Page 14 of Highland Ruse

And he was the monster who would see her exploited.

• • •

Delilah waited for the crash outside.

It was her first tactic of many to prolong their arrival at Edirdovar Castle—or wherever it was Kaid sought to take them.

She sat in the jostling coach, awaiting a hearty bang to interrupt the cheerful pitch of Donnan’s whistling coming from the driver’s seat. Poor Leasa had finally quieted at her side, though she continued to offer stricken apologies periodically regardless of how often Delilah tried to tell her they were unnecessary.

Leasa had a large heart and a brave soul. She’d thought Kaid had meant Delilah harm and sought to intervene, to save Delilah. Her actions had been so heartbreakingly selfless. And if Kaid truly had meant to cause Delilah harm, it would doubtless have been Leasa who would have been injured.

The Highlander was gazing out the window once more. Delilah appreciated that he seemed to be affording them a modicum of privacy.

Her foot jiggled beneath the concealment of her skirts in anticipation. She’d loosened the luggage ties on the coach prior to climbing back in, but she’d had only a moment to complete the task.

Had she loosened them enough?

A horrifying thought struck her.

What if the luggage had come loose and fallen silently onto the trail? She hadn’t intended for their items to be lost, only for a diversion to be created, one where she could insist they search for the scattered items to buy at least an hour of time.

After all, several occurrences of stolen hours would add up to a considerable sum.

But if they lost their bags, they lost everything. Aside from just the fine clothing Lord Seymour had provided her with to resemble Elizabeth, she would also have no more of the tonics or specialized gear Percy had crafted.

Percy was one of other women in Sylvi’s employ, but she didn’t go out on missions like Delilah. Her role was actually more important as she created tools for them to use—poisons, healing teas, tools to open locks and conceal weapons.

Losing her inventions would make accomplishing the assignment difficult. Not impossible, of course, but with Delilah’s first solo mission at stake, she did not want difficult.

Leasa turned to Delilah with a slight frown on her lips. “I’m so sorry for—”

A great shudder jolted the coach and something clattered behind them. Donnan’s whistled tune cut off abruptly.

Delilah’s foot stilled and her heartbeat came a little faster with her victory.

The coach drew to a hard stop which jerked both her and Leasa forward. The maid gave a cry of surprise and grasped Delilah in an iron grip.

But Kaid didn’t notice them. He already had his blade unsheathed, his brilliant blue gaze sharp on the forest outside the small window. He leapt from his seat and burst through the door with an agility he hadn’t appeared capable of. But he didn’t leave the front of the partially open coach door. He stood there like a sentry.

He might be a man who kidnapped women, but he was obviously trying to ensure they were protected.

Donnan appeared at his side. “It’s no’ an attack. The ties came loose and the lot of their bags scattered all over the trail.”

“That’s fine,” Kaid said with a shrug. “We’ll reload and continue on our way.”

“I dinna think it’ll be as easy as all that,” Donnan said, switching to Gaelic, a language Delilah knew well from her training at Kindrochit Castle.

Donnan nodded to the foliage lining the trail. “I think some of them fell into the stream.”

Delilah cast a discreet glance to the other side of the window where the road dropped off into a downhill slope and ended in a rushing stream.

Her excitement waned. She’d wanted a distraction, yes, but she hadn’t wanted to see her items destroyed.

This needed to be handled, and quickly.

She knocked on the partially open door, letting the obnoxious rapping continue until Kaid slid his gaze toward her with poorly concealed annoyance. “What is going on?” she asked. “What did he say about our bags?”

His chest swelled and relaxed with a sigh before he replied, “It would appear they werena well secured and came loose.”