Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) by Aury Dobsyn Page A

following
Ella, Paen glanced around the bailey, stunned by the sight that greeted him.
More than a hundred men, women and children gathered and openly mourned the
loss of Lady Ella’s aunt and uncle. He realized at that moment how important
Ella had become to the Macleods. Her pain is now theirs, and they will stand by
her during this difficult time. Paen had never been prouder of his clan, of his
people.

10
    Gavin’s eyes
flamed with rancorous ire when he arrived an hour later, aware of Philip’s
intentionally cruel missive to his wife.
    Paen greeted and
accompanied him to the loch as he explained, “I dinna leave her, but kept my
distance and watched over her nevertheless.”
    “Thank ye.”
    “Good Luck! Ye
will need it.” With that said, Paen went back to the castle.
    Gavin entered the
forest and walked briskly along the path that led to the loch. All thoughts
centered on Ella.  He wanted to crush her to his chest and absorb her
pain.
    Impatient to reach
his grieving wife, he lengthened his powerful strides. Suddenly, a twig snapped
behind him. When he whipped around, he saw his little woman swing a thick tree
branch at his head. He instantly threw his head back, and then heard it whoosh
passed his face and slam into an adjacent tree.
    So stunned by the
attack, Gavin did not prevent her next swing, which she aimed at his
midsection. Deftly jumping back, he avoided the blow, and then watched the
heavy branch smash into a tree. Before she could swing again, he wrapped his
arms around her from behind, pinning her limbs to her sides.
    “Let me go! They
are dead because of you! I hate you! Do you hear me? I want nothing to do with
the man who destroyed my only family!”
    With a soft,
controlled voice, he said, “Ella, I dinna destroy yer family. I promise that
Baron’s Greystone and Montgomery will pay for what they have done.”
    “Keep your
worthless promises,” she spat. “I have nothing now because of you. They are all
gone, all dead. They were the only ones who wanted me, the only ones who loved me.
Oh God, I’m alone.” Her voice became a whisper as her body went limp.
    “Ye are nae alone.
And they were nae the only ones who want and love ye, little one.”
    Tearing herself
away, Ella pummeled his chest with her little fists and cried, “Nae, I want
them back. Do not take them from me. My heart. . . it hurts. They all die . .
.because of me.”
    Gavin let her vent
her pain on him, then gathered her close and allowed her to sob into his chest.
When her legs started to buckle, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to
the creeping willow tree that sat on the bank of the loch. With his back
against the massive trunk, he sat down and held her against his heart, while
her grief piqued. She wept for over an hour with her fist clenching the fabric
of his tunic.
    As he gently
rocked her, yielding tender kisses to the top of her head, he silently prayed.
    ‘Lord, I ask ye to
see me through my vow to destroy the men responsible for my wife’s loss. She
has endured so much pain, so much heartache. I pray to ye, ease her suffering,
for I love her more than my own life.”
    After Ella cried
herself to sleep, Gavin carried her to her chamber in the castle and undressed
her with the utmost care. He soon had her in a knee length, sleeping gown and
tucked into bed. Despite
    his hunger,
fatigue, and desperate need to bathe, he remained with her. He settled himself
on the padded window bench to watch his slumbering wife.
    Well past
midnight, he finally departed her chamber and went to the hall. To his
surprise, his family and guard had not sought their beds; instead, they waited
anxiously for him on the dais. The loyalty they displayed for Ella filled him
with pride and gave him the support he needed.
    While consuming an
abundance of food and ale over the next hour, the occupants of the hall voiced
their opinions on how to care and seek retribution for Ella. When Gavin finally
retired for the evening, he yearned