Page 42 of Highlander Lord Of Vengeance

The servant spoke quickly. “He said it was set aside for you, but since you didn’t eat it…”

Torrance remembered it then. He had refused the dried meat. It wasn’t to his liking. Esme was surprised, claiming it was always a favorite meat of his for breakfast.

His eyes shot back to her pale face. “She wasn’t meant to eat it. I was.”

Brenna’s eyes widened. “Poison?”

“Treat her for it… now,” Torrance ordered, rage simmering just beneath the surface and without another word, he turned on his heels and stormed from the chamber.

Someone had tried to kill him, and his wife had nearly died in his place.

Someone would pay.

Torrance’s bootsstruck hard against the flagstones as he entered the kitchen. The scent of salt and spices lingered, but it was the tang of fear that filled the air as the cook and kitchen servants scrambled to bow.

“My lord,” the cook stammered. “We—we heard Lady Esme took ill?—”

“You set aside dried meat for me this morning,” Torrance snapped, his gaze drilling into the older woman’s face. “Who prepared it?”

“I—I did, my lord,” the cook said quickly. “I always do. That cut was from a new batch, smoked and salted as usual. No different?—”

“It was different,” Torrance growled. “It was poisoned.”

The cook’s eyes bulged. “Poisoned?”

“It would explain why one of your own is retching his guts out because he stole some of what was meant for me. My wife ate some. She could have died…. still could.” The thought infuriated him and frightened him.

The servants shrank back fear causing them to tremble.

“Lots of people had hands on that meat,” Una said, stepping forward to defend the cook.

Torrance advanced a step, his fury barely restrained. “Did you?”

“Nay,” the cook said. “Una never laid hands on it.”

Torrance glared at Una. “Then you will be the one to find out who touched that meat. From the moment the animal was slaughtered to the moment it reached my table. Every hand. Every eye. Every moment.” He cast a deepened scowl at everyone there. “Answer Una’s question honestly so she can find the culprit, or you all suffer for it.”

Heads bobbed nonstop.

“I will see it done, my lord,” Una said confidently.

“And quickly,” Torrance demanded. “In the meantime, every one of you will stand in front of me and taste every bit of food that is served before it passes mine or my wife’s lips.” He pounded his fist on the table, the sliced kale and cabbage on top bouncing from the force. “Someone will suffer for this even if I find out it was nothing more than carelessness.”

He stalked from the room, jaw tight, fury boiling. He had almost lost her, feared he still could. And whoever had come for him would soon learn just how dangerous it was to fail.

The chamber wasquiet save for the occasional crackle from the hearth. Esme lay still beneath blankets and a couple of furs. She had remained in bed, Torrance’s bed, since she’d taken ill this morning. She was feeling better, a bit weak and not at all hungry, her stomach churning now and again. Brenna had given her a potion that brought up the last of the food and ordered her to rest for the day and suggested she might be more comfortable in her own bedchamber. Torrance commanded that she remain where she was and Brenna did not dispute it and neither did Esme even though she would have preferred to be alone with her roiling stomach and thoughts.

Poison.

It didn’t seem real. Yet the sharp burn in her throat, the sour taste still lingering in her mouth, the weakness in her limbs… it had all been real enough.

Someone had tried to kill Torrance, and she had nearly taken his place.

She shut her eyes, her breath catching. Not just because of the sickness, or even the brush with death. It was the moment he’d looked at her, eyes filled not with worry, then suspicion.

Have you been with another man?

His words had landed like stones in her chest, each one sinking deeper. She hadn’t expected him to accuse her of that. Not after last night. Not after the things he’d shared with her. Or how she had woken during the night to feel his warmth steady against her back, his arm draped snug over her waist as if he truly wanted her there.

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