Part 34 (1/2)

”It'll be all right, Nora,” Ewan a.s.sured her.

The doubt in her eyes tore through him.

”Aye, Princess Nora. It'll be just fine.” Graham laughed evilly and kicked his horse forward.

”Why are you taking us?” Ewan asked.

Graham's younger brother, Rufus, was the one who answered him. Shorter than Nora, Rufus might have been pa.s.sably handsome had he ever taken a bath and if he could get the distasteful smirk to leave his lips.

Ewan had met the man only once, years ago when Rufus had stopped with Isobail and their father to visit with his father at the MacAllister castle.

”For the sake of justice,” Rufus snarled. ”You ruined our family and so we ruin yours.”

Graham laughed again. ”And here I thought the best revenge would be in just taking the woman you wanted and making her my own. Little did I know who she was. Just imagine how her father will react when he learns that she was killed by Ewan MacAllister. He won't rest until he's destroyed every single member of the MacAllister clan. There won't be a single member left standing.”

Ewan was aghast at their plan.

Surely they weren't serious.

”Are you mad?”

”Not at all,” Rufus said. ”We lost everything when you ran off with Isobail. Robby MacDouglas demanded her dowry and then when our father failed to give it to him, he killed Father and banished us.”

”Aye,” Graham said, his lips twisted cruelly as he rode. ”We've been struggling just to live only to find that none of our family will even admit they know us. 'Us time for the MacKaids to be regaled again while the MacAllisters get what they deserve... humiliation.”

Ewan clenched his teeth to keep from telling them who was really to blame for what happened.

Reminding them of the fact that their sister was a faithless, lying wh.o.r.e wouldn't accomplish anything.

They blamed his family, not Isobail.

And he doubted if they would ever listen to reason where she was concerned.

”If it's vengeance you want, then kill me and let Nora go.”

”Oh nay,” Graham said. His eyes glowed with cruel mischief. ”See, here's where we regain our position.

Who better to fall into the king's good graces than the man who tried to save his cousin and who killed her murderer.”

Nay! the word screamed through Ewan's mind.

Ewan was appalled at the man's plan.

He should have known Graham MacKaid was insane. He should have killed the man in the pub when he had the chance.

Why had he ever allowed Graham to leave the pub without killing him?

d.a.m.n!

Nora's heart pounded as she listened to the men brag to one another what they intended to do to her and Ewan. She was terrified of their insidious plan.

Guilt, horror, and anger warred within her. Over and over she saw Ryan in her mind.

As soon as she saw Graham, she'd known something was wrong, so she'd tried to run.

Rufus had caught her.

And Ryan, G.o.d have mercy on his soul, had finally found a moment of bravery. Seeing her threatened, he had reached for his sword.

But it hadn't even cleared the scabbard before Graham ran him through with his dagger.

Ryan had staggered back, holding his stomach as blood poured from his body.

Nora had tried to help him, only to find Graham in her way.

”Do as I say, or I'll give you worse than that.”

Ryan had reached out to her with one bloodied hand, then he'd fallen to the ground, dead.

Nora sobbed at the memory.

Ryan was dead because of her, and now Ewan was taken. If she didn't come up with some way to free him, he, too, would die.

And so would she.

Nay. Nay, she would never submit to these brigands. She was Eleanor's niece. She was her father's daughter. Ruffian Alexander Canmore might be, but no man had ever defeated him in battle or practice.

She would get them out of this.

And heaven have mercy on the MacKaids when she did.

They rode for hours until they came to an abandoned keep that appeared to have been burned down.

The skeleton of the building remained, but it looked far from safe. Weeds and vines covered the fallen and charred stones.

It was an evil place. An aura of death and decay clung to it.

Nora had never tasted real fear before, but she tasted it now. The place looked like a crypt. A place that had no purpose except to house dead remains.

The MacKaids dismounted, then carefully pulled Ewan from his horse.

Ewan glared at the men. Though he didn't know how at the moment, he was determined to get them out of this.

And once he had Nora safe, all three of the brothers would pay for this. He would make sure of it.

Graham kept his dagger at Nora's throat the entire time.

”One move,” he warned.