Page 59 of Intrigued By A Highlander

“Why would I ever do that?”

“Because you’ll see it’s the only sensible thing to do.”

“I’ve never been sensible.”

“Now you’ve just proven my reasoning.”

“You don’t find me appealing.”

“You’re growing on me.”

“This is nonsense.”

“Until it isn’t,” he said, ending the debate. “Mave says a traveling merchant is expected in the village today. He will bring news, as all merchants do, and I wish to hear it. Besides, I want to speak with a young man I met yesterday. He knows more about Autumn than he says. Mave mentioned that Autumn saved him from one of Lord Randall’s warriors when she was young.”

“Why waste the time when Mave told you that Autumn is dead?”

“Aye, she died three days after her mum was buried, but Mave never spoke of Autumn being buried.”

A chill sent a shiver through Dru. “What are you saying?”

“The woman known as Autumn may have died that day, but another woman was born. From what I could gather, Cerise raised her daughter not to be foolish enough to wind up as she did—a mistress to a powerful man or forced into an unwanted marriage. To keep her freedom, Autumn would need to die. Now our task is to find out the woman Autumn has become, for I have no doubt that Autumn is very much alive.”

Knox wentto speak with the merchant he spotted, as soon as they entered the village. Many of the villagers were gathered around him to hear any news he had to share. Few had the coins to buy his wares, but the merchant welcomed a good barter.

Dru spotted Mave and went to her, grateful those familiar with her ignored her. Mave had reached them with the news, and they remained faithful to keeping her secret.

“What did you say to Knox?” Dru whispered when she reached Mave.

“What Fate wanted him to know. Now, go look for Owen. He is eager to see you and I have work to do here,” Mave ordered, turning and heading to an anxious mum and small lad, cradling his arm against his chest.

Dru hurried off, though not before glancing to see if Knox still spoke to the merchant. She spotted him walking away with the man and slipping behind a cottage. They must have been discussing something Knox preferred no one else to hear. Eager to see Owen and let him know that Knox intended to speak with him, she picked up her pace. She had barely taken ten steps when she heard the sharp crack of a slap and a woman’s startled gasp.

Dru turned toward the sound.

A group of four men stood near the corner of a cottage, their leather armor and weapons marking them as mercenaries. One of them, thick-shouldered and smirking, had a fist tangled in a young woman’s sleeve. She struggled, trying to wrench free.

Owen was suddenly at her side. “I spotted them earlier when I was in the woods and avoided them and hoped they would steer clear of the village. They’re trouble.”

Dru nodded. He was right about that.

“You’re hurting me,” the woman said, her voice tight with fear.

The man yanked her closer. “Only if you keep fighting, lass.”

A knot of fury twisted in Dru’s gut and before she stepped away from Owen, she whispered, “Stay out of this.”

Dru approached the man and woman. “LET HER GO.”

Her voice rang clear through the hush that had fallen over the villagers. People shrank back, unwilling to interfere, but Dru stepped forward, her stance firm.

The mercenary turned, his smirk widening. “And who are you to give me orders, lass?”

“Someone who knows that only a man with a tiny shaft would lay unwanted hands on a woman.”

Laughter rumbled from the other three men.

“She’s got fire,” one chuckled.

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