Page 125 of My Brave Highlander

Fury clawed its way through Dirk's vitals, tensing his muscles, making him want to unsheathe his sword. "If you were a man, I'd strike you down for that," he growled.

"I knew you were smitten with her—a woman who's all but married to another man. How dimwitted can you be? Now you'll have to answer to the MacLeod for kidnapping her."

Dirk snorted. "The MacKay clan knows I didn't kidnap her. That's all that matters."

The elders nodded, eying Maighread with suspicion.

"Well, now that you've bedded her, 'tis doubtful the MacLeod will want her," Maighread said in a nasty tone.

"Won't do him any good if he does. He's not getting her," Dirk said.

"I hope they rain fire on this keep and burn it to the ground!" Maighread said. "Then at least an imposter won't get it."

∞∞∞

Nolan MacLeod sat in Munrick's great hall, eating venison stew with his brother, Torrin—the MacLeod chief—and their guests, the MacKenzies. Cyrus MacKenzie, Isobel's brother, reminded Nolan of a dark warlord who wouldn't mind taking off anyone's head, and Nolan didn't want to cross the bastard.

Torrin had sent Cyrus a missive that Isobel had run madly out into a snowstorm and disappeared. Cyrus had been irate, demanding answers when he'd arrived with his brothers and several men the day before. Why wasn't his sister protected and taken care of while she'd been here? Where was she? Why hadn't the MacLeods searched for her? Torrin blamed himself, but he was at a loss as to what happened since he hadn't been here at the time.

Nolan didn't know why Torrin had allowed the MacKenzies to gain entrance. If it had been Nolan's decision, he would've left them beyond the walls to freeze.

At the moment, no one paid any attention to Nolan, and he was glad. He had to keep a low profile since the place was crawling with MacKenzies. Fortunately, no one else in the clan knew why Isobel had left. Nolan was the only one. He smiled inwardly. They would never know what happened. 'Twas a pity because of her lush beauty, but Isobel was probably dead. Her own fault for knocking him on the head, running away and facing the harsh elements.

A guard rushed in and approached the center of high table where the chief sat. "Ten men from the MacKay clan are at the gates, m'laird."

"What do they want?" Torrin asked, putting down his ale cup.

"To speak to you, the man betrothed to Isobel MacKenzie. They claim to know where she is."

"Saints!" Isobel's brother shot from his chair, leapt from the dais and rounded the table. "Where is she?" he demanded.

The guard backed up two steps. "I know not, Chief MacKenzie. Should we allow them inside the gates?" His gaze darted to Torrin.

"I'm coming." Torrin stepped down from the dais, grabbed his wool mantle and followed Cyrus' swift trek across the great hall.

They'd found Isobel? After donning his mantle, Nolan followed his brother. Dread twisted his gut into an aching knot. If she was alive and well, she might tell Torrin, Cyrus and everyone else what Nolan had tried to do to her. Damn her. Why couldn't she have frozen to death?

It would be her word against his. Torrin would believe him, his own brother, over Isobel, surely.

At the same time, excitement rushed through Nolan at the thought of seeing the dark-eyed lass again. She'd bewitched him with her seductive looks and curvy body. He couldn't get her out of his head. He still wanted her, even though he was tempted to strangle her for injuring him.

If she told on him, he would, of a certainty, have to kill her.

Outside in the bailey, sleet and rain hissed through the air as they made their way to the portcullis over the narrow arm of the loch. Guards held torches and lanterns.

"Who are you?" Torrin asked the young, auburn-haired man at the forefront of the visitors beyond the iron bars.

"Haldane MacKay, son of Chief Griff MacKay, may God rest his soul."

"Griff MacKay is dead?" Cyrus asked.

"Aye, just over a month ago."

"I'm sorry to hear of it. You ken where my sister is?"

"If Isobel MacKenzie is your sister, aye. Dirk MacKay took her hostage."

Silence reigned for a moment as the men exchanged frowns.