Page 68 of Dark Side of the Laird
Not the words I wanted to hear.
I dismounted, then came around to Emma’s side and held up my hands, loving the warmth and weight of her in my arms. I set her on the ground, but couldn’t let her go. With my arm around her waist we approached the stairs and Ewan.
“Who awaits us?” I asked.
Ewan had lost his smile completely now, his face grim. “MacDonald. He’s come to collect his niece.”
I gave a curt nod. “Emma, darling—”
“No. I’m coming,” she said, cutting me off before I could even ask her to let me handle it on my own.
“All right. But if there be bloodshed, promise me, ye’ll await me in our chamber.”
Emma stared hard into my eyes, and I could guess at any number of things she was saying in her mind. I grinned, and she rolled her eyes, but nodded anyway.
“Where is he?” I asked Ewan.
“Under guard in the great hall.”
I did not waste time in greeting my mortal enemy. I wanted him out of my castle and far from here within the hour.
MacDonald stood center, blustering in the great hall, murder his eyes. He looked thinner than the last time I’d seen him, and he was in need of a good scrubbing. It felt good to see the man brought down a few notches.
I walked with Emma to stand by the chairs my men had set out for us both, the one I sat in to hear the requests and complaints of my people. We didn’t sit down.
“Ye’ve been beaten,” I said. “Sadly, the king has gone, and in his place a daughter rules.”
“A regent rules for her,” MacDonald spat.
“Aye. A protestant regent, the next in line for the throne and no friend of yours. Pity really, that all your well laid plans should be burned to ash.” I held tight to Emma’s hip. She was the only reason I didn’t challenge this man to a duel right then and there.
MacDonald spit on the floor. A staunch Catholic, he was bound to have issues with a Protestant ruler. And he’d not be the only one.
“I am still Guardian of Scotland,” I said. This time I did let go of Emma. Stalking forward, I stopped within a foot of my enemy. “And I see ye as a threat to the country.”
Though the hatred still remained in his eyes, they ebbed with something new. Fear.
“Guards!” I called. “Take him to the dungeon where he can be reunited with his niece.”
“Ye canna do this. My men await me! If I’m not back within the hour, they’ll attack!”
Ewan cleared his throat. “Pardon, my laird, but MacDonald’s men also await him in the dungeon.”
I smiled cruelly at the vicious old dog. “Then ye may debrief with them when ye arrive.”
“Bastard!” he sneered. If he’d had a dagger, the man would have tried to stab me to death, of that I was certain.
I leaned in closer and spoke in low tones. “On the contrary, I think ye know exactly who I am.”
MacDonald’s eyes widened. “’Tis true, then!”
I didn’t respond, but turned my back on him, returning to Emma and leading her out of the great hall.
“Dinna turn your back on me, Grant! Dinna dare!”
I didn’t stop, but kept going. The man would likely always be a thorn in the underside of my foot, but never again would he have the backing of our sovereign.
Behind me I heard the distinct whisper of metal on leather. I nudged Emma forward and whipped around in time to see that MacDonald had pulled a hidden blade from within his belt. My men all moved to pounce, but a flick of my wrist and they backed off. I drew a blade from my sleeve.
