Who the devil was it? One of Keegan’s men or her father’s? She couldn’t turn her head enough to see him but one thing was certain… he had stinking breath, like rotten cabbage. She kicked, driving her heels against his shins. Keegan’s dirk came to mind. Nay! She had dropped it. But she still had her own knife strapped to her forearm. What if he was one of the MacKay or MacKenzie guards? She didn’t want to stab one of them.
The man carried her, running toward a row of bushes at the edge of the village. From the corner of her eye, she saw the man had long gray hair.
McMurdo? Her blood froze within her veins. I have to stab him!
“We have your sister,” McMurdo said, his voice gruff and raspy in her ear.
“Talia?” she tried to say, but the word came out muffled. How could they have abducted her sister?
“Come quietly, and we’ll let your sister go free. I have proof.”
Proof? How had he or Haldane captured her sister? Had they snatched her from Rebbie and Fraser once they’d brought her from the attic?
Keeping his hand over her mouth, he dug through his clothing and pulled out a piece of white linen cloth. “See?” He held it in front of her eyes.
She blinked, trying to clear her tear-blurred vision. The handkerchief’s monogram was the initials TEM. Talia Elizabeth Murray. Seona remembered the day Talia had embroidered it in deep red. Nausea rose within her. How had this happened? Had Talia lost her handkerchief and these outlaws found it? If so, would they have known it was hers? She didn’t recall that Haldane knew her sister’s name. On the off chance McMurdo was telling the truth, she had to do what he said and help Talia.
“Do you agree?” the man rasped in her ear.
Seona nodded as hard as she could.
“Make no sounds or we’ll kill your sister.”
She nodded again, trying to make him understand she’d do anything to keep her sister safe.
He uncovered her mouth but retained a hold on her arm. She glared at him. Saints! He was an alarming sight close up—scars and pock marks mottled his wrinkled face. His hair, brows and short beard were gray, his teeth jagged and half gone. His eyes were black as midnight in Hades, and looking into them chilled her to the core of her soul. He was a murderer, an assassin, his soul as evil as the devil’s own.
“Where is my sister?” she asked.
He pointed. “Over there. Stay low and come with me.” Hunched, they crept through the bushes toward the forest. Her heart thudded hard. ’Haps she was an idiot for going with him, but she had to free Talia.
Once they entered the trees, McMurdo guided her behind a clump of boulders where several men lurked, some sitting on the ground, others bent and peering between the boulders toward the village.
Haldane stood, his feral green eyes riveted on her with great interest—nay—obsession. He smiled, and her whole body froze.
“McMurdo, you’re getting every damn thing I promised you and more.” Haldane rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders. He looked different now, less like a lad and more like a man, with the short red beard furring the lower half of his face.
“Where is my sister?” she asked him.
“Seona!” the female shout came from behind another boulder.
“Shut up, wench!” an unseen man said.
Seona bolted toward the sound of her sister’s voice and found her lying on the ground, her hands and feet bound. Seona knelt beside her. “Are you hurt?”
Talia shook her head, tears streaming from her eyes.
“Untie her at once,” Seona ordered the man.
“I’ll release her.” Haldane waited behind her. “But you must agree to come with me peacefully. No fighting. And you must agree to marry me.”
Chapter Thirty
Chief Murray climbed the stairs inside the tavern as fast as his legs would carry him, the local minister and constable following him, along with two of his men who had assured him everything was set up as it should be.
At the top of the stairs, he strode toward the chamber door. It sickened him to think his own daughter was inside and had lain with that MacKay bastard. He flung open the door to find Rebbinglen sprawled unmoving on the bed. He wore naught but trews. A gash on his head bled on the sheets. And his dark hair was wet.
“Is this the earl?” Constable Winfred asked, his rounded jowls jiggling.
“He’s injured,” Reverend Lang said in a shocked and concerned tone.
Murray glanced around the room and under the bed. “Where is my daughter?” he thundered.
Rebbinglen groaned and lifted a hand toward his head.
Murray cursed under his breath. He was supposed to find his daughter in this bedchamber with Rebbinglen in a very compromising position. If the minister and the constable had seen the two in bed together, they’d have no choice but to marry. But Seona was nowhere to be found. Never had he wanted so badly to strangle her.
“Did no one guard this room?” he asked his men.
The two dolts looked at him with blank, wide-eyed stares.
“Did you see my daughter in this room with Rebbinglen?”
They both nodded. “Aye, she was here.”
But they hadn’t made sure she stayed there until he and the witnesses arrived.
“Idiots!” He backhanded the one closest to him. “Find my daughter! Now!”
“Aye, m’laird.” They hastened from the room.
“Pray pardon, Reverend Lang, Constable Winfred,” Murray said. “My men said they found the two of them together here, but my daughter has slunk away, leaving her lover to fend for himself.”
“What’s happening?” Rebbinglen asked in a slurred voice, his dark eyes open a crack. “Did you hit me on the head, Murray?”
“Nay, my laird. ’Twas not me. Likely some outlaw did it.” Murray turned to the other two men. “I’m sorry I wasted your time, gentlemen. I will handle things from here.”
“Well, Chief, clearly the earl has been attacked and robbed,” the constable said. “We need to find the culprit.”
“Indeed. And I will. I’ll not be keeping you. I’m certain you’d rather be at home breaking your fast.” He ushered them out the door, then turned back to Rebbinglen.
Lowering his black brows into a menacing scowl, Rebbie squinted, glancing around the room. “Where am I?”
“A room over the tavern.”
“Saints!” Scrunching his face into a horrible expression, he sat up. “I’m going to kill whoever hit me.”
Murray backed up a few more inches. “Aye, and I’ll help you find him. But in the meantime… is it not true that you slipped my daughter out here for a tryst.”
Rebbie rubbed his scalp, glaring the entire time. “I assure you that I was not having a tryst with your daughter,” he said through clenched teeth. “Clearly, someone hit me over the head and brought me here.” He glanced down. “Where the devil are the rest of my clothes?” His suspicious eyes turned to Murray.
He held up his hands and remained by the door. “You were like that when I entered the room, my laird. I would never touch your clothing.”
“Of course, they took my weapons, too.” Growling and holding his head, Rebbie stood. He staggered and braced against the wall. His eyes searched the floor. “Find them, Murray!”
“Aye.” Murray hastened to the other side of the bed. “Naught over here.”
“Look underneath the bed.”
Murray wanted to knock the earl on the other side of the head, but he couldn’t get away with it. And now that the man was awake and alert, for the most part, and Seona was not here, Murray couldn’t trap him into marrying his daughter. He would throttle the daft men he’d assigned to do this job.
Rebbie turned. “Are they under there?”
Taking the candle, Murray knelt and peered beneath the bed. “Naught but a thick layer of dust and a few mouse droppings.”
“You ken who brought me here, do you not?”
“Nay, m’laird.”
Rebbie grunted. “Regar
dless, I am not marrying your daughter.”
Rage boiled inside Murray. Where was his daughter? He knew she’d been here with that MacKay bastard. When he found her, he was going to whip some sense into her. Both his daughters were disobedient, daft whores. They were determined to embarrass him and throw their lives away.
“Give me your sword,” Rebbie said in no uncertain terms.
“What? Are you mad?” Murray’s sword was worth a small fortune and no one used it but him.
“When you recover my sword from whichever of your men stole it, you will get yours back. In the meantime, I require a weapon.” Rebbie held out his hand.
“What are you going to do with it?”
The earl sent him a sinister grin. “I’m not going to kill you with it, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Damn! What could Murray do but give it to him? The man outranked him, and his father was a powerful man.
Reluctantly, Murray drew his sword from the scabbard and gave it to the earl.
“Your dirk, too.” Rebbie motioned with his other hand.
“You’re disarming me?” Murray grumbled.
“Not intentionally. But I suspect the place is crawling with backstabbers, and I must help my friends.”
Glaring, Murray handed the foot-long Highland dirk over and Rebbie slid the two blades into his own scabbards.
“Laird Rebbinglen!” the shout sounded from downstairs.
Who the devil was that? Murray moved toward the door and opened it. “I’ve found him up here,” he called.
Rebbie’s manservant, George, rushed into the room. “Are you injured, m’laird?”
“Not overmuch. Someone tried to bash in my skull, but I’ll live, as you can see. Help me find my shirt and doublet. And my weapons. The whoreson who knocked me on the head likely has them.” Rebbie headed toward the door, waving off George’s offer to assist him down the stairs.
Murray followed them out.
One hand on the rail and one on his head, Rebbie staggered down the steps, George on his heels.
“Are those your clothes, m’laird?”
“Where?”
George ran past him toward one of the tavern tables. “Aye, I believe these are yours.”
After Rebbie dressed, they exited the tavern. Outside, mayhem reigned. Several of the Murrays and MacKays were engaged in sword fights. But his daughter was nowhere in sight. Aye, Murray would beat Seona when he found her.
***
I’m already married! Seona almost yelled the words at Haldane, but then realized if she revealed this information, Talia would be in grave danger. The gold band Keegan had placed on her finger was still there, but none of the outlaws had seen it yet. The long sleeves of the black cloak she wore hid her hands.
She had dropped Keegan’s belongings at the spot where McMurdo had grabbed her. If she’d known this would happen, she would’ve strapped the dirk to her side beneath the cloak. Hopefully, if Keegan or any of his men found his things, they’d know she’d been captured.
“Very well.” Seona stood and faced Haldane. She’d agree to marry him, or anything, if they’d release Talia.
He raised auburn brows, giving her a skeptical look. “How do I ken you’re telling the truth?”
She wanted to box his ears, then kick him in the groin. “Release my sister and allow me to see that she is safe, and I will go with you.”
“Nay, Seona,” Talia said. “They are madmen!”
“Put a gag in her mouth,” Haldane ordered.
“She will be quiet.” Seona sent her sister a meaningful look. “Shh.” She then turned to Haldane. “Will you allow me to talk to my sister in private for a minute?” she asked as sweetly as she could, although she wanted to take her sgian dubh to him.
“Aye. But I’m keeping an eye on you. Fan out,” he told his men as he backed away.
Seona helped her sister sit and lean back against the large stone. At least she was heavily clothed with what appeared to be three layers of wool arisaids.
“Have they hurt you?” Seona asked.
Talia shook her head. “Naught but a few bruises from when they tossed me over a saddle.”
“How on earth did they capture you?” Seona whispered.
“I ran away… or tried to, but they grabbed me just outside the gate.” Tears dripped from her sister’s eyes. “They thought I was you for a while, until that one looked at me closer.” She glanced at Haldane.
“I’m so sorry you were dragged into this because of me.” Seona dried her sister’s tears with her cloak sleeve. “Don’t cry. Once they untie you, go to the village and hide. When you find Keegan or one of his friends, tell them where I am.”
Her dark eyes grew fierce. “I’m not leaving you alone with these barbarians.”
It touched Seona’s heart that her sister wanted to protect her. She blinked back the burning moisture that threatened to flood her eyes. “Haldane will not hurt me. He thinks he’s in love with me.”
Talia glared over Seona’s shoulder. “Come closer,” she whispered.
Seona leaned forward.
“He will force you.”
An icy frisson passed through Seona. She knew that was a possibility, but she had to get Talia away from them. None of the brutes cared a thing about Talia. They might kill her if she became a burden or merely annoyed them.
“I believe I can talk him out of it,” Seona whispered, not wanting her sister to worry. “I think he wishes to make me happy.”
“I want to be released, but I refuse to go back to the castle,” Talia said. “Father is going to make me marry the Comyn next week. He’s worse than these outlaws.”
Seona nodded, knowing ’twas most likely true. “When you’re released, hide and slip to the back of the tavern.”
“Why?”
“Keegan, Laird Rebbinglen, and their friends should be nearby. But so is Father. You will have to hide from him and his men. Keegan will help you. If we could’ve found you last night, we would’ve run away, and already be far from here.”
Talia’s eyes widened. “In truth? Keegan is stealing you away?”
“Aye, and he agreed to take you, too. But we have to escape these outlaws and Father’s men.”
“I’ll do it. I’ll hide behind the tavern and wait for you. If I can find Keegan or his friends, I’ll tell them who has taken you.”
Seona had pointed out Keegan to Talia from her window when she was locked in, days ago. They had watched him, Fraser, and Rebbie crossing the barmkin. Seona had described a few of the other men to her and the clothing they wore.
“How will you escape these madmen?” Talia asked.
“I’ll figure out something.” Seona wished she could give Talia her knife, but closely as Haldane and the men were watching, they’d notice. Besides, she might need it to escape them. Hopefully, Talia would be safe if she hid behind the tavern. Even if her father’s men found her, they would not harm her. The only dangers to Talia at the moment were Haldane and his men.
Seona stood and turned to Haldane. He moved closer to her. “I’ll go with you if you’ll untie Talia and leave her here alone, so that she can return to the safety of the village.”
He grimaced and shook his head. “I cannot do that, Lady Seona.”
Fury tore through her, but she tried to hide it. “Why not?”
“She’ll tell your father’s men, Keegan’s men, and the whole lot of them will be after us.”
“Nay, she won’t. You will keep this a secret, will you not, Talia?”
“Aye. Of course.”
Haldane tilted his head, giving Seona an amused look. “Come now, m’lady. Do not take me for a fool. Here is what I’ll do—I’ll leave her right where she is, tied up. Eventually, someone will find her. But we’ll be long gone by then.”
“I thought you wanted me to go with you willingly,” Seona challenged.
“You will,” Haldane said calmly, but with more of his natural menace creeping out. “Or we can also take your
sister with us and leave her deep in the wood.”
Nay! Nausea surged through Seona’s vitals. She shook her head. “I agree ’tis better to leave her here.”
“And you will willingly go with me and marry me, aye?”
She nodded, having no intention of doing anything he said.
“We’re heading out,” Haldane called to his men and motioned toward the forest.
Clasping her hands together before her, Seona slipped one hand into her smock sleeve and pulled the sgian dubh free of the sheath. When she lowered her arms, the long sleeves of the cloak covered her hands and the small knife. Moving her hands behind her back, she dropped the weapon close to Talia. Once they left, her sister would be able to cut herself loose, run to the village and report Seona’s abduction to Keegan or one of his friends.
She glanced around at Talia to see if she’d noticed the knife. Her sharp gaze told her she had, plus she had shifted her bound feet to cover the weapon.
“Come,” Haldane told Seona, taking hold of her upper arm and leading her forward.
“We’re not leaving her, surely,” one of his men said, leering back at Talia.
“Aye, we’re leaving her. Go get the horses,” Haldane commanded.
“Hmm, nice,” another of the scraggly outlaws said as he strode by, eying Seona. “I want her after you, MacKay.”
Haldane withdrew his dirk and spun. In less than a second, he had the tip of the blade at the man’s throat. “This woman is going to be my wife, you whoreson. No one is touching her but me. Anyone who does will get his throat slit. Do you ken what I’m saying?”
The man blanched, his eyes wild. “Aye, m’laird.”
Laird? Haldane wasn’t a laird. His older brother Dirk was, and obviously Haldane still held onto the fantasy that he would one day take Dirk’s place.
“Watch him,” Haldane said to McMurdo. “Anyone so much as looks at Seona with lust in his eyes, kill the whoreson.”
“Will do,” McMurdo answered and followed the others.
Haldane gripped her upper arm again and guided her deeper into the forest behind the other ruffians. She glanced back, seeing that Talia was alone. She prayed no other outlaws would find her before she cut the ropes and freed herself.
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