The suspicion in Alec’s face disappeared in a roar of laughter. “I had forgotten that story.”
“I have not. I’ve studied every strength and every weakness she possessed.” She stood up and brushed the dirt from the skirt of her gown. “Jock will need a board or stretcher and another guard to help carry Gavin.”
“I’m surprised you don’t wish me to do it,” he said mockingly.
“You’ve done enough for the moment.” She moved toward the door, then turned as if a thought had just occurred to her. “Oh, the girl is to go with him.”
“No!” Malcolm said sharply.
“If we don’t kill Gavin Gordon, then we have no use for her. They were married in the church, and you can no longer negotiate an advantageous marriage for her. She was formally accepted by the clan, so there’s even a possibility of them trying to take her back if you don’t release her.”
“Then perhaps I should rethink killing the lad,” he said softly.
“Why? You don’t need her now, and you can do it without cost to us after we have the throne.”
“Very reasonable.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “Perhaps you’re a little too reasonable.”
She had gone as far as she could. If she ventured more aggressively, it might destroy everything she had accomplished. She shrugged casually. “Do what you like. It’s nothing to me. I only thought to save us trouble.” Perhaps it would be wise to show a bit of womanly weakness. She opened the door. “Now I must get out of here before I faint from this stench. I’ll wait for you in the courtyard.”
When she reached the courtyard, she drew a deep breath of cool morning air. Had she overplayed her hand? She did not think so, but she didn’t really know Malcolm. She could only wait and see. She began to pace to release the stored-up tension of the last minutes. Why did they not come?
The dungeon door was thrown open, and Jock and one of Malcolm’s guards carried a stretcher bearing Gavin into the courtyard.
Jean?
Jean walked into the courtyard a moment later, and Kate breathed a sigh of relief. As Malcolm came out of the dungeon, she turned away so that he wouldn’t see her expression. “I’ll be with you in a moment. I must give Jock a message for Robert.”
She walked across the courtyard, watching as Gavin was carefully slid onto the bed of the wagon. Jock covered him with his cloak and then moved around to the front of the wagon.
Gavin gave a low groan and opened his eyes, startlingly blue in his swollen, livid face.
She stepped closer, glancing eagerly down at him. “How do you feel?” she whispered.
“Terrible …” He shook his head. “Sorry … Didn’t mean …”
“Shh … Just get well.”
“Broken …”
“Jock says he knows about setting bones. I’m sure your legs will be fine.”
“Not my legs.” He attempted to smile but could only flinch with pain. “Fingers … Tell him to fix my fingers.”
She didn’t understand. “I’m certain he’ll set everything that needs fixing.”
“Important … How else … will I play the … bagpipes?”
She blinked back the tears. Those blasted bagpipes. “I’m not sure anyone in the clan would thank him for that.”
He shook his head. “Important …” He fainted again.
Jean crawled into the wagon and cradled Gavin’s head on her lap. In the strong light of day she appeared even more haggard than she had in the dungeon. It was as if every artifice she had cultivated had been burned away, leaving only a pale husk of the enchanting woman who had come to Craighdhu. Her expression was hard as she looked at her father, standing across the courtyard watching them. Her lips barely moved as she said softly to Kate, “I want him dead, Kate.”
Kate looked down at Gavin and felt the same rage she knew Jean was feeling. “He will be.” She turned and walked to the wagon seat where Jock was now sitting. “Try to delay Robert from coming here as long as you can.”
“Why?”
“Just do as I say.” She moistened her lips and smiled recklessly. “And give him a message for me. Tell him he wouldn’t give me Craighdhu, so I decided to take Scotland instead.”
“And I’m supposed to make him believe it?”
“Why not? He knows I’m not without ambition. Turn him against me. It’s the opportunity you’ve been wanting since I came to Craighdhu. Isn’t that true?”
“Aye, it’s true enough,” he said slowly.
“Then seize the opportunity.”
“What opportunity?” Alec Malcolm was approaching the wagon.
“The opportunity to save his life by leaving me and getting this wagon out of here. You must have heard how loyal he is to my husband. He doesn’t wish to relinquish what he perceives to belong to Craighdhu.” She stepped back and motioned for Jock to go. He gazed at her with his usual impassiveness and then snapped the reins to start the wagon rolling.
“Ah, he may be loyal, but it appears he’s not a fool, my lady,” Alec said.
Kate watched the wagon roll away from her and for an instant felt very much alone. She might never see any of them again and would certainly never see Craighdhu. Then she squared her shoulders and turned to Malcolm. “My lady? But why are you so formal?” She gave him a brilliant smile. “I wish you to call me Kathryn.”
• • •
A single tent occupied Kilfirth Glen when there should have been at least twenty.
Robbie MacBrennan reined in beside Robert on the hill overlooking the glen. “What is this? You told me your lads would be gathered here.”
“They’re supposed to be. I told Jock I wanted him here by sunset,” Robert said grimly. That was Jock’s horse grazing nearby, but there were also two workhorses and a wagon drawn close to the tent. “I don’t like this. Wait here until I signal you to come ahead.” He spurred ahead down the hill toward the tent.
Jock Candaron came out of the tent. Both his linen shirt and his fair hair were darkened by sweat. He wiped beads of perspiration from his forehead on his sleeve as his gaze went beyond Robert to the men on the hill. “You must have been very persuasive. How many?”
“Three hundred strong. Jamie Grant and his men will join us in an hour or so.” Robert jumped down from his horse. “Where the hell are our own forces?”
“I told Ian I’d send for them if they were needed.”
“What the devil are you talking about? We do need them. Now.”
“Perhaps not. You may even decide to send Grant and MacBrennan back home.” He nodded at the tent. “I have Gavin.”
“What!” His gaze went to the tent. “How is he?”
“In a faint. A state for which I’m sure he’s fervently grateful. All day I’ve been setting broken bones and repairing the damage Alec inflicted. That little fluff of a wife he chose has more backbone than I thought,” he added. “She was a great deal of help to me, and it wasn’t easy for her to see him in agony.”
“Jean is here too?”
“Aye, don’t you think that’s a brilliant coup?”
“How the hell did you do it?”
“I traded Kate.”
The words tore like a sword thrust through Robert. For a moment he couldn’t even speak, and then shock was followed by rage. “You son of a bitch. I’m going to cut your heart out.”
“I thought that would be your response.” He shrugged. “That was the chance I took. Your lady-wife gave me little choice. She said I would either make sure the trade took place or she would see to it herself. I thought if it was to be done, it should be done right.”
“And you could get rid of a threat to Craighdhu.”
“Aye, I admit that part appealed to me.” He paused. “She gave me a message for you. She said to tell you not to come after her. She said since you wouldn’t give her Craighdhu, she would take Scotland instead.”
Robert rejected the words immediately. Kate had a fine mind and a taste for power, but cold calculation would never be her way. “And I su
ppose you believe her.”
Jock hesitated and then said quietly, “I believe Alec was right in one thing. She would make an exceptional queen.” He shrugged. “But I think she lied. If she gets the throne, it won’t be through Alec Malcolm. She has a softness toward you and Gavin and wishes to save you both.”
“By sacrificing herself?” Robert asked thickly.
“I doubt if she has that in mind.” Jock’s smile had a curious element of pride. “She was no pale, trembling martyr at Kilgranne. She intends to best Alec Malcolm.”
“And she has as little chance of that as Gavin of besting you in battle. Alec has years of experience on his side.”
“You did not see her as I did.” He paused. “But if you have doubts, perhaps you’d better help her.”
“Indeed?” Robert’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “May I ask why this change of heart?”
“You will obviously not be content until you rescue her from Alec’s clutches.” He smiled. “And I’m not sure that it wouldn’t be safer for Craighdhu to have her safely under our eye at the island than on the throne of Scotland. At least we’d have a measure of control over her there.”
“You didn’t exercise much control over her in this matter. You should have kept her at home.” He should not be blaming Jock when the fault lay with himself. He had known how upset Kate was when he had left, but he had been too filled with worry and rage to think about anything but getting Gavin away from Alec. Christ, but he hadn’t expected her to—but he should have expected it. Kate was capable of anything, of confronting any hazard if it meant enough to her. Well, he could not stand here thinking about the danger to her. He would go mad if he did not take action. He turned toward the tent. “I’ll go in and see Gavin. Mount up. We’ll ride for Kilgranne at once.”
“If you like, but I’m not sure she’ll be there.”
“You believe that Alec will have secreted her somewhere?”
He shook his head. “She asked me to delay you. She clearly didn’t want you to lay siege and will see that you don’t.”
The rage, fear, and frustration within him were mounting more by the second. “For God’s sake, she can’t manipulate Alec to suit herself. She’s only a woman, scarcely more than a child.”
“No? I saw her in a different light. The coup at Kilgranne was entirely Kate’s, not mine. I believe you may change your mind.”
Duncan rode out of the castle toward their forces before they reached the gates.
He was alone.
“They’re not here,” he said as he reined in before Robert. “She said to tell you they had gone to Edinburgh to join with Mary’s sympathizers.” He flushed as he glanced uneasily at the clansmen surrounding Robert before adding, “She said that since she has left you, the marriage is over, and you would be without pride to pursue her when she no longer wants you.”
“You see?” Jock murmured. “Another coup. A public rejection to sting your pride before she flits out of reach. It’s one thing to rally the clans to avenge an abducted wife—it’s quite another to chase down a reluctant spouse.” He lowered his voice still more. “And you cannot tell anyone the real reason Alec wants her, if your purpose is to get her back before he announces her claim to the throne.”
Robert knew that was true, and he swore beneath his breath. It was not enough he would have to battle Malcolm; he had the damn woman herself with whom to contend. “When did they leave?”
“Before noon,” Duncan said. “But you can’t hope to catch up with them. My father was in a great hurry, and he planned to set sail from the harbor at Jacklowe by sunset.”
It was now close to midnight. With the winter storms over, the northern route around Scotland was both safe and speedy. They would have nearly a two-day head start before Robert could get back to Craighdhu, ready his own ship, and set sail.
“Craighdhu?” Jock asked.
Robert nodded. “It’s the quickest way.”
“Robert … I’m sorry … Gavin …” Duncan shrugged helplessly. “You know my father. I could not stop him. No one could stop him.”
“Aye, I know him.” A sickening chill went through him at the memory of Gavin’s broken body. Kate thought she could manipulate that bastard to her own designs, but it would take only one false step for Alec to try to subjugate her as he did everyone around him. He could merely hope she did not make that false step until he reached Edinburgh and could deal with Alec himself.
He turned and rode back toward Robbie MacBrennan and Jamie Grant to explain why he had brought them here for naught and tell them to go home.
Damn and blast the woman.
“You’re not eating. That’s not good. You must keep up your strength.” Malcolm nodded at the servant standing at attention at the side of the door of the cabin. “Give the countess a slice of that excellent lamb.”
“No, thank you. I’m not hungry.” She looked at the table with its fine goblets and polished trenchers without interest. She was unutterably weary, but this interminable meal would soon be over, and she would be permitted to go to her cabin. “It’s been a long day.”
“I’m sure it’s been a longer one for MacDarren,” Malcolm said maliciously. “He should be arriving at Kilgranne about now.”
“Perhaps.” She lifted her glass of wine to her lips. “If he chose to follow me.”
“Oh, I believe we both know he’ll follow you. MacDarren detests losing anything that belongs to him, and he will particularly dislike the idea of losing to me. Our rivalry has been most bitter over the years.” He ate a bit of lamb. “Unfortunately, he has succeeded more often than I in the past. It’s been most annoying. I’ve never understood it, for I never lose to anyone else. That’s why I’m very determined not to lose in this endeavor.” He chuckled. “This time I’ve made sure that even if I lose, I’ll win.”
She was too tired to decipher the cryptic words. “When will we arrived in Edinburgh?”
“Not long. If the winds are with us.” Alec smiled. “Are you so eager to start your new life?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Aye, but we must go slowly at first.”
Kate stifled a sigh of relief. She had been afraid Malcolm would wish to plunge immediately into the conspiracy, and she would be given no opportunity to initiate a plot of her own. Not that she had any idea of what that plot would be. The only certainty was that Alec Malcolm must be destroyed. “You disappoint me. I’ve waited too long already.”
“You’re very impatient. Like your mother. I’ve noticed you have several of her attributes.”
“You met my mother?”
“I encountered her several times through the years. I found her very astute.”
Astute was not an adjective usually applied to Mary, Kate thought. He was obviously trying to give Kate herself a backhanded compliment. In the past hours she had discovered Jock was right about Malcolm. He was both clever and manipulative and would say anything that would sway her in the way he wanted her to go. She changed the subject. “Where are we staying in Edinburgh?”
“I’m staying at court, but I’m establishing you at my estate, Selwyth, south of the city.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “James will be sure to hear I’m in the city. I prefer that he has no knowledge that you’re my companion until the time is right.”
“He’ll hear soon enough once you start contacting Mary’s supporters.”
“That’s why we will be doing no such thing.” He sipped his wine. “I have a few loose ends to tie up, but after I pacify James and give him a plausible reason for my departure, we will be leaving immediately for England.”
“England!”
“Aye, it’s safer for us to first rally support among the English supporters across the border. We’ll go to Kenilworth or perhaps Warwick. Elizabeth is occupied now with the war with Spain and will have no time to worry about a conspiracy that might topple her from the throne.” He chuckled with genuine amusement. “And when she does, it will be too la
te.”
“So you intend to take England as well as Scotland?”
“Of course. Didn’t I promise to make you the greatest queen the world has ever known?”
“I would have settled for Scotland. It’s a dangerous move.”
“But one we must take.”
But it would be Kate who would be at the center of that risk. Her mother had conspired to seize both crowns and had ended up a prisoner and then a victim of the ax. What did Malcolm care? Kate thought bitterly. She was only a pawn.
“It’s not as dangerous as it sounds. You’ll find I never act without having the weapons to lay a proper siege. Trust me, I assure you I have no intention of losing my head … or yours,” he added softly. “You have great value to me. I have every intention of guarding you as if you were the crown itself.”
A subtle threat lay beneath his words. He wanted her to know he was not fool enough to place trust in her. Suddenly, she’d had enough of this. She was tired and lonely and wanted desperately to run back to Craighdhu. Only months ago she had thought the greatest challenge was defying Sebastian, and now she was matching wits with a man even the vicar would have called an archdemon. She could bear no more tonight. “Then I’m sure I shall be very safe.” She pushed back her chair and stood up. “Now, if you will excuse me, I’ll retire to my cabin. The hour grows late.”
“Certainly.” He rose to his feet. “I’ll join you shortly.”
She looked at him, shocked.
He saw her reaction and raised his brows. “But surely you expected us to seal our pact in the most pleasurable of fashions?”
She had not expected it. Malcolm did not want her body. She knew the signs of desire, and he had displayed none of them.
He smiled. “I can hardly wait.”
Then understanding came to her. It was only another way to seek out her weakness and gain an advantage over her. Domination. She restrained a shiver as she realized that this would be no teasing, seductive domination such as Robert had practiced only a few days ago.