Page 31 of Intrigued By A Highlander

“Liam, is that anyway to greet Knox when he has been so helpful to us,” Lady Agatha scolded, approaching her husband.

“Knox is always welcome here. Even more so that he caught that thieving little liar,” Chieftain Liam said with a satisfied grin.

Knox lifted Dru off his mare and reminded with a scowl for her to behave before he turned to face Liam.

Knox looked directly at him. “The woman you call a thieving, little liar is my wife.”

Shock struck the chieftain silent but not for long. “Good, Lord, Knox, how did you get stuck with her?”

“A tale in itself, but she is my wife, and I demand she be respected,” Knox said.

“Of course, she will be,” Lady Agatha said.

Liam turned a glare on his wife. “She called Ethan a liar and stole Zain.” His head snapped to Dru. “Where is Zain?”

Dru let her tongue loose. “Where he won’t be harmed by you or your lying son.”

Ethan stepped forward, a smug sneer on his face. “You’re the liar.”

“I saw you give the hound that piece of meat,” Dru accused.

“Liar!” Ethan shouted. “I gave him an oatcake.”

Silence fell around them at the lad’s admission.

Dru stood grinning, pleased she thought quickly of a way to get him to admit his guilt.

Chieftain Liam’s eyes flared with anger as he looked at Ethan. “You lied to me and had me beat Zain for no reason at all?”

“You ignored me and took him everywhere with you,” Ethan cried. “I’m glad Zain ran off with her.”

“You will be punished for this, Ethan,” Liam warned.

“I’ll gladly feel your fists if you pay half the attention to me that you paid to Zain.” Ethan turned to Dru, tears in his eyes. “Don’t tell him where you took Zain.”

“Your da will never hear it from my lips,” Dru said defiantly.

“Zain is mine. You’ll tell me or?—”

Knox stepped in front of his wife. “Or what? You have other hounds.”

“He certainly does,” Lady Agatha said. “Now come inside with your wife and we will sit and talk.”

“First, I will see to my mare,” Knox said.

“Aye, I forgot you see to her yourself,” Lady Agatha said with a nod. “While you do that, I’ll take your lovely wife inside and get her some food and drink. Join us as soon as you’re done.”

“My wife comes with me,” Knox said.

“Nonsense, Knox,” Lady Agatha said. “No one is going to harm her.” She looked at her husband smiling, though her eyes warned. “Isn’t that right, Liam?”

Liam appeared ready to protest, but one look at Knox’s imposing size had him saying, “Aye, no harm will come to her here.”

“Or anywhere,” Knox added, his eyes glancing over the lot of them.

When Liam’s response wasn’t forthcoming, one of his sons said, “Tell him, Da.”

“That’s for me to decide, Lyle,” Liam snapped.

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