Teague nodded and started for the door. “Summon me if you have need of anything. I’ll make sure food is brought up for your meal.”

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “And thank you for helping me.”

Anger darkened his eyes. “ ’Tis disgraceful how they abuse a mere lass. Bowen will be furious. Graeme will not tolerate such,” he amended.

She lifted her fingers to touch the tender spot on her temple and moved it around to inspect the bump on her head.

“Are you all right?” Teague asked gently.

She took in a deep breath and dropped her hand into her lap to grip her other hand. She faced him bravely, determined not to allow him to see how affected she was by the blatant show of animosity.

“Aye, I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for your aid.”

Teague nodded and left her chamber, closing the door behind him.

“You’ve been out here for hours,” Graeme said dryly.

Bowen turned his head from where he sat on one of the rock outcroppings overlooking the river to see his brother standing a short distance away.

He sighed. “I’ve been thinking.”

Graeme took a step forward until he was directly next to Bowen, his booted feet mere inches from the water lapping the bank.

“Aye, that much is obvious. You didn’t even hear me approach. What is it that has you so occupied?”

“Genevieve.”

“Ah. That explains much,” Graeme said.

Graeme settled onto the rock next to Bowen and stared over the water as Bowen was doing.

“And what have you decided about the lass?”

Bowen closed his eyes, not wanting to voice his thoughts. His heart was filled with a piercing ache and he was overwhelmed with grief for what he must do.

“I have to let her go,” he said, his voice breaking halfway through the words.

Graeme turned his stare on his brother.

“She’ll never be happy unless she’s been reunited with her family,” Bowen said. “ ’Tis not fair to her or them for them to go on thinking she died. I heard the longing in her voice when she spoke of them. They love her and she loves them. She was very dear to them. Their only daughter. I cannot be selfish and take her away with me and keep her only unto myself. She’s been denied choices for far too long. How can I be another force in her life that does the same? I want her. God, I want her. I love her. But I want her to be happy more than I want myself to be happy. And I cannot bear the thought that there would always be sorrow in her eyes were I to take her to Montgomery Keep and perpetuate this myth that she is no one. Not important.”

Graeme slid his hand over Bowen’s shoulder. “I think you’re doing the right thing. The lass has had nothing but heartache, and ’tis true she’s been denied a choice in everything. I can only imagine the grief that her clan has endured thinking she is lost to them. You do a good thing reuniting her with her kin.”

“She may hate me for it,” Bowen said bleakly. “I speak of denying her choices, and yet I seek to go against her wishes by informing her family that she lives. She will not thank me for it.”

“Sometimes the right thing is the most painful choice,” Graeme said quietly.

“Aye, I know it.”

Graeme’s eyes were full of sympathy, and regret filled his face. “I am sorry for your grief, Bowen. I can’t hope to understand the choices before you. I would be devastated if I ever had to face giving up my Eveline.”

“I would bring more trouble upon my clan were the McInnises to discover that their daughter was alive and under my protection. But, most important, I don’t think Genevieve will ever truly be happy if all is not resolved with her family. And I want her happiness more than I want my own.”

Graeme put his hand on Bowen’s shoulder again but remained silent as the two brothers gazed into the distance.

There was naught to say when Bowen was dying on the inside.

“Bowen!”

Bowen tensed at the distant call. He and Graeme both turned to see Teague approaching, a grim frown on his face.

“A group of McHugh women were doing their damnedest to stone Genevieve,” Teague said without preamble.

Bowen shot to his feet. “What?”

“I came upon her fleeing back to the keep with a mob of women on her heels hurling rocks at her. I took the lass back to her chamber and tended her wounds.”

“How badly is she hurt?” Bowen demanded.

“I think she’s just shaken up. She had one cut to her face, and she likely has bruises where the other rocks landed, but she was just frightened and upset. I told her to remain above stairs and not to come out.”

Bowen swore violently, his fingers curling into tight fists. “ ’Tis no way for her to live!”

He raked one of his hands through his hair and turned away, fury pumping through his veins.

“I cannot allow it to continue, Graeme. They’ve made the lass’s life hell. They won’t stop in their attempt to make her unwelcome here.”

“I understand,” Graeme said in a voice quiet with sympathy.

Bowen tried to collect his thoughts when his only thought was to go to her as quickly as possible. He turned to his brothers—both of them—his expression grim and determined.

“I cannot stay here with her. Even if I send word to her family. I cannot allow her to remain here another day. They hate her. ’Tis no way for Genevieve to live, and she cannot remain a prisoner in her chamber.”

He glanced up at Teague and then looked between him and Graeme.

“Will you stay, Teague, and carry out Graeme’s wishes as to the fate of the clan and the lands? I must return to Montgomery Keep and bear Genevieve with me so that she will be safe.”

Teague looked surprised and glanced at Graeme to gauge his opinion.

“I’m agreeable if you are,” Graeme said. “ ’Tis a lot to ask, but no more than I asked of Bowen. You have a mess here. ’Tis no doubt on that matter. It’s going to require a strong hand and much patience. What say you, Teague? Are you up to the task?”

Teague’s expression was solemn, but he nodded. “I’ll not tolerate the ridiculousness that Bowen has. ’Tis time someone took a much firmer hand with the lot of them.”

Graeme’s eyebrows rose. “I hardly call killing three of them having a light hand. Some might say he’s been overly intolerant.”

“They need to have the wits frightened from them,” Teague muttered. “Their women are nothing more than shrewish harpies intent on making everyone around them miserable, and their men are cowardly weaklings.”

Graeme turned to Bowen. “Perhaps ’tis best if you send word to Genevieve’s family and direct them to Montgomery Keep. Tell them all, but allow them to meet her at our keep. Their anger will be high if they’re forced to come to the clan responsible for all the harm done to their daughter. And, with the McHughs so hostile toward Genevieve, ’tis likely the McInnises will come ready to go to war. I wouldn’t blame them if they wanted to wipe the earth clean of the McHughs’ existence. If they ever did to a daughter of mine what they’ve done to Genevieve, I would not rest until I’d shed every drop of their blood.”

“Aye, ’tis the best course. I would remove her from this place immediately,” Bowen said. “If you’ll transcribe my words to the McInnis laird, I’ll send a messenger before we depart for Montgomery Keep.”

Graeme nodded. “Of course. I’ll write the message as you dictate it. I’ll accompany you back to our keep. I’ve seen enough. It turns my stomach to remain here any longer.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go to Genevieve to see if she is all right and also to tell her of our departure,” Bowen said. “I’ll dictate the letter to her kin, and we’ll depart at dawn tomorrow.”

Chapter 36

Genevieve stood by the fire, warming her still shaking, chilled hands. It wasn’t hard for her to imagine harboring such intense hatred for another. She despised Ian and Patrick McHugh with all her heart. But it baffled her that the McHugh clan held such animosity for her over something that was clearly not her doing.

Were it not for the reckless, selfish acts of Ian McHugh, she would even now be married to another.

But it burned in the back of her mind that were she married to another, she would never have met Bowen and she would never have spent a precious night in his arms.

’Twas hard to say if she’d accept all that she’d endured in the past year for that one night, but the time spent loving him had gone a long way toward easing the pain and humiliation of Ian’s abuse.

Her door opened and she turned to see Bowen burst in and stride across the room toward her. She was in his arms in but a moment, and he squeezed her so tightly she could barely breathe.

His hand went to her temple, grazing over the small cut, and then both hands swept over her hair, stroking, as if looking for any sign of injury. ’Twas obvious his brother had told him all.

“Are you all right?” he demanded anxiously. “Teague told me what happened. Are you badly hurt?”

She shook her head. “Nay. A slight ache to my head, but ’tis all. I was frightened, but Teague set the matter to rights.”

He crushed her to his chest again and kissed the top of her head. “I’m taking you away from here.”

She went completely still. She was sure she could not have heard him correctly. Was he finally placing her in an abbey as she’d requested?

“Genevieve?”

He carefully pulled her from his chest and stared intently at her, his gaze questioning.

“Do you not want to go?”

Her breath stuttered over clumsy lips and she tried to smile, knowing she failed miserably.

“Of course I do. ’Tis what I’ve said I wanted from the start. That you’ll see me well placed in an abbey is more than I could have dreamed.”

He frowned, his expression turning fierce. “ ’Tis not an abbey I intend to see you to. You will ride with me to Montgomery Keep and we leave on the morrow.”

Relief made her shaky. She was so overcome that for a moment she simply could not speak. Her hands flew to cover her face as she tried valiantly not to lose her composure.

Bowen grasped her shoulders, his fingers tight. “I am sorry, Genevieve. ’Tis something I should have done long before now. Selfishly, I wanted you here with me and I allowed you to suffer as a result. Teague and Brodie will remain here to see to the mess that is the McHugh clan. I’m taking you from this place, and you’ll not be treated in this fashion again.”

She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. Her cheeks were wet, but she kept her face buried in his tunic so that he would not see the intensity of her reaction.

But he knew.

He hugged her just as fiercely, and then finally he pried her away and cupped her chin, his eyes sorrowful and full of regret.

“The joy in which you embrace this news shames me. I should have sent you from this place the moment I knew of your plight. I’m sorry, Genevieve. I’m sorry that I caused you more pain.”

She leaned to kiss him and placed both hands on his face. “ ’Tis glad I am you didn’t send me away from you. The night spent in your arms is one I’ll treasure forever.”

“I would spend this one with you as well,” he said gruffly, his eyes ablaze with desire.

A flutter worked deep in her chest. Her mouth went dry as he bristled, all delicious warrior male. And he wanted her.

It made no sense for a man such as he to want a woman scarred when he could have any woman he wanted at the crook of his finger.

She’d seen the looks the McHugh lasses had thrown his way. She’d heard the blatant invitations, the coy smiles, the boldness with which they made their desires known. And yet not once had he looked their way.

“I’d like that,” she said softly as she rubbed her cheek along his chest.

He grasped her shoulders and lowered his head to capture her mouth in a breathtaking, smoldering kiss. There was more demand in his movements tonight. He wasn’t as patient or tender as he’d been the previous night. It was as if he’d lost all ability to hold back and he wanted her with a desperation that overtook him.

Excitement coursed through her veins. Heat flushed her skin as her body responded to his demands.

“I want you,” he rasped. “God, Genevieve, I want you so. You’re like a drug in my blood. An addiction I have no desire to ever conquer.”

He picked her up as if she weighed naught and carried her to the bed, where he dropped her with a soft bounce.

He stood over her, looming, big and fierce, as he quickly divested himself of his clothing. He stripped his tunic over his head and she sucked in her breath at the expanse of muscles, the rock-solid breadth of his chest and his thick shoulders and arms.

So strong, able to protect, and yet capable of being exquisitely tender and loving. So very loving. There was nothing she delighted in more than lying surrounded by those huge arms, knowing that he’d allow nothing to harm her.