Gabriel’s hand flew to his side. Unsheathing his blade, he swung wide, forcing Vincent to drop his second pistol before he could fire it. Rushing Vincent, Gabriel tried to take him to the ground. Struggling to remain positioned on top, Gabriel pounded his fist into Vincent’s face.
A sharp searing pain took Gabriel by surprise as he noticed the smirk on Vincent’s face. Rolling back from Vincent, Gabriel touched the tender spot on his side. Red painted Gabriel’s fingertips.
“Ye should have minded yer business,” Vincent growled. “I’ll nae be told how to treat my own wife. Nor will I allow ye to become the Laird of Baxter. That is my title. It was the whole reason I married that wretched woman in the first place. Darragh promised me the position. Then ye had to come along and stick yer nose into my business.”
Gabriel’s eyes grew blurry as a funny taste seeped into his mouth. His mind shifted to Elena as he stumbled away from the approaching Vincent.
“Ye’ll nae get away wit’ this,” Gabriel stammered, trying desperately to remain focused. But with each passing moment, his eyes grew blurrier and the world more disoriented.
“But I already have,” Vincent laughed. “Ye think I merely stabbed ye? One knick from my blade would have been enough to brin’ ye to yer knees. Teach ye a lesson ye’d never forget. But ye had to threaten my life, and so, now, I’ll be takin’ yers.”
Gabriel’s head swam as he tried to find his footing. The click of the hammer of the pistol startled Gabriel. He expected the sound to bounce around him. Instead, it was more like the sound of flint clacking against the rock to start a fire.
Mustering all the strength he could, Gabriel pushed himself forward. Careening into Vincent, Gabriel fumbled with the dirk at Vincent’s side.
“Ye’ll nae harm another livin’ soul,” Gabriel vowed as he snatched the poisonous dirk from Vincent’s fumbling fingers and ran Vincent through.
“Perhaps if ye would have listened to me and stayed off the drink, ye’d have a fightin’ chance. But ye had to use trickery, may God have mercy on ye, for I’ll nae do so.”
Vincent let out a low gurgle as the light faded from his eyes. Gabriel fell to the side trying to hold on as the world faded around him. There was only one thought that held Gabriel in place, one emotion that tethered him to this world. He knew if he let that rope snap or slip, there would be no coming back.
“Elena,” Gabriel gasped as he crawled to the horses. “God, please daenae make a liar out of me. I swore I’d come back to her.”
Crawling to the fallen tree, Gabriel propped himself up against it. The wound Vincent delivered wasn’t deep, but it was burning like he’d been stabbed with a hot poker. He knew it was the poison seeping through him. His mind shifted to Darragh and he let out a loud cry of agony. This was not the way the day was supposed to end. Nor was it the way he wanted to depart this world. Yet, with no one knowing where they were off to, and with no one around for miles, Gabriel knew the chances of survival were drawing thinner.
God, please. I cannae go like this.
Chapter 34
Elena’s heartsank into her stomach as she stared out the window of the great hall. Her mind was riddled with insecurity. She couldn’t help but wonder how long Gabriel would be out. A part of her wished he had never gone at all. But she understood what he was doing.
“Good day to ye,” Isobel said behind Elena causing her to jump a bit.
“I didnae mean to startle ye, sister.”
“It’s alright,” Elena said as she turned her attention back to the window and the view of the courtyard.
“I was curious if ye had seen Anna,” Isobel asked.
“She did nae sleep wit’ ye last night?” Elena asked as panic shot through her. For a moment Elena wondered if Anna had taken off and gone back home. But as she glanced over Isobel’s shoulder to find Anna’s children teasing one another, she knew her sister would never do that. Anna would never leave her children behind with Vincent.
“Ye ken about that, do ye?” Isobel asked as shame flickered across her face.
“Aye,” Elena said, reaching her hand out and grabbing Isobel’s shoulder to comfort her sister. “I think everyone here kens now.”
“I’m sorry I didnae tell ye before.”
“Ye ken I would have set her up in another room, right? Ye dinnae have to carry this secret. It’s been known for sometime that Anna and Vincent are havin’ issues.”
“By the way, I havenae seen him around either,” Isobel said as she turned to scan the room.
“Vincent has gone off huntin’ wit’ Gabriel,” Elena said with a heavy sigh as she dropped her hand from Isobel’s shoulder. “They should be back soon.”
“Huntin’? This time of year? Their nae likely to catch anythin’ but rabbits and such,” Isobel said as her face shifted from curiosity to shock.
“Aye, well, I suppose that is another way of sayin’ the men had business to sort out,” Elena said.
“Well, that makes sense,” Isobel said, cupping her hands in front of her. “I overheard Darragh speakin’ wit’ maither about namin’ his successor.”