Chapter Eighteen
As soon as Annabel saw that Theo had left for a walk, she went to her sister’s chamber. Her pulse hammered in her throat the entire time—what in the world would she say to her? What in the world would they do?
But problems didn’t get any smaller from willful ignorance. Unfortunately. She drew a deep breath and rapped gently at the door.
Fiona opened it a crack and peeked out, assuring it was Annabel before she stepped back to let her in.
Annabel stepped into the empty room. “Where is Mary?”
“She’s with Catriona in the kitchen,” Fiona said.
Annabel stared at the wall, her hands gripping each other tightly. That was good, she told herself. She wouldn’t be able to say what she needed to say if Mary was here.
“Are you all right?” Fiona asked from behind her.
“No,” she said on a shaky breath. “No, I’m not all right. Fiona…did you kill him?”
When there was no answer, her stomach plummeted. She turned to face her sister, whose face had gone white.
“How did you find out?” she asked.
“Fiona!” she cried. “How could you keep this from me? How could you?”
“I didn’t know if you’d turn me away if you knew…I had nowhere else to go.”
“I wouldn’t have turned you away,” Annabel said. It was the truth. She would never turn her back on her younger sister, no matter what she’d done, but God, she felt used. She felt like a fool.
“How did you find out?” Fiona repeated.
“Everyone is talking about it,” she said shrilly. “I heard it from an innkeeper in Oban. They’re looking for you. Colin’s family is adamant that you’re caught and punished. They want to see you hanged.”
“But they don’t know I’m here.”
“Not yet,” Annabel said. “But they’re searching the area.”
“You thought we were safe here before.”
“That was before I realized so many people were trying to find you. I thought you’d left Colin, and that he might search for you quietly to avoid embarrassment, and give up if he didn’t find anything after a while. It doesn’t sound like his family is willing to give up. If they question enough people, it could very well lead them here.”
Fiona wrung her hands. “Then what do we do?”
“I don’t know,” Annabel said softly. “I don’t know what to do. My first thought is to get you out of Scotland, but what if they’re watching the ports?”
“I should have left,” Fiona said. “As soon as I fled I should have bought passage on a ship. But I wasn’t thinking clearly. All I could think about was getting to you. I was frightened, and shocked, and I kept remembering—I kept remembering—” She faltered.
Annabel reached out to touch her sister’s hand. “It’s all right.”
“No. I’ve only given them a chance to find me.”
Fiona’s hand was trembling. “What happened?” Annabel whispered. “Why did you do it?”
Fiona sank down at the foot of the bed. When she spoke, she didn’t look at Annabel. “Colin was not a…a nice man. I learned to avoid him, as much as I could, but Mary didn’t. One night, she accidentally crossed his path when he was in a foul mood. He pushed her down the stairs,” she said, her voice breaking. “He could have killed her. He could have killed my child.”
Annabel’s heart clenched. “So you…”
“I waited until he was asleep and I shot him in the chest. And then I left.”
A startled laugh that was some cross between crazed hilarity and complete abandonment escaped Annabel.
“I can’t say what came over me, Bel. It was rage and fear, and I just…I wanted him gone. I wanted Mary to be safe. I never wanted to worry that he’d harm her again.”
“So you had provocation,” Annabel said slowly. “Did anyone see him do anything? Would anyone be willing to testify about his character? The servants?”
Fiona shook her head. “He never hurt me where they could see. He was always so careful to protect his reputation. They all loved him, Bel.”
Annabel couldn’t say what she would have done in the same situation—if she might not have done the same thing had her husband shown violence toward her child. But good Lord…was there any chance a jury would acquit her sister now? It wouldn’t have been a certain thing even if she’d shot him in the heat of the moment to defend herself. But that she’d waited until he was asleep and in bed…that she’d fled…that Colin was so well-respected no one would expect abuse…
What an awful, awful mess.
And the responsibility of it fell like a heap on Annabel’s shoulders. This never would have happened if Annabel had seen Colin for the monster he was. She’d actually encouraged her sister when Colin had begun courting her. She’d actually thought it would be a good match. She’d been blind to who he really was.
The weight of her mistake threatened to suffocate her, and she gripped Fiona’s hand more tightly.
Her sister began to cry, soft tears hidden in the palm of her hand. Annabel pulled Fiona against her, cradled her sister’s head against her chest.
“I’m sorry,” Fiona sobbed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shown up here. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“No,” Annabel soothed. “You did the right thing. I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you.”
As she should have done. As she’d failed to do.
If there was still breath in her lungs, she wouldn’t let any harm come to Fiona.