Page 21 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
He hated that he had to use her atall, but he knew the knights would not hurt her. A simple plot was often thebest one. “Step forward on my say and call out for help. Hopefully, they’llboth come to yer aid and I can catch them unawares.”
“That’s a sound plot. There are noother reasonable choices, as there is only one entry,” she replied, to hisamusement. Marion’s mind seemed to work more like a man’s than a woman’s,calculating danger and assessing risks. Iain liked it. “I don’t know either ofthose knights. They must be new, so I don’t think I can coax them to trust me,so yes, your plot is best.” Iain bit back a smile as she continued. “Whatshould I do when they are upon us?”
“Move back and ye duck.”
“That’s your idea?” she demanded,her voice incredulous.
“Yer lack of faith is noted,” hegrumbled under his breath. “There are only two of them.”
“Indeed,” she whisperedsarcastically. “I suppose it takes at least ten Englishmen to bring a Scotdown.”
“Nay. I’ve seen a Scot brought downby one,” he replied. “But I’m nae weak or foolish. Twelve is the likely numberit would take to fell me.”
“Only twelve?” She cocked her head.“Hmm…I’m not sure I should marry a man who can be felled by a mere twelveknights.”
He laughed softly. He liked hersense of humor and the fact that she was not afraid to tease him. God’s truthwas he liked almost everything he’d learned about her so far. Except herstubbornness. He was used to protecting and fighting for himself, but a burningawareness that he once again had someone to guard rose in his chest, made hisheart pound and his blood course through his veins and rush in his ears. Whatif she was accidentally injured?
He gripped her chin and turned herface to his. “Dunnae forget to duck the moment I stand.”
“Why don’t you give me a weapon?”
He was about to argue, but therightness of it made perfect sense. He’d seen her wield a dagger with skill. Hewithdrew one of his sheathed blades and handed it to her. “Ye’ll nae need touse it,” he promised.
She touched her hand to his heartand pressed her fingertips there. “I’m sure I won’t.”
An ache, poignant and sweet,throbbed. Whatever that feeling was, he didn’t have time for it now. Graspinghis sword, he nodded. “Go. Now.”
As she sprang up and called to theguards, he tensed and readied himself to move. Both knights rushed toward heras Iain had hoped, and when they were upon her, Iain leaped up, wielded hissword, and struck the first knight in the chest. The man fell to the ground,dead, and as Iain pulled his sword out of the man’s chest, the other knight waslifting his sword tostrike. Just as thesword dislodged and Iainraisedit again,Marion sprungforwardand stabbed the knightin the leg with her dagger. Iain scowled that she should risk her life but wasimpressed by her still. He lunged toward the knight as the man howled andfelled him with another blow to his legs. When the knight went down, Iain gavehim a swift punch, making him swoon, and retrieved the dagger he’d lent Marion.He rose and glared at her.
“Ye could have been killed,” hegrowled and turned away not waiting for her reply. He was certain she’d argue,and he had neither the time nor the patience. He charged into the chapel, whichwas empty except for one knight, the priest, and Angus—who was tied to a chair.
The knight came at Iain with hissword raised high. Iain didn’t hesitate. He swung his sword low, slashed hisgut, and when the knight doubled over, Iain hit him in the back. The man fellto his knees, and while he was trying to get back to his feet, Iain withdrewhis blade and used the hilt to knock the man in the head hard enough that heswooned. The knight fell forward onto the ground.
“You must be the MacLeod,” thepriest said, his eyes wide and his hands twisting together.
Angus grinned from the chair towhich he was tied. “He is, Father John, but dunnae fear. He’d never harm a godlyman.”
“Unless the man was trying to killme,” Iain retorted, purposely eyeing the priest while stepping around thefelled knight and striding toward Angus.
Before he even reached the Scot,Marion sprinted past him and kneeled in front of the man. “Angus!” she criedout. “I’m so happy to see you!”
She threw her arms around him, andIain faltered for one moment, struck deep to the core with the love she had forthis man. Had Angus been like a father to her when her own had not? It had tobe so. Angus was far older than she was for it to be anything else.
“I’m safe and so are ye,” Angussaid, soothing her.
As Marion and Angus spoke at once,each trying to ask the other what had occurred since they’d been parted, Iainsilently untied Angus and then gripped Marion under the arm and raised her toher feet.
She looked up at him. “What are youdoing?”
“Getting married,” he replied,reaching out and snagging the priest by the elbow when the man looked like hemight flee. “Marry us quickly,” he commanded the priest.
Marion gasped. “Here?”
“Aye.”
Shock made her green eyes sparkleeven brighter. “Now?” she squeaked.
He knew at once she’d hoped todelay, and he could not begrudge her. He had hoped to never marry againhimself, but fate didn’t care what they wanted.
