"Where is he?"
She nodded to the left of the cottage where the path led into the cover of the moonless night. Elise started down the steps.
"Perhaps ye had best leave him to his grief," Winnie offered.
Elise paused, then disappeared into the darkness.
Daniel hadn't gone far. She saw him, arm outstretched on a tree, shoulders shaking with silent tears. She halted a few feet from him. "Daniel." She heard his quick intake of breath and stepped closer in order to put a hand on his shoulder. "Daniel."
His shoulder stiffened beneath her fingers. She turned him toward her. Without hesitation he fell into her arms and wept.
"A son," he said between sobs.
"I know," she replied, and his tears fell even more freely.
At last, he released her and stepped back. He straightened, again the proud warrior. Elise breathed a silent sigh of relief. He would recover. Now for Chloe. "Daniel, the loss of the child is terrible, but you have something else which must be dealt with now."
"What?"
"Chloe."
"Is something amiss? Winnie said she would live." He looked as if he would race back to the cottage.
"No," Elise quickly put in, "you misunderstand. She will live. However…" Elise hesitated. These Highland men weren't known for having a deep understanding of their women, and she, a stranger, stood before one of them, presuming to tell him how to better deal with one of his own.
"Out with it," he growled. "If she is in danger—" His voice lowered. "Did Winnie lie?" He seized her shoulders.
Elise laid a hand on his arm. "The danger doesn't lie with her body, but her heart."
"Her heart?"
"She blames herself. What's worse, she believes you blame her."
His hands dropped away. "Of course I don't blame her."
"She thinks otherwise."
He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "She'll think differently tomorrow."
Anger shot through Elise. "You, sir, have no idea what a woman thinks."
A silence drew out between them before he said, "What did she say?"
"She didn't tell me outright, but I… I understand how she feels."
Daniel studied her. "You lost a child?"
"Yes."
He breathed deep. "What's to be done?"
"Go to her. Be with her. Let her know you still love her. It's you she needs."
He stared for a moment then, without a word, strode toward the cottage.
Elise watched until he disappeared into the darkness. A moment later, she heard the shuffle of boots on the porch. With the click of the cottage door, exhaustion washed over her. She took three steps to the closest tree and leaned against the trunk, resting her head. What a fool she was to have become too entangled with these people. They were no longer faceless strangers, but named friends whose lives had touched her. Friends she had deceived—Marcus most of all. She pushed from the tree and started down the path.
No guard remained to escort her home. The moon peeked from behind clouds. She welcomed the solitary walk. The moment the thought formed, tears rolled down her cheeks. Elise gave her head a hard shake but only succeeded in further blurring her vision. The moon dipped behind the clouds again and she was plunged into shadows. Her toe slammed against a rock. She lurched forward. She thrust her hands out in defense of the fall, but large hands seized her waist and yanked her against a hard body. Elise opened her mouth to scream but the arm tightened around her and the scream emerged a squeak.
"Re-release me you brute!" she wheezed, giving her assailant a hard kick to the leg.
He cursed softly. Her stomach did a somersault. Marcus.
"Brute, is it?" he murmured. A strained note in his voice said the kick had been successful. "You dare call me brute when I saved you from a nasty fall?"
Elise sagged against him. "You gave me a scare." She took a deep breath.
He ran a hand over her shoulder, following the caress with a kiss to her neck. "'Tis not nice for a lady to call her lover a brute." Another kiss followed on her shoulder.
"Good Lord." She broke free and faced him, trying to discern his features in the darkness. When unsuccessful, she muttered, "You truly are a man."
He chuckled. "That doesn't please you?" Marcus took her hand and started down the path. "Never mind. It will soon enough."
They walked for a few moments, then he slipped an arm around her waist. A shock rippled through Elise, settling between her legs. This feeling she had to guard against. When she left—her heart wrenched and she became painfully aware of his arm around her. His warmth had seeped through her dress, comforting, offering the promise—Elise clamped down on the burgeoning desire. She wouldn't hurt him by giving herself to him then leaving. She had to keep him at a distance for just a little longer.
"You must be exhausted," he said.
She thought of Chloe. "I'm worried about Chloe."
"She'll be fine. Daniel loves her."
"Yes. Their love is their salvation."
"'Tis always the case," Marcus stated matter-of-factly.
Her heart leapt. "Oh?"