Highlander Most Wanted Page 0,21
or food? How do you expect that you would last even a day? A lone female with no protector? You’d be easy prey for any man who happened along, and no one would ever be the wiser.”
The blood drained from her face, because that was precisely what had happened with Ian. He’d slaughtered her escort and whisked her away to a life of captivity and depravity. No one had been the wiser. To this day, no one knew.
Genevieve McInnis was dead.
“I will not stay there any longer,” she said in as firm a voice as she could muster. But it lacked conviction. She was afraid, and it was obvious to Bowen that she was afraid. Any fool could hear the quiver in her voice and see that her hands shook. “I already humiliated myself when I swore never to allow myself that kind of humiliation again. There’s naught left but for me to go before I sacrifice what little dignity I have left.”
Bowen put his hand on her arm. She tried to shrug away, but he persisted, drawing her closer to him with firm but gentle hands. It was obvious he made a concerted effort not to hurt her in any way. His palms smoothed up her arms to rest at her shoulders and he gave each a reassuring squeeze.
“I won’t allow you to go.”
She couldn’t help the dismay that overcame her. Disappointment—and gut-wrenching fear—choked her, robbing her of breath. How cruel was the promise of freedom only to have it yanked away.
He sighed, and his features softened. There was a hint of sorrow—and regret—in his eyes, and that puzzled her.
“You’ll not remain as a prisoner, Genevieve. Never that. You’ll be well cared for and will be treated as an honored guest. No one will harm you. You answer to no one save me. I’ll send word to your family, but until they arrive you’ll be given the utmost regard. I’ll have the head of anyone who dares cross me on this matter.”
“Nay!” she shouted hoarsely, ripping her arms from his grasp. “Nay, do not!”
His brows furrowed and he stared at her in clear confusion. “I do not understand.”
Her breath sputtered erratically from frozen lips. She was so panicked that she could barely force the words from her throat.
“You’ll not send word to my family.”
There was a note of hysteria in her voice that even she was cognizant of.
“Why the hell not?” Bowen demanded. “They must be sick with worry.”
Genevieve shook her head, tears filling her eyes. A sob welled in her throat, and she couldn’t call back the tears as they slid down her cheeks. It made her furious that this man could bring her to tears when Ian McHugh had never done so. She’d never allowed it. Wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“They believe me dead. That I perished with the rest of my escort a year ago.”
Bowen stared agape at her. “Then surely you would want to send word to them at once so they don’t linger under such a misapprehension any longer.”
She shook her head even more vehemently, and felt the frayed threads holding her together start to break. Perhaps she was finally going mad.
“ ’Tis better that they think me dead. If they knew all …”
She broke off, shaking her head and turning away, no longer able to look Bowen in the eye.
She dare not admit everything to him. She didn’t think she could bear to see the pity and disgust in his eyes. Nor could she bear to hear the cold recitation of the facts from her own lips.
“ ’Tis better this way,” she said again. “I would never have them know the whole of it. My shame is too great for them to bear. I would forever be a burden to them. There would be naught for me to do save return home and live in seclusion under my father’s care for the rest of my days, and for my family to bear my shame for all time.”
Bowen’s lips tightened. She knew that he likely thought her daft. Or extremely selfish. ’Twas not her pride preventing her from sending word to her family. She had none left. The knowledge of what had happened to Genevieve would destroy her mother and the rest of her kin. She could never live with herself for causing them so much pain. She would die before bringing dishonor to her father’s name.
“I have already brought dishonor to my clan,” she said in a quiet, pained voice. “I despise myself