Page 25 of Highland Ruse

The woman she had been paid to become.

Why then did the name cut into her heart so?

Kaid’s gaze ran a wild trail down her body and back to her face. “Are ye hurt?”

Dots of blood peppered his face and stained the front of his shirt. He did not appear injured either, and a wash of gratitude swept over her.

Delilah lifted her head in the haughty manner. “I am uninjured.” She swallowed down a squeeze in her throat. “Your investment is still secure.”

His brow creased, and she knew the barb hit where intended. “That isna why—Elizabeth, I wanted to ensure ye were safe. I—”

She held up a hand to stop him. Her fingers trembled, much to her surprise and dismay. Quickly, she balled her hand into a fist and snatched it back. “I want to check on Leasa and then change before we resume our journey.”

Kaid nodded and stepped away from her. His gaze wandered toward the body at his feet and then to his blood-smeared fingers.

Delilah remembered the nightmare Kaid had had the night before.

They’re all dead.

She faltered, wondering if perhaps she ought to be kinder.

But first, Leasa.

She turned to care for the other woman and found Donnan kneeling at her side. His head was bowed over hers, and he spoke quietly to her. Leasa’s lower lip quivered, and then he pulled her into his arms. She buried her head into his chest, and her sad sobs filled the air.

Donnan continued to hold her thus, the heavy sack of food on the ground beside him.

Delilah turned back to Kaid, to thank him, to apologize, to be the better person as she should have when he first saved her.

And found him gone.

• • •

The awful encounter would add a serious delay to their journey. Obviously she wasn’t responsible for the attack, nor would she have wanted to be, but the time lost was welcome.

She and Leasa both retired to the interior of the coach with the shutters drawn to change into clean garments. Leasa helped her into a yellow dress, something cheerful to lighten the darkness of the mood that had descended upon them all. Leasa shook so terribly, it was a wonder she could even assist Delilah into the gown.

Delilah heard only one sentence uttered between the men from where they conversed outside.

The bodies must be cleared by the time they’re done changing.

It’d been spoken in Gaelic by Kaid. Donnan gave a grunt of approval, and Delilah intentionally slowed her pace to ensure the men had the time they needed. Not that she feared dead bodies, but for Leasa’s sake, and because she did not wish the men to think their protection had been inadequate.

For certainly they had protected the women.

Never again would Delilah stunt her own abilities for the sake of keeping her secret. It almost cost both women their lives.

Delilah pulled at the final ties on Leasa’s gown and squinted in the darkness to knot it securely.

“I want to thank you for saving my life today, Leasa.” She turned the woman around to face her, a feat not easily done in such a cramped space with their removed garments billowing around their feet in great puffs of fabric.

“You’re my lady,” she said. “I’d die to save you.”

Delilah embraced her. “You needn’t do that ever. I don’t want you to be harmed.” A tug of guilt pulled at Delilah for what she was about to do.

She hadn’t intended to ask now, but the poison had been in the same bag as the yellow gown. The timing was awful, especially when Leasa was recovering from their attack, but it might be the only moment they were completely alone.

She pulled the blue bottle from her pocket where the glass had grown warm against the heat of her body. “I need you to do something.”