whispered. “You can do this. You’re a laird in your own right. You’re doing this for your people, to liberate them from your half brother, to give them a good life.”

Torra’s chest swelled in compliance and she nodded.

Kaid indicated Torra and she met the curious gazes with a look of such confidence, it left Delilah’s skin prickled with pride.

“Who will come?” Kaid asked his people. “Who will come with me to aid Laird MacKenzie in taking her land back and fostering a peaceful allegiance with her and her clan?”

Man after man shouted their intentions to join with a sharp jab of their fists in the air.

Delilah almost sagged with relief. They had found Torra, helped pull her from the darkness she’d been buried in for too long, and gotten her to agree to claim her inheritance, and now Kaid had the full support of his clan.

It was all coming together, just as Kaid had intended from the beginning.

Regardless, unease nipped at Delilah’s conscience.

Claire.

The very thought of the girl’s name caught Delilah’s heart in a heavy grip and dragged it to her stomach.

Delilah scanned the crowd once more, stopping at each waist-high face, and each blonde-topped head. A hand clasped Delilah’s forearm.

“Ye did it,” Torra said. “Ye and Kaid, ye did it. We’re marching out the morning after next.”

A small blonde girl darted between two men. Delilah straightened with hope and leaned to the right to follow the girl’s path. But the child was wearing a green dress. Not blue. And without the lace bits on the sleeves.

“Ye still canna find her?” Torra asked. “The little girl with blonde hair?”

Delilah nodded. “I haven’t seen her since this morning.”

Kaid finished his speech, and the crowd roared with noise. Torra turned her gaze to the ground.

When the swell of cries dwindled, Torra finally lifted her gaze. “I saw a blonde girl with Nathaira—Rhona, as ye know her. She dinna look as though she wanted to go, but Nathaira was pulling her by the arm. Rough.”