A Scot to the Heart (Desperately Seeking Duke #2) - Caroline Linden Page 0,105

said, her voice trembling. “I can visit family if I wish.”

Instead he took a pair of manacles from his pocket. “You’ll have to come back to Edinburgh, Mrs. Ramsay.”

The sight of the manacles sparked a panic inside her. He meant to chain her up and drag her back to town—lock her in the Tolbooth—bully her and threaten her and, most horribly of all, keep her from finding Papa and clearing his name. She pulled against his grip, and he gave her a sharp shake, so hard her teeth clacked together.

“None of that, now,” he growled. “You’ve got a fair bit to answer for.” He squeezed her wrist into the manacle, so tightly she cried out. She twisted, trying to pull away from him, and he yanked her back against him.

Then he gave a shout and shoved her away, so hard she sprawled on her face in the dirt. For a moment she couldn’t breathe; her head had hit the ground, knocking off her hat, and the dirt and rocks of the road scoured her cheek. Ilsa struggled to sit up. Mr. Hay glared at her, one hand clapped to his chin, where a long thin scratch oozed blood. Her hatpin, she realized.

Then Hay jerked backward, his small eyes going wide in surprise.

From Ilsa’s position sprawled on the ground, Drew towered like an avenging angel as he threw Mr. Hay to the ground and stalked after him. He snarled something and put his boot on the man’s chest as Hay attempted to scramble to his feet, sending him flying again. Once more the officer tried to get up, and this time Drew let him, only to fell him with a punch that made his head snap around. Mr. Hay didn’t move when he hit the ground for a third time.

Flexing his hand, perhaps still breathing fire, Drew turned to her. “Are you injured?”

Wide-eyed, she shook her head.

For a moment they stared at each other, until something shattered inside her breast. With a strangled sob she scrambled up from the ground and flung herself at him. He caught her with both arms, hauling her off her feet and covering her face with kisses. Crying, still shaking, she kissed him wholeheartedly, clasping his face between her hands.

“You hit him,” she sobbed between kisses.

“He hurt you,” Drew replied. His wounded hand stroked over her hair; her hat was somewhere in the dirt. He touched her scraped cheek, his mouth flat with anger. “You looked so terrified—you’re sure you’re not badly hurt?”

She nodded, her lips trembling.

“Good.” He kissed her hard once more, then set her back down and stooped over Mr. Hay. He came back with a ring of keys and unlocked the manacle from her wrist, flinging it and the keys into the tall grass of the field. With a grunt he heaved the officer up off the road, hauling him several feet away into the grass.

“Where is the other?” she asked fearfully.

Drew glanced over his shoulder. “Over there. He tried to stop me from coming to you.”

The country here was lonely, rising and falling in gentle hills. Drew jogged back to where Mr. Williamson sprawled, a thin trickle of blood on his mouth. He carried Mr. Williamson to where he’d left Mr. Hay, and settled them both with some care.

“Are they dead?” she whispered. She’d only managed to retrieve her hat and stood watching in awe.

“Nay. They’ll wake soon. I only want to buy time.” He took her hand and set off at a brisk pace in the direction he’d come from.

Ilsa hurried along behind him. “Time for what?”

“For us to leave,” he said evenly. “When they come around, they’ll go to the local sheriff and then we’ll be in the fire.” He gave her a fraught look. “We have to go now. I hope you learned what you needed.”

The local sheriff would arrest them both. Drew had assaulted law officers, one of whom would probably say she had stabbed him when he tried to subdue her. Terrified, Ilsa nodded.

They reached the inn and she ran up the stairs to her room. Drew followed close behind, whispering to her to gather only a change of clothes and any papers, and to pack the rest in her small trunk. A few minutes later he tapped on her door and handed her a wrapped package, which turned out to be a pair of breeches. “Dress to ride,” he told her.

A quarter of an hour later they rode out on two strange horses, which apparently belonged