“Aye, ’tis, considering she is my wife.”
“Your wife? Ha!” Haldane’s pale green eyes glinted with feral energy and he bared his teeth. “Well, if that is true, I can easily make her a widow. She was to marry the MacKay chief, which I will be since Dirk is dead.”
Icy cold slithered through Keegan. To imagine Dirk dying was like enduring a strike to his vitals. The man was like a brother to him.
“Dirk is not dead,” Keegan assured him.
“How do you know?” Haldane smirked. “You haven’t seen him in several days, have you?”
“He’s recovering in a safe place.”
“You hope. But what if he got a grave fever from that arrow wound?”
Dirk had endured a minor fever, but seemed improved last time he’d seen him. Keegan was not going to worry over him now. Seona was his main concern.
“Release Seona before you injure her.”
“Nay.” Haldane advanced, sword in guard position. “Back off or you will cause me to hurt her. If she dies, ’twill be your fault.”
Fraser stepped from the bushes behind Haldane, snatched Seona from the ground, and kicked Haldane forward. He stumbled to his knees but quickly leapt to his feet, looking about wildly. But Fraser had already disappeared back through the bushes with Seona.
Keegan charged forward, ready to kill Haldane in one-on-one combat. ’Twas not what he wanted, but something he had to do in order to protect Seona and to ensure Dirk’s safety.
A glint of fear flashed in Haldane’s eyes and he bolted, fleeing through the gorse.
Nay!Keegan chased him. “Coward!” He shoved through the thorny branches after Haldane, running, dodging in and out of the bushes. But after a few moments, all was quiet and still up ahead. He paused. No movements around him. Only the sounds of swords clashing far behind him.
“Haldane!” Keegan shouted. “Come back and fight like a man.”
Silence met his ears.
“Bastard.” Keeping his sword in hand, he took out his dagger, too, as extra protection should he be ambushed, and proceeded back through the gorse bushes.
Where had Fraser taken Seona?
At the spot where McMurdo had been fighting another man, three scruffy outlaws—he assumed Haldane’s recruits—lay on the ground, apparently dead, given their wounds and the blood surrounding them. Keegan was disappointed McMurdo was not among them. Dermott and Rebbie stood nearby, catching their breaths. Dermott held a cloth against a cut on his upper arm. Seeing they were well, Keegan hastened away in search of Seonaand Fraser. He found them in the narrow road by the horses.
Upon reaching Seona, Keegan sheathed his weapons and drew her into his arms, her slight, curvy frame conforming perfectly to his. Thank God she was alive. “Are you well? Did Haldane hurt you?”
She shook her head against his chest. “Only a few bruises from his rough handling, I think.”
“That bastard.” Keegan glanced at Fraser. “I thank you for helping her.”
“My pleasure.” Fraser gave a slight grin.
Seona pulled back but kept her arm around Keegan’s waist. “Indeed, I appreciate the help, both of you. Did you see my sister?” she asked Fraser.
“Aye, the bonny lass was hiding in the brush behind the tavern. She resembled you so much, I knew she had to be your sister.”
“Was she hurt?”
“Nay. After she told me you’d been kidnapped, I asked her to wait there with one of the trusted MacKenzie guards protecting her.”
“Oh, I thank you.”
Rebbie emerged from the bushes, Dermott following. “Did you kill Haldane?” Rebbie asked.
“Nay.” Keegan wanted to kick himself for not accomplishing what he needed to. “He ran like the vile rodent he is.”
