Page 96 of Highland Spy

And to think he’d come alone to keep her safe, to keep her from being involved. Now she was here, witnessing him in his true form. As a killer.

He wanted to call out to her and offer some form of explanation. But nothing could be said to make this right, and even if it could, now wouldn’t be the time.

Already he was surprised MacAlister hadn’t woken. Most would have suspected someone standing above them by now and woken on instinct alone. But he’d been there more than a few moments already, and still MacAlister’s face remained relaxed in slumber.

Ariana backed toward the cracked door. Her skirts swayed and bumped against an iron rack. It tipped backward and crashed to the hard floor with a reverberating clang.

Everything in Connor froze and his attention darted toward the bed.

Neither Laird MacAlister nor Lady MacAlister had stirred.

Their faces remained still.

Too still.

Too pale, now that he looked closer.

An icy tendril of realization spiraled through him.

They were both already dead.

The door clicked closed and a key turned in the lock.

Connor jerked his gaze toward the entryway, expecting to find Ariana gone and the door locked tight behind her.

But there she stood with her hand firmly planted on the door latch, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breath. There was a wild look in her eyes, like a trapped animal.

She wandered closer and looked to the figures on the bed, her gaze lingering on the sleeping form of Lady MacAlister.

The woman’s brilliant hair splayed across the white sheets in a violent splash of red. The covers had fallen low on her torso, revealing one full breast lying against her ribs.

“They’re dead.” Ariana said it as a statement, not a question. As if she already knew without having to ask.

“You killed them,” she amended. Angry tears shone bright in her eyes. “Lady MacAlister, too?”

Connor grabbed her arm, stilling her rage before it grew too loud. Already anyone could come to the locked door and force entry. At any moment, they could be caught.

He knew his luck couldn’t last forever, no matter the skills his father had taught him. Eventually, he would be caught and Cora would receive wealth he’d been saving to see her free and happy.

But not like this, not with Ariana.

He could easily face his death beneath the burden of his sins, but he could not subject her to such a fate.

Ariana jerked away and stared at him with horror.

“We need to go,” Connor said.

She did not move from where she stood an arm’s length away. Accusation burned bright in her eyes and seared him deeper than he thought possible.

“You killed them,” she ground out.

“I dinna kill them. They were dead when I arrived.”

“Then why were you standing over him like that?” She swallowed. “Like you planned to kill him.”

Connor didn’t say anything. Silence was better than confessing his original intentions, however apparent they so obviously were.

She didn’t belive him. He could read as much on her face.