By God's Grace by Felicia Rogers Page B

down, he asked, “Tamara, are ye all right?”
    She pushed up on one arm, her hand holding her head. “Aye, give me a moment.”
    Bryce squatted. “What happened to ye?”
    â€œI don’t remember.”
    Bryce peered inside the room. Concern laced his voice as he asked, “Where is Arbella?”
    Tamara shifted her head to follow his gaze. Then looking at him, she asked, “Arbella? What do ye mean? She was just here.”
    â€œWell, she’s not here now. So where is she?”
    Tamara struggled to a standing position and leaned against the door. A nasty purple bruise formed on her forehead. With gentleness, he asked, “Do ye remember anything? Anything at all?”
    Shaking her head, she said, “There — there was a loud banging on the door and I went to open it. I don’t remember anything after that.”
    â€œThis is not good,” said Bryce, worrying his upper lip.
    Tamara tried to scoot past. “Nay, it is not. We need to inform Duncan that Arbella is missing.”
    â€œWe don’t know that for sure.”
    â€œBryce, ye sounded smarter when ye didn’t speak.” Tamara paused and rubbed her head. “She’s not here, so she’s missing. We must tell Duncan now. Making him wait won’t make him any happier with us.”
    â€œUs?”
    â€œAye, us. Ye for leaving yer post, and me for unlocking the door to a stranger.”
    As if conjured by magic, heavy footfalls were heard coming down the hall. Bryce grabbed Tamara, hoping to glean support. But when Bryce saw Duncan enter the room, he had to hold back his swoon.
    ****
    Duncan stood at the door, studying the room. When he didn’t see Arbella in an obvious place, deep furrows dotted his brow. Bryce trembled as Duncan directed his gaze toward him. Tamara stood to the warrior’s right side. A deathly pale color graced her face.
    Addressing both of them, he asked, “Where is Arbella?”
    Bryce didn’t answer. Duncan’s face turned red. “I asked ye a question.”
    Before the man could muster the courage to answer, Tamara collapsed. Without speaking, Duncan slung the maid in his arms like a rag doll and carried her to an empty bed.
    After assuring the lass was still breathing, he spun back to face Bryce, determination etching his face. Bryce trembled. Duncan fought the urge to yell at him. Restraining the building anger, he asked again, “Where is Arbella?”
    Bryce swallowed as the answer stuttered out. “She was — was here, when — when I came to the main hall, but — but when I came back, the door was ajar, and Tamara was lying behind it.”
    Bryce stopped. Duncan waited for him to continue, but his patience was growing thin. There was a murderer on the loose, and he had no clues as to his identity, and now it seemed Arbella was missing. When he could wait no longer, he asked, “Is there anything else?”
    â€œAye.”
    Duncan’s patience dangled by a thread. His pulse beat wildly at his neck as the struggle to remain calm was fought within. Poised and ready to beat the information out of the lad if it wasn’t revealed soon, he asked, “Do ye like chewing yer food?”
    â€œAye, my laird.”
    â€œIf ye want to keep yer teeth in yer head and not on a necklace, then start talking!”
    Bryce’s eyes grew as big and round as a platter. Contemplation of how many different ways tooth loss might transpire were obviously flitting through the young man’s mind. His face was scrunched up in thought. When the Scot spoke, he said, “Tamara woke for a t-t-time and said someone knocked on the d-d-door after I left.”
    Duncan gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw as he listened to Bryce continue.
    â€œTamara said she answered the door, and that was all she remembers.”
    All Duncan’s focus shifted to earlier. If Bryce would have followed orders, Arbella would have still been in