Part 31 (2/2)
Until one sentence rang out more loudly than the others...
”What are you doing here?”
Her heart stopped at the voice behind her. It was a voice she knew all too well. One that made her blood run cold and her heart pound in trepidation.
Nay, it couldn't be...
Turning around, she saw Ryan MacAren standing between her and the faded wood wall. His dark brown eyes were furious. His light brown hair was swept back from his face, and he looked none too pleased with her.
”What areyou doing here?” she asked him angrily.
He didn't answer her, either. ”I swear, woman, you never do as you're told. You should have been on your way home by now,not here .”
She frowned at his angry, commanding tone. ”What the devil are you talking about?”
”Get up.” He took her roughly by her arm and hauled her to her feet.
”Let go of me!” she snapped, trying to pull free.
He refused to.
Nora grimaced as he pulled her roughly through the crowd. She slapped at Ryan's hand, but still he refused to loosen his grip.
”What has possessed you, Ryan? Have you gone mad?”
”Silence, Nora. I'm in no mood for your talk, and there's no telling what I might do to you if you don't hold your tongue. One day you're going to learn to keep your mouth closed and to listen.”
Suddenly Ewan was there, in the middle of their path to the door, his eyes dark and deadly. ”Release her.”
Ryan pulled his sword out so fast that she gasped. He angled it at Ewan's throat. ”This is between me and her, MacAllister. Don't make me kill you.”
In total silence, every eye in the pub fixed on the two men, and the people gathered there wondered what was going on.
Ewan looked from the tip of the sword to her. She saw his steely, cold look of determination, and it made her blood run cold.
This was a man who really could kill someone. It was the face of the man who had started this trip with her.
And she had forgotten just how dangerous a man Ewan could be.
”Come along!” Ryan ordered her.
Ewan moved so fast that she couldn't even follow his actions. One second Ryan had him pinned with the sword point, and in the next Ewan had knocked the blade aside with his forearm and seized Ryan by his throat.
Ewan picked him up from the floor by the collar of his s.h.i.+rt and let him dangle from his fist.
Ryan fought Ewan's hold, but it was useless. Ewan was so much larger that he held him in his fist like an angry dog with a puppy.
”Who are you?” Ewan growled.
Now that she was calmer and relieved that Ewan was there, Nora saw Viktor, Pagan and Bavel standing behind Ewan. Pagan watched with his usual silent composure while Viktor's eyes narrowed.
”He's the one who said he'd pay me,” Viktor said.
”Why?” Ewan asked Ryan. ”And what do you want with my woman?”
”Your woman?” Ryan repeated in disbelief, his face bright red from Ewan's hold. ”She's not your woman, MacAllister. She's mine. I'm Ryan MacAren and she's promised to me.”
Nora saw the color and anger fade instantly from Ewan's face. His eyes looked suddenly dazed as if someone had struck him a staggering blow.
His hurt gaze went from Ryan to her.
”Your betrothed?” he asked her for confirmation.
Nora couldn't answer him. The words lodged themselves in her throat.
”Aye,” Ryan choked out. ”Now let me go.”
Ewan was dumbstruck enough to do as he asked. He lowered the much smaller man to the floor, then faced him with a scowl. ”You paid to have me abducted? Why?”
Ryan jerked angrily at his clothes, straightening them. ”Because I didn't want you around my Nora. I heard she was running to you, and I wanted to make sure you weren't there to help her. Everyone in Scotland knows that if you want a woman to flee the country, send her to Ewan MacAllister, especially if she's promised to another.”
Ewan slugged him for that.
Ryan fell to the floor, where he lay whining like a child. ”You hit me!”
”You're lucky I didn't kill you for that.”
Ryan wiped the blood from his nose, then looked to Nora. ”She's mine, MacAllister. I won't let you have her.”
”I don't belong to you, Ryan,” Nora snapped. ”I will never marry you.”
Ewan felt sick at the words.
The man loved her so much that he would pay someone to abduct him to keep him away from her. He might not like the man's actions or logic, but he certainly couldn't fault the fool for his motivation.
Ryan loved her so much that he was willing to dare the MacAllister wrath to have her.
Just as Robby MacDouglas had loved Isobail.
Just as Kieran...
Nora saw Ewan's face and knew what he thought. She could see his anguish. If he thought Ryan loved her, he would never let her stay with him.
He would be lost to her forever.
”Ryan,” Nora said desperately, ”tell Ewan the truth. Tell him that you can't stand me. Tell him what you really think of me.”
Ryan was aghast as he came to his feet again. He looked at her as if she were a rare treasure.