“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 andleave 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 thesgian dubhfree 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 herbefore she cut the ropes and freed herself.
Once they were far enough away from Talia, Seona would have to figure out how to escape Haldane and his men. She might grab Haldane’s dirk and stab him with it. But he was the one protecting her from the rest of the brutish men. If she killed Haldane, any of his men might rape or kill her. No telling what McMurdo would do… most likely kill her without a second thought.
Chapter Thirty-One
Earlier, in the field in front of the tavern, Keegan had snatched a Murray guard’s sword, then bested Graybeard, leaving him with several cuts, but spared his life. He’d sent the next one who’d challenged him running away with a deep slice to his sword arm. And now, another of the men who’d invaded their room over the tavern charged him with a sword. He parried and thrust, then drove the other man back several feet.
Keegan darted a quick glance around the field at the crowd of onlookers and noticed Chief Murray a hundred feet away, scowling this way and that, murder in his eyes.
Where was Seona? He must not have found her in the room.
Rebbie stood not far from Murray, looking pale and dazed, his forehead and doublet bloody, but he held a sword in his hand. Keegan was glad he’d awakened.
Fraser, on horseback, rode in behind him, leading Curry. He motioned Keegan forward.
He landed one final blow and sent his opponent’s sword flying, then he hastened toward Fraser.
“Haldane took Seona,” Fraser said in a low tone.
“What?” A sharp blade of fear and outrage sliced through Keegan. “When?”
“A short time ago. Her sister showed up and told us. Haldane kidnapped her first, then released her when he lured Seona out.”
“Which way did they ride?”
