Page 19 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
The thought of injuring Emily flitted through Adam’s mind. Now that he had met her, the idea revolted him.
The knife was gleaming now, its sharp edge perfected, and Adam leaned back, placing it back in the sheath at his wrist.
“Send word to Doughall that I’m gettin’ married,” he tried again, looking Theo in the eye expectantly. “Tell him he needs to bring men—as many as he can spare.”
“Surely we have enough men to fight Orkney’s men?” Theodore said with a frown.
“Aye, but I need Stewart to see that he stands alone. MacGordon and our forces will be more than a match for him. Even his men were ready to follow me orders today. People like him dinnae inspire loyalty. His soldiers would have defected if they werenae so afraid of him.”
“Will his bride do the same?” Theodore asked. “Ye need her to be a part of this. There’s nay use usin’ her if she cannae be trusted.”
“I’ll deal with the lass, dinnae ye worry about it. Send the message and ensure MacGordon understands what he needs to do.”
“Of course, M’Laird,” Theodore said dutifully.
“Och, the Lord preserve me,” Adam muttered as he saw his mother walking toward them through the rain.
Is it too much to ask to have a moment’s peace?
He could not see her expression under her heavy cloak, but he knew she hadn’t come outside in the middle of a storm to wish him well.
Theodore turned, bowing low to Lady MacNiall before shooting Adam a weary glance and heading back to the castle.
Adam returned to his work, deliberately ignoring his mother as she walked beneath the roof of the stables and lowered her hood. He could almost feel her rage crackling in the air between them.
“What is this game ye’re playin’, Adam? This is a stupid scheme—even ye must see that.”
He clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around the blade. He was tired of his mother trying to interfere in every decision he made. She was not accustomed to others having control.
“I would have thought ye would be thrilled,” he murmured.
“Thrilled? With that harpy in me castle?”
“It ismecastle, Maither, and ye willnae speak of her in such a way.”
The lady scoffed as she walked toward him through the matted straw, her skirts rustling loudly as she advanced.
“What were ye thinkin’, bringin’ that girl here?”
“Ye have been botherin’ me for months to take a wife. Now I can fulfill yer wish.”
“Nae her. Ye could choose anyone. Do ye nae care that she stole yer sister’s groom? Do ye nae care that she could be conspirin’ against us while we sleep?!”
“I willnae repeat meself!” Adam bellowed. His voice echoed hollowly through the stables, and his mother flinched as though he had struck her. “Ye will treat Lady Emily with the respect she deserves.”
“What respect is that? She is just a pawn in yer plan.”
Adam lowered his gaze back to the blade. “She is more like the queen,” he muttered.
His mother let out a high-pitched laugh. “Dinnae tell me that she means anythin’ to ye.”
Adam dropped the blade and stood up. She cowered a little, but she was a proud woman. Her defiant gaze did not leave his face.
“I’ve kenned the lass for a few hours,” he said quietly, keeping his voice low and authoritative. “I dinnae have any use for her except what I brought her here for, which is to avenge me sister. And dinnae speak of him as though he was worthy of Laura. Do ye think any woman deserves to be wedded to that bastard?”
Adam couldn’t shake the feeling of relief that Emily was safe from Stewart—that she hadn’t married him, in the end. He was glad that she was safe and somewhere he could protect her. Even if he hadn’t managed to help Laura yet, he had done right by Emily.
His thoughts returned to the chilly marshes, Emily’s pale leg on display as he wiped the blood from her wound. It was a satisfying thought to know that somewhere in the castle, the same léine he still wore was touching her skin.
