“You should have the same for yourself,” Megan protested.
“How I wish that could be so, but we all know it cannot,” Terese said. “Lachlan cannot remain here. He has a duty to his clan and his family. And I cannot go with him, for then my father will—”
Hester interrupted. “Lachlan loves you; it’s obvious. He can request your hand in marriage from your father, and surely your father would agree.”
Terese shook her head. “Lachlan isn’t interested in Alyce. He has referred to her as a shrew, and do you really think he would want to wed me once he learned that I have been lying to him all this time?”
“But he has spent time with you,” Piper said. “Surely by now, he knows you are no shrew.”
“I cannot take the chance,” Terese said. “If I admit my true identity and Lachlan doesn’t want me then my father will send men for me, and I will be forced to wed a man of my father’s choosing.”
“What will you do?” Hester asked.
Another tear slipped from Terese’s eye. “Tomorrow I tell Lachlan it is time for him and his men to leave.”
“He will protest,” Hester warned.
Terese fought the ache in her heart. “I will do whatever it takes to get him to leave.”
Tears glistened in all of the women’s eyes.
“We will be here for you and help anyway we can,” Rowena said and the other three women nodded.
“I know,” Terese said forcing a smile that never surfaced. “And I will need your help when this is done, for my heart will break in so many pieces that I wonder if I will survive the pain.”
Lachlan was upset to find Terese gone when he woke. She had done that a few times now and it disturbed him. He felt as if she was running from him, and he didn’t like the thought.
He was also annoyed that he had never gotten another chance to tell her that he loved her and wished to marry her last night. He wanted this settled, for he was eager to take her home and introduce her to his family. He knew they would be surprised but pleased and that his two brothers would tease him unmercifully, but he looked forward to it, for they would truly share in his joy.
His one disappointment was not being able to discover anything about Ronan, but with the mercenaries remaining in the area, he felt certain Cavan would send a group to further scout the area and make contact with the group.
The thought of doing it himself had crossed his mind, but he considered the circumstances and the amount of men he had, and he had decided that the task called for more warriors than he had available.
He would take all the information to his brother Cavan, and he would decide on how to proceed.
Now he simply wanted to find Terese and start the process that would have them returning home, marrying, and spending the rest of their lives together.
Evan nearly crashed into him when he stepped out of the cottage.
“Can I stay, sir, can I stay?” Evan repeated nervously while bobbing up and down around him.
“What?” Lachlan asked, but before Evan could say anything Andrew popped in his face.
“I’m going to remain behind for a while to make sure the women are safe,” he said.
Lachlan shook his head confused. “What are—”
“Damn, I’m a happy man,” Boyd said, slapping Lachlan on the back.
Lachlan backed away from the three of them. “What the hell are you all talking about?”
They all turned silent.
“What’s going on?” Lachlan demanded.
Each man looked from one to the other as if they were trying to decide who would speak up.
“Someone better tell me and fast,” Lachlan warned.
Andrew was the brave one. “You better talk with Terese.”
Lachlan felt a jolt to his gut.
“Andrew’s right,” Boyd agreed. “It’s best you speak with Terese.”
Evan nodded. “She’s at the common shelter.”
Lachlan stormed off, his gut warning him that something was amiss, terribly amiss. And when he walked through the open door of the common house, Hester and Rowena made a hasty exit, leaving him alone with Terese.
“Tell me,” he said sharply.
“It’s nothing really and the others should not have said anything before I spoke with you,” she said casually. “It’s just that I feel it is time for you and your men to leave.”
“Why?”
“You have done all you can for us, and there truly is no reason for you to remain here, and I know many of your men wish to return home.”
She seemed so cold, so unattached to her words, as if she cared not at all and was simply dismissing him.
“What of us?” he asked bluntly.
She shrugged. “What of us? We have enjoyed each other as we intended. Now it’s over.”