If she were still here, Lara thought. “When did you find out who your real father was?”
“When my mother died. Her husband gave me a few things she wanted me to have. I discovered who he was and where he lived.”
“Did you go to him? Did he know of you?”
He laughed. “Nay. I decided I would wait and make my own way in the world and not be beholden to a name. My stepfather gifted me with my first sword and he arranged for me to train with one of his cousins.”
“And once you made a name for yourself, did you tell him?”
A sad smile crossed his face. “Nay, Lara, for he died years ago without knowing that I was his son.”
Saddened by this news of his solitary life, she felt tears gathering in her eyes. Lara reached up to wipe them away.
“Here now, I did not mean to upset you with this.”
“I think I am overwrought from the day’s events.”
“And you need to rest. Close your eyes and let sleep come.”
She did as he said, shutting her eyes and rolling onto her back. As she did every night, she moved over until she could feel his warmth. If he thought it strange with all that was between them, he did not hesitate to wrap himself around her, draping his arm over her waist and resting his chin on her head.
With his heat seeping into her and his strong arm around her, Lara felt the call to sleep. She heard and felt his breathing become even and slow, and knew he was on the brink of sleep as well. The words escaped as she drifted off.
“If I did not love you, none of this would be a problem.”
A few miles away, off the coast on a boat hidden among the small islands in the Firth of Lorne, Eachann spoke with his uncle of their success.
“You have a trinket then?”
“Aye, Uncle. Lara brought it as she was told to.” He held out the small cross to him.
“What was her reaction to my letter?” John of Lorne asked, taking it from him and slipping it into his tunic.
“She was much pleased by it. She was about to bolt until I told her about you and gave it to her.”
“Was she? Is she enamored of this bastard who married her?” he asked, shaking his head. “She is a weak woman, like her mother was. She just needs some guidance.”
Eachann laughed and felt his cock harden at the thought of being the man who tamed his beautiful cousin’s willfulness.
“I dinna care how much he has used her, Uncle. I want her when this is over.” If last night was any indication of her resistance and strength, it would take much to break her. He shuddered with pleasure at the thoughts of all he could do before finally killing her. She would scream… He reached for his cock, enraptured by the very thought of what would be.
“Not yet, Eachann. Control yourself until we have what we want. Then she will be yours, since she will never be welcomed back.”
“Yer pardon, Uncle,” Eachann said. He could wait. One thing he’d learned in his years as a spy was how to wait. And she would pay with her flesh for every day he waited. He pulled his thoughts back to their plan. “So, we will warn Invercreran, Glen Gour and Awe of the coming attacks?”
His uncle’s mouth curved into a smile that made him nervous. “Nay. The bastard knows she told you something. She is not smart enough to have carried this spying off without having slipped up during this time. Knowing him, he already suspects her. So, we sacrifice the first two and let him doubt whether or not she gave you anything we could use. We will gather our forces and make him pay at Invercreran.”
“Sacrifice them? But there are hundreds in those keeps.”
“They will further our goals of reclaiming Dunstaffnage and defeating the Bruce’s forces. And no one will be the wiser for it.”
“And Sebastien of Cleish? When do we remove him?”
His uncle laughed. “Patience, Eachann. You will make certain to place this—” he patted the place where the cross was stored “—on one of our men, who will live just long enough to claim that Sebastien of Cleish told us the battle plans. Once James Douglas or the Campbells hear of it, it will take him out of the game.”
“But Douglas is his friend.”
“Ah, but he is first the Bruce’s man. If he suspects Sebastien of anything, he will take it to the Bruce. If the Campbells find this proof, they will proceed with it, for they hunger for Dunstaffnage almost as much as we do. Either way, he will find himself charged with treason and most likely executed before he ever realizes we were behind it.”
