Page 54 of The Beast of the Highlands
“Apologies for my men,” a silky voice cut through her anger. “They obey their orders, but they don’t always do it gracefully.”
Autumn’s head whipped around to find a tall wiry man, with thinning gray hair, sitting in a chair beside a roaring fire in the middle of the tent. The black smoke wisped upward, channeled through a circle in the roof which acted as a chimney. Though some of it managed to drift back into the tent where it caught the back of Autumn’s throat, making her splutter.
“Who are you? Why have you brought me here? I could guess, but I would prefer not to envision more horrors than I need to,” she choked out.
The man smiled, revealing browned teeth that looked remarkably familiar. The pocks in his face and the indecipherable meanness in his dark eyes were familiar, too.
“You’re as amusing as I’ve been led to believe,” the man said. “I should apologize for not introducing myself the last time we met. I was, unfortunately, interrupted by Laird MacLennan and his band of Scottish brutes.”
A gasp slipped through Autumn’s lips. “You…” She tried to jab a finger in his direction, only to be reminded that her hands were tied. “You were the one who attacked me!”
“Indeed, but you’ll have to forgive me,I didn’t realize how valuable you were, back then.” He grinned again, revealing those rotten teeth. “My name is Philip Johnson, though you don’t need to give me your name. I have learned it since our last meeting. Miss Montgomery.”
Autumn’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know of me? And you still have not answered my question—why have you brought me here? If it is to finish what you started, when you first attacked me, you may throw yourself in that fire. Begin your burning in Hell now.”
Philip Johnson cackled. “No, Miss Montgomery—youare the fiery one.” He got up and walked over to her, crouching beside her as he had done during that first torment, a lifetime ago. “Indeed, I am flattered you would remember me.”
“I do not easily forget devils, Mr. Johnson,” she spat in reply. “Nor such heinously ugly creatures.”
He arched an eyebrow. “I would urge you to be careful, Miss Montgomery. I enjoy a jest, but not an insult.” He trailed his fingertips up her forearm, prompting her to twist away. “You will not recall, but I have met you twice. Three times, now, I suppose.”
“I would remember if we had met twice.” She leveled her gaze at him.
He laughed cruelly. “I think not. You were hidden underground with all the frozen meat those savages bury in their store holes.” He tilted his head. “Did you really think we didn’t know where you were? Scots have been trying to hide from us for years, and they have rarely succeeded. Although, I must ask, did you enjoy our little pantomime?”
Autumn gaped at him. Speechless.
“Were we convincing?” he continued, clearly enjoying himself. “It’s not the first time we have tricked Laird MacLennan and his clan. We saw his scouting parties picking through our deliberately discarded camps. We could have killed them all, then and there, but it is more satisfying to take out a larger quantity at once.”
Autumn found her voice. “You are not supposed to be killing Scots at all. My brother once informed me that the King is attempting to keep the peace on this side of the border. If you are here, attacking innocent Englishwomen and stalking clans, it cannot be lawfully.”
“We are not supposed to stir up trouble,exactly. But there is little else to do when stationed in such a wild and repulsive place. Besides, it is always advisable to weaken your inferiors further, and the King would surely thank me for testing the fortifications of these borderland castles,” Philip replied proudly.
Pieces of the larger puzzle slotted together in Autumn’s mind, as she thought of the skirmishes and pillages that Clan MacLennan, and the other borderland clans had endured in recent years.
“You are the ones who have been attacking the Scottish, and razing villages to the ground!” Anger spiked in her chest. “You are the ones causing unrest, prompting the Scots to bolster their forces!”
Philip ran a finger across three medals, pinned to his chest. “Guilty.” He sighed, "but it is not as though they do not deserve it. They are a contagion who ought to be wiped out, to make room for more civilized individuals. I am merely the tonic to help make that possible. Though, I should add, there are some worthy Scots among the chaff.”
Appalled by his remarks and his obvious, rancid arrogance, Autumn could barely find it within herself to utter another word to him. Her disgust had clogged her throat. And yet, hestillhad not answered her question. As an Englishwoman, what part did she have to play in this?
Do they mean to use me against Flynn?
“Why am I here? I will keep asking until you grow so weary of my voice that you relent. I should warn you; I can keep asking for hours and hours and hours.” She glowered at him, letting her revulsion show.
Philip began to chuckle, which gave way to a foul belly laugh that spewed his sour, fetid breath all over her face. “You are of absolutely no use to me whatsoever, but you appear to be very valuable to my accomplice in all this. And I would give her whatever she desires.”
“Did ye think that was the end of it?” A flap at the back of the tent swept open, and a painfully familiar figure strode in, grinning like a gargoyle. “Ye thought I’d let ye ride off without a lick of proper punishment? Come now, I thought ye’d have judged me better than that.”
Autumn very nearly toppled over in alarm, as Keira strutted the rest of the way toward her. Though she evidently did not dare to crouch as close as Philip, for she kept a safe distance, choosing to loom over Autumn instead.
“I dinne think ye’d give up so easy, but I’m glad ye did. Saved me a good deal of trouble,” Keira added, smirking bitterly. “I have to ken—what did ye say to the poor soul? I dinnae have a chance to see him, but I’d wager ye were vicious to make him forget ye.”
Autumn swallowed the bile that had risen up her throat. “An Englishman’s accomplice? Indeed, I should have judged you better. It appears there are no depths you will not stoop to.” She scowled. “Now, I “have to ken”—what do you get out of this arrangement?”
“A great deal,” Philip interjected. He appeared to be another one who was too fond of his own voice to know when to be quiet. “Her father is my gracious associate, and this divine young lady will soon be my wife. All for the paltry sum of a parcel of land, my patronage, and my protection. Namely, Laird MacLennan’s land. Apparently, it is extremely fertile.” He cast a lusty gaze at Keira, who did not seem to notice.
More of the pieces clicked together for Autumn, her mind whirring to tie everything together. For she knew enough about estates and lands and inheritance to understand.
