Page 22 of Wild Highland Rose
But before he had a chance to advance, light hit his opponent's face, and Cameron felt everything tilt off kilter. "Allen."
His brother whirled, still holding Marjory. "Who's there?"
"Let her go, Allen." Cameron stepped into the dappled light of the clearing, still holding the knife.
"Or what?" Allen laughed. "You'll gut me with the wee knife?" He relaxed his hold, but didn't release Marjory. "I was only having a bit o' sport with her. Ye canna deny me a little fun. Especially no' when the bitch tried to kill ye."
Marjory's face drained of color. If she was feigning surprise, she was doing a damn good job if it. Either that or she was shocked that Allen knew. Cameron stood, torn between the two of them. Brother and wife. So much for not getting involved.
"No one has proven anything, Allen. And even if they had, don't you think I should be the one to exact my own revenge?" He shot a look at Marjory, who was glaring at them both. At least anger had brought the color back to her cheeks.
"You've no' exactly been of a right mind,mo bhràthair." Allen shrugged, tightening his hold on the now struggling Marjory. "Besides, time was we shared everything, did we no'?"
"Maybe. But I think I draw the line at wives. No matter how odious they may be." He shot a mocking smile in Marjory'sdirection. And was rewarded with a sneer. So much for gratitude. "Come on, Allen. Enough is enough. Let her go."
Allen paused, studying him, then apparently satisfied with what he saw pushed Marjory away. She stumbled, but before she could fall, Cameron caught her, the feel of her heart beating against his chest setting off a riot of emotion.
As soon as he was certain she'd found her balance, Cameron released her, stepping back, quelling his surging hormones. Ignoring her, he turned to face his brother. "I want you to leave her be." He didn't have any power over Allen, but it was clear that the man at least cared for his brother. So maybe he'd listen.
Allen shot a venomous glance in Marjory's direction. "She's no' worth protecting. But I'll abide by your wishes. At least until Father arrives."
It was a beginning.
Allen started toward a pathway off to the left, then stopped to look behind him. "Aren't ye coming?"
Cameron shook his head, reaching out to capture Marjory's hand as she edged away. "I'm going to stay here. I need to have a word with mywife." He shot her what he hoped was a firm look, but given the mutinous expression in her eyes, he doubted it had any effect.
"Suit yerself," Allen shrugged. "But if I were ye, I'd get a bigger knife. That one would nary skin a cat, let alone the vixen ye've saddled yerself with." With a last withering glance at Marjory, Allen walked into the trees.
Marjory released an audible breath and tried to pull free, but Cameron kept his hold, turning her so that she was facing him. "Are you all right? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Nay, not in the way you mean." She stared at the ground refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm fine. If you'll just let me go, I should be getting back. People will be worried."
Despite the bravado of her words, he could feel her shaking. It seemed Marjory wasn't as impervious to fear as she'd like him to believe.
"I'm sorry he did that." Cameron wasn't certain why he was apologizing. After all he hadn't done anything. "It's lucky I heard you scream."
"Well, dinna think I needed your help. I was going to get away. I just hadna found the right opportunity." Marjory lifted her chin in defiance, blue eyes flashing.
Cameron released her, stepping back to put distance between them. "Well excuse me, your high and mightyship. I was only trying to help. From my perspective it didn't look like you were exactly holding your own."
"I would have gotten away." Her eyes narrowed, but her lower lip trembled, and he could see tears pooling in her eyes.
"Maybe so." He said, not certain how it was she could manage to make him feel concern and rage all at the same time. She was impossible. "But I didn't think I should take the chance. Saving your sweet behind seems to have become a habit of mine."
He watched the heat rush to her cheeks, not certain the emotion that inspired it. What was it about this woman? Every time they were together he had to fight a desire to either beat her or kiss her senseless. And under the circumstances, neither seemed a valid option.
"Where, may I ask, did you get my sgian dubh?" she asked with a frown, all emotion safely banished, no doubt to some far icy corner of her heart.
He struggled for comprehension, her words not making a lick of sense. "Your skeen what?"
"Sgian dubh." She said it slowly, but the repetition didn't help. She sighed. "The little knife in your hand."
Cameron looked down, comprehension dawning. "This is yours? I found it in the pool."
"When?" She shook her head, her look disbelieving.
"Just after I awoke in the woods. Before you found me. I wanted a drink, and when I knelt beside the water, the knife was there."
