Page 16 of Seductive Scot
Alastair moved in front of her and offered a cold smile. “Aye, but I sent a man after them. He’s fast on a horse and an excellent tracker. The baron and yer brother’s crony will see justice—as will ye.”
She ground her teeth at his assumption that she cared about Algien. “Ye must listen to me.”
“Actually, I do nae have to do any such thing,” Alastair said, brushing past her, and when Rhys turned as if to follow, she grabbed his arm.
Surprise swept across Reikart’s face, who’d just reached their side, and then a similar expression graced Rhys’s as he turned to her. “Maggie could be in danger,” she blurted, praying Maggie’s new husband truly cared for her and would listen.
He froze. “What do you mean? What kind of danger?”
“Rhys, do nae listen to this lass,” Alastair said. “She’s a liar and—”
Deirdre didn’t think, she just reacted. She slapped Alastair in the face, and all four men gaped at her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, heat burning her cheeks, “but ye must cease talking and listen.”
Alastair turned red. “I do nae have to—” he began to repeat.
“Let the lady talk,” Rhys said, to which his brother not only nodded his agreement but moved closer to Deirdre as he had before, as if to protect her. His gaze collided with hers, and for one breath, she lost her focus, captivated by the dark slash of his brow and the way it arched expectantly over his piercing blue eyes.
“I overheard Baron Bellecote speaking to a man, Donald MacKinnish, and offering him coin to kill Shona and Grace. Algien promised Donald triple the coin if he killed Maggie, as well. We need to ensure he’s locked up, and—”
“All of Bellecote’s men who are still alive have been captured, and ye speak lies of Donald,” Alastair said. “He is my man, a MacKinnish, and he’d never betray us.”
“Are ye willing to wager yer sisters’ lives on yer certainty?” she asked.
“I’m not,” Rhys said before Alastair could respond. “Where’s this man, Donald?”
“Gone,” Dermot said flatly. “He’s the one we sent after Bellecote and Nigel.”
“Then ye have set them free,” she insisted. “Yer man will be headed to yer home to kill yer sisters. Ye must send someone to stop him.”
“Donald would nae do that,” Alastair said.
She poked Alastair in the chest, feeling Reikart close behind her. “Donald told the baron that the MacKinnish passed him up too many times for a place in his guard, and Donald does nae think he owes yer clan any fealty as a result. And he needs coin for his wife!”
“I think the lady has made her point,” Reikart said quietly.
“Aye,” Alastair agreed, to her relief. “I’ll head home immediately. If Donald has betrayed us, I’ll rip out his heart.”
“Nay.” Dermot shook his head. “I’ll head home and deal with Donald. Alastair, ye seek out someone to pay who can slip into the English court and tell ye whether Algien is there or nae.”
“I’ll go with you, Dermot,” Reikart said. “I need to see my mom.”
Rhys’s gaze locked on his brother, and some sort of private understanding seemed to pass between them. “Reik, did Ian—”
“I don’t know,” Reikart replied, apparently knowing what his brother was going to say.
A troubled expression crossed Rhys’s face. “If he didn’t, uh,travel, then we’re all stuck. There was another cross, but…”
Suddenly both MacKinnish brothers and Rhys were staring at Deirdre, and slowly, Reikart settled his gaze on her, as well. “What,” he began, his gaze not wavering from her as he spoke, “does she have to do with the cross?”
“Nothing with the cross you’re familiar with. There was another one that Aunt Grace managed to get, but it’s the last one, and Deirdre’s brother, Yearger, stole it.”
Deirdre felt as if she’d come into a tale being told mid-story and was missing vital information. But she also had a dawning suspicion that they might be talking about the cross she’d seen Algien twirling.
“Rhys, from Mom’s notes…in the office… This is the same…?” He motioned to Deirdre.
“Yes,” Rhys replied, his gaze turning icy as he looked at her. “This is the woman from the notes, and her brother is the man.”
Wariness crept into Reikart’s gaze, which probed her for a moment before returning to his brother. “Where’s the cross now?” he asked, his tone unnerved.
