"Hmm." Henry tapped his pointy, clean-shaven chin. "I will release him after you sign."
"Nay, do not sign, Lady Grey," Cyrus said. "He will not keep his word."
His fists clenched and his face a mask of stormy rage, Chief Comyn moved in behind Cyrus.
"Stay away from him!" Elspeth yelled.
"Hold!" Henry raised his hand, stopping the barbarian.
"Do not harm him!" Elspeth arose to go to Cyrus, but one of the guards grabbed her shoulder and shoved her back into the chair.
With a mock smile, Henry peered down at her. "You do have a choice. If you sign now, I'll have the men take him outside the walls and release him. If you do not sign, MacKenzie's throat will be cut."
Dear God, she must make certain Cyrus was safe, regardless of what happened to her properties. She now realized she would give up all for him.
She picked up the quill and locked her gaze on Henry's. "Do you promise to let MacKenzie live?"
"Aye." Henry gave her his usual smarmy smile which proclaimed his every word a lie.
"Will you allow him his horse?" she asked.
"Nay. He will have to walk home. And if you mean the large stallion out in the stables, I intend to sell him for a tidy sum." Henry smirked.
"The hell you will!" Cyrus seethed.
Elspeth gave him a meaningful look. Did he not see she was trying to save both their lives?
"You are wearing at my patience, MacKenzie." Henry narrowed his eyes. "If you wish to live, you will encourage your whore to sign the properties over to me nice and legal right now. Otherwise, you're dead and I search out her son."
"Nay!" Elspeth yelled, panic clutching at her throat.
Henry laughed. "You figured I didn't know about your brat, aye? MacTarril was kind enough to tell me. I wager seeing a knife at the lad's throat would convince you to sign."
Damn the man. Elspeth was tempted to claw his eyes out. If he dared to touch her sweet Adam, she would find a way to destroy him.
She did not know whether Henry was lying about releasing Cyrus or finding her son. But she couldn't risk it. She dipped the quill into the ink, blotted off the excess and scribed her signature at the bottom of the Darby Hall deed.
She put the quill down. "Now, I will watch you release MacKenzie outside, then I will come back and sign over all the other deeds."
Henry narrowed his eyes, obviously not liking that she was calling the shots. "And you will tell me the location of the Greymont deed?"
"Aye."
Elspeth noticed that Cyrus watched the men with deadly calculation as if he were plotting a revenge strategy. She hoped he was not intending to do something daft, for he was vastly outnumbered. She wanted him to go safely back to his clan and live a long life as their leader.
She still had the Greymont deed bargaining chip. They would have to go to Greymont Castle to get it. But Henry need not know that now.
Though she loved her home, Darby Hall would be the smallest loss, to her way of thinking. Her buildings in Aberdeen were her livelihood, and Greymont was her son's future. Those were far more important to her. But more significant than any of the properties was Cyrus's life, and of course, her son's. She wanted Cyrus safely away from here. Though, knowing him, she doubted he would leave. He would attempt a rescue, but she must tell him not to.
"Very well," Henry said. "Take MacKenzie outside the walls and untie him. He will have no weapons and no horse."
Elspeth stood. "I wish to speak to him and see that he walks away unharmed."
"Aye, you may tell your lover goodbye." Henry smirked.
All of them walked outside, including many of the clansmen. Near the gates, she motioned for Cyrus to bend to her level.
"Go back to your clan and be safe," she whispered into his ear. "Do not return here."
