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William’s eyes glittered. “Then I wonder, also, what he will say when he learns his heir masterminded the assassination plot against the future countess, and wholeheartedly approved an attack on her person? ’Twould be certain grounds to have your viscount title stripped and possibly exiled. Remember then, Alexander, that this is between you and me. I know everything that is in your black heart.”

Alexander looked stunned. Still defiant, but stunned. William, satisfied his point had been well-taken, hauled the man to his feet.

“Jordan, come here,” he said quietly.

Shaking, Jordan lay down the sword and approached the two men, warily eyeing Alexander. He was staring at the ground, William’s hands swallowing up his shoulders and neck. She stopped several feet away. William grabbed the Alexander’s hair and painfully forced the man to look at her.

“I want to hear you apologize,” William growled in his ear.

Alexander’s mouth went into a thin line and he tried to turn away, but William held him firmly by the hair. “Do it or I run you through this instant,” he hissed.

William was pulling his hair so hard that Alexander would have said anything simply to be free. “I apologize.” he cried.

William released him and he fell forward, bracing himself against his desk so he would not plummet to the floor. He was breathing heavily with exertion and hatred, spittle dripping from his mouth to the oaken surface below him. Had he had a dagger within reach that moment, he would have thrown it at William. His mind was cloaked with black anger and humiliation, feeding off each other.

“Get out!” he screamed, his voice cracking.

William silently moved to Jordan, gathering her against him. She fell into him, feeling his strength renew her own. She had heard everything he had said, all of the revelations he had kept from her. She was frightened and relieved at the same time, confident that Alexander would harass her no more. She had seen the look in the man’s eyes and he was deathly afraid of William, and of the knowledge William held. Now that it was over, she simply wanted to get the hell out of there.

William knew her feelings and quickly ushered her from the room. In the hall lay her scattered basket and Analiese’s necklace on the floor. She pulled away from him, going to retrieve her basket, not surprised when she turned back to him to see that he had gathered the bits of clothing and the necklace. She held the basket as he placed the items in it.

“Do you still wish to see Analiese?” he asked her quietly.

She nodded. “Aye, I do.”

He sighed, knowing how important it was to her. “Then we will return to your rooms and you may change out of that dress. I am sure you do not wish for Analiese to see you in it.”

She looked down at the torn, soiled dress. “Nay,” she whispered, her eyes trailing over her shoulder to the cooling corpse on the floor. “What about him?”

William pulled her with him, whisking her down the corridor. “Do not worry about him,” he said, pausing but a moment to sweep her into his arms.

Gratefully, she wound her arms around his neck, laying her head on his shoulder. Her proud, strong William. Sweet Jesu,’ what would she ever do without him?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Thomas Scott sat in the grand hall of Langton, his handsome face dark as he listened to the ranting of sundry clan members and allies. He had been listening to their anger off and on for nearly two days. His mood was black and his ale tasteless to his tongue as his mind grasped the severity of the situation before him, one almost too terrifying to believe.

“Ye signed a peace treaty with the Sassenachs.” Oliver Barr pounded the table with a meaty fist. “They have broken the treaty, man. The bottom line is, what do ye intend to do about it?”

Thomas observed his ally over the rim of his cup before carefully setting it down. “The treaty I signed was between Northwood and Langton,” he said. “It said nothing about the Barrs, or the Macphersons, or the Callendars, or the McKennas. Ye, Oliver Barr, attacked The Lyceum and nearly destroyed her. Of course the English laird sent for help, and he happened to send word to Northwood. The laird of Teviot was simply supporting his ally.”

“Exactly my point,” Barr boomed. “Ye and I have been allies for many years, Thomas. ’Tis yer duty to support yer kin. I demand ye break ties with Northwood. Had it not been for the damned Wolf, we would hold The Lyceum right now.”

Thomas was trapped, although he would not let on that he indeed felt the pressure. If he broke the treaty, he would suffer no peace from the English. If he did not break the treaty, he would suffer no peace from his countrymen. He would literally be alone, and even with the size of Langton, he could not survive alone.

“Ye have been fighting Lord Harringham for years, Oliver,” he said evenly. “Just as I have fought de Longley as my closest English enemy. If Harringham sent a missive offering peace for yer daughter, would ye not take it simply to have a peace? Yer asking me to dishonor my word and jeopardize Jordan’s life. Northwood has committed no transgressions agin Langton, so I would not be right in my assumption that they have broken the treaty.”

Oliver Barr sat with his elders, several members of the MacPherson clan, and the Callendar brothers. Barr was the most adamant and the others seemed to be agreeing with him simply because he was loud and aggressive, and they were a-feared to go against him.

Thomas knew this, but he also knew that shortly he would have to make a decision. Nathaniel and Matthew sat on either side of him, and he knew they would accept whatever he decided.

“Yer a Scot, Thomas, whether or not yer daughter has married into an English house.” Oliver had lowered his voice. “Yer duty lies in yer loyalty to yer countrymen, the same countrymen who have fought and died for ye. Ye yerself had one hundred men supporting me on my assault. Technically, they fought agin Northwood, which means that the treaty has already been compromised.”

Thomas looked hard at Oliver before lowering his gaze. He could see that he would be given no choice in this. Two days of bickering and reasoning could have been saved if he had only given in at the beginning, but he truly hoped that his allies would see his reasoning. He knew now that they saw only what Oliver Barr was telling them.

“Then what would ye have me do?” Thomas forced the words out, knowing exactly what he was going to be told and ashamed he would be going back on his word. But to survive, he had to bow to their wishes.

Oliver sighed, pleased that Thomas was finally coming around. He knew the man would, eventually. “Ye will withdraw Jordan and tell the English laird that since he had broken the treaty by fighting agin the Scots, the marriage contract is dissolved,” he said, and sat down and fixed Thomas with an unwavering gaze. “Then we band the clans together and launch an attack to destroy both The Lyceum and Northwood. The two seats have long been the greatest cause of our troubles. With them gone, we can easily deal with the smaller English fortresses until we alone control the entire border.”