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“Damned blackguard is no good,” Aidan said. “Elspeth would never marry him of her own choice. ”
The brothe
rs’ eyes met, and Cormac must’ve seen the truth of the situation in Aidan’s expression because he gave a sharp, knowing nod. “Then there’s something else afoot. ”
Angus pondered this as he coiled a stretch of rope and hung it from a nail on the side of his barn. “Her father said the man was going to help them. ”
The farmer’s offhand reporting of events was bringing Aidan’s blood to a boil. “I don’t care what her father thinks,” he said, his jaw tight. He tossed off a cold, mocking laugh. “Help them … He’s delivering her into the hands of the man who destroyed their farm. ”
That seemed to get Angus’s attention. His attitude went from cool to guarded. “But Farquharson said the man’s a pillar of the community, or some such. ”
“Who comes into his wealth illegally. ”
Angus rubbed his chin, deep in thought, and Aidan wanted to slug him. While they deliberated, his Elspeth was probably already in Fraser’s clutches.
Cormac’s hand was once again on his shoulder with a tempering grip, and Aidan wondered if his fury was that obvious. “Do you have proof?” his brother asked.
“I have papers, but they’re back at Dunnottar. They raise doubt enough. ” He gave his brother a weighty look. “He’s linked to the pirate who took me. ”
Cormac tensed. “Does the lass know it?”
“Aye, there’s not much that slips by Beth. ”
“But she went with her father with nary a fuss,” Angus said.
Aidan stared, his voice, his heart, a blank. He was grateful when Cormac challenged the farmer, saying, “You’re saying she went willingly?”
“Seemed like. ”
“She’d never willingly agree to marry him. ” Aidan began to pace, the need for action exploding through him. Elspeth would never have chosen to go, which meant the men had done something to coerce her. He’d kill Fraser. Even if Elspeth had gone willingly. He’d kill the man with the black pearl too. He’d kill them all. “I don’t believe it. ”
“Nor I,” Cormac said.
Aidan’s nod for his twin was brusque, but a powerful wash of relief drove it. He had Cormac’s support as much as he ever did.
Though Aidan read suspicion in Angus’s eyes, the farmer only shrugged, saying, “That’s what happens to women. They get carted away to husbands not of their choosing. ”
Aidan could bear it no longer—his rage finally erupted. “Good God, man. Maybe that’s what happened to your woman. Not to mine. ”
Icy fury stole across Angus’s features. He stood, staring at Aidan with dead eyes.
Aidan knew he’d spoken out of turn, and part of him hoped the farmer might fight him because of it. He’d welcome a good bout of fisticuffs—anything was preferable to this inaction. But the man only stared in frozen silence, and so Aidan spun, heading in the direction of Aberdeen.
“I’ll take you. ” Cormac stopped him, his voice demanding.
Aidan looked over his shoulder. “What?”
“I’ll take you,” Cormac repeated. “Aberdeen is miles from here. It’d be hours on foot. ” He nodded toward the water. “My fishing boat’s docked just yonder. I’ll take you to Justice Port. ”
“And I’ll go with you,” Angus said in a quiet baritone. The MacAlpin men gaped at the farmer in disbelief, but Angus only dusted off his hands, dismay and irritation settling on his usually stoic features. “I don’t ken what’s afoot, but I do know Miss Elspeth. She’s a good egg, and if her sot of a father has put her in harm’s way, then I’d be happy to come to her aid. ”
If the offer hadn’t changed his opinion of Angus, the way the man snatched up his farm tools would have. He grabbed what looked like a reaping hook and a shepherd’s crook, wielding one in each hand with as much ardor as another might wield weapons.
Aidan raised a brow in question, and Angus nodded to Aidan’s sword. “Better than your blade. ”
Cormac laughed low. “When you make your mind up about a thing, you really commit, don’t you?”
The farmer only shrugged in answer, already headed down the path to the shore.
