Page 57 of Highland Ruse

Kaid straightened and looked behind him. Two men approached him, Lachlan and Dougal. Grins showed on their faces.

“Mighty fine of ye to bring us a couple lasses,” Lachlan said.

Delilah shifted her hold on the hilt of her blade, edging her grip lower with the obvious intend to hurl it toward the men.

“Dinna do that,” Kaid cautioned.

Delilah gave him a confused look, but her movements paused.

“Ye couldna handle these lasses,” Donnan said from somewhere behind him.

Lachlan stopped next to Kaid’s horse and stroked the beast’s neck. “We were wondering when ye’d come back.” He nodded toward Delilah, who had gone stiff in front of Kaid. “Who is she?”

“MacKenzie’s bride-to-be.” Kaid knew the words would pour realization over Delilah like a bucket of cold water.

She jerked a hard look at him over her shoulder.

Lachlan gave Kaid a wide grin. “I know what ye’re doing.” He gave a hearty laugh and patted the horse’s neck one final time. “We’ll walk with ye to Ardvreck. I canna wait to see the clan’s faces when they see this.”

Delilah’s body tensed in front of him.

Kaid covered the hand holding a dagger with his own. “Ye know fighting wouldna be wise.”

She jerked away from him and slipped the dagger back into her pocket. Angry though she appeared, he knew she understood his warning.

“You lied to me,” she growled. “I trusted you.”

The wind blew over the rolling hills and swept the length of Delilah’s hair from where it lay against her back, allowing the slightest bit of her naked neck to come into view.

He wanted to brush her hair aside and let his lips wander over the slender curve of her neck. Giving in to the temptation, however, would probably result in a knife to the gut.

“I gave ye my word I wouldna run off,” he said. “I’m no’ running off.” He pulled his gaze from her lest he give in to his desire. “Ye were the one who came onto my land and guided me toward my home.”

“And will you hold us as prisoners?” she asked in an icy tone.

“Ye’ll stay as my guests,” he answered. “So long as ye cause no trouble.”

“Of course—you have my word.” She spoke the last phrase in harsh mockery.

He knew she’d be upset, of course, but not for long. Or at least he hoped it wouldn’t be for long. It was part of his plan.

Knowing she was not Elizabeth Seymour had rocked his scheme for peaceful negotiations with MacKenzie, but Kaid had come up with another idea.

To have Delilah help him.

All Kaid had to do was convince Delilah to play Elizabeth for the man to whom it would really matter—Laird MacKenzie.

Chapter Fifteen

Delilah had led herself right into a trap.

Kaid had said she’d be treated as a guest, but would he keep his word when she’d betrayed him once already?

Though she willed it not to, her pulse raced the nearer they drew to the cluster of homes on the outskirts of a great castle in the distance. Hills rose around them and the evening rays of sunlight danced off the water surrounding the castle.

Guest or not, there would be no escape. Obviously he’d known as much when he spoke.

Frustration caught her in its snare.