Gavin shook his head, then marched to the door and stood in front of it. He did not wish Finch to be in danger, but he would not allow Alpin to get his hands on Dani at all costs. Wilona had sent the whoreson.
"Is that your outlaw cousin?" Dani whispered.
Gavin nodded.
"His lairdship is in there with her," Ewan said outside the door. "Did you hear him? He will rip the flesh from your bones."
"Bah! I'm nay afraid of the wee birdie. I have an arrow with his name on it." Alpin laughed. "Gavin will be happy to know I've reported to the authorities he's a warlock, practicing the dark arts, turning himself into a bird. And you, wee man, had better tread softly, or you'll find yourself in the dungeon once this castle is mine. What a heap of rubble 'tis turning into. I shall restore it to the former glory of our ancestors."
Over my dead body, you whoreson.Gavin wished he could sink his talons into Alpin's neck.
"What is the wench's name?" Alpin asked.
"Lady MacTavish, of course. She's the laird's wife," Ewan informed him.
"Wife? Humph. Well, that matters not. Open the door, Lady MacTavish, or I shall kill your husband's guard!"
"Leave Finch alone, you bully!" Dani yelled, then slammed the side of her fist against the door.
"'Tis not an empty threat, wench!"
"If you harm him, Gavin will kill you!"
Gavin nodded, proud of Dani for showing courage.
"Come," Ewan said. "You must wait until sundown when his lairdship returns to himself."
∞∞∞
Alpin backed away from Finch and Ewan. Even if he did kill them both, he still might not be able to coax the lass from the laird's chamber before dark. Having grown up here, he well knew steel bands reinforced this particular door, and 'twould be near impossible to break down.
Wilona had sent him to retrieve the lass. But now he knew Gavin had married her, in truth, and didn't just use her for bedsport. Given half a chance, his cousin would kill him if he stole her away. But not if he killed Gavin first… even though Wilona had told him not to. She wanted Gavin to suffer as long as possible.
Lady MacRae couldn't have everything she wanted. She would have to content herself with torturing the lass. What Alpin wanted for himself was far more important—chieftainship of this clan and possession of the castle. He couldn't have that as long as Gavin drew breath.
Alpin would pretend to be amicable, and when his cousin least expected it, he would strike. He forced a grin. "I'll wait and share a dram of whisky with my cousin."
Ewan narrowed his eyes, but unarmed, the wee man could do naught. Alpin had his two burly guards backing him up, while Finch's hands were still bound, rendering him helpless. Even so, Alpin would have to be most crafty to kill Gavin and steal his bride away.
∞∞∞
A loud, groaning cry awoke Dani. She hadn't remembered falling asleep on the bed, only that she'd been petting Gavin's silky feathers as he sat in front, guarding her. In the twilight, she bolted upright to find Gavin in human form, naked, standing bent over the foot of the bed. A tremble shook him. Inhaling a tremendous breath, he straightened, all his glorious muscles flexing and stretching as if he'd been hunched in one position too long.
"God's teeth!" he growled.
"Does that hurt?"
"Aye. Like a flash of getting your whole body ripped apart and put back together."
"I'm so sorry." She jumped up, took him into her arms, and stroked his back. "I want to destroy the curse. Tell me how."
"I wish I kenned the answer." Holding her, he kissed her forehead, her cheek, her neck. "I thank you for trusting me, listening to me, and barring the door. Alpin is waiting in the great hall. I heard his voice echoing. He wants to confront me."
"Why?"
"He covets the castle, my holdings, and title. The whoreson will regret coming here and forcing his way inside." Gavin opened a trunk, dragged out clean clothes, and dressed. "Do you ken how to use asgian dubh?" he asked, pulling an object from the trunk.
"What is it?"
