“‘Ware,Rosse,” growled Ruari. “I am not in the sweetest of humors.”
Sorchasmiled faintly as she took the sack, idly weighing it in her hands. She knewRosse but teased his cousin, and at another time and place she might have seenthe humor in it. Now, however, there was nothing funny about it. Rosse wasfeeding Ruari’s anger and resentment, picking at Ruari’s injured pride until itwas a deep wound. With every jest the chasm widened between her and Ruari, andher hopes shriveled.
“Dinnaeye wish to count it?” Ruari snapped, glaring at her,
“Nay,I am sure I can trust Sir Rosse,” she replied with a false sweetness, decidingthat, since all hope of any further pleasant dealings with Ruari were lost,there was no need to bow to his spite.
“Whatof my arms—my sword, scabbard, and shield?”
“Asspoils of war, they are rightfully mine,” she reminded him even as she signaledto Iain. “Howbeit, I have all I want right here.” She jingled the sack as Iaingave Ruari and Beatham their weapons. “‘Tis coin I need to bring my brotherhome, not swords.”
Ashe buckled on his sword, Ruari muttered, “I begin to think ye would serveDunweare better if ye just kept the coin and let your witless brother lookafter his own head.” Before Sorcha could reply to that insult to Dougal, Ruari’sattention was fixed upon Beatham who was attempting to steal a tender farewellfrom Margaret. “We are leavingnow, lad.”
“Ah,that bonnie youth has e’er had a way with the lasses,” Rosse said as hesignaled one of his men to bring up the horses for Beatham and Ruari.
“Weel,this was an ill-advised flirtation, but then a great deal of what happened herewas ill advised,” Ruari added with a sharp glance at Sorcha.
Thatstung, then angered Sorcha. There was no need for him to insult her before heleft. He would not do so if it had been a man who had held him for ransom. Theanger and resentment would still ferment in his heart, but he would treat a manwith dignity.
“Aye,ye are right. Ye may leave now, Sir Kerr, although your men are welcome toabide here awhile to quench their thirst and fill their bellies. Ye, howbeit,have had more than your share of Dunweare’s hospitality.”
Shecould tell by his narrow-eyed look that he did not like the implication of herwords. It was foolish of him to believe the subtle hint that it was not fullypassion that had put her in his bed, but she knew men could be easily confusedabout a woman’s reasons for bedding them. Sorcha felt it would do the arrogantSir Kerr some good to suffer a few doubts. She was a little shocked at the ideathat suddenly entered her head, but her pain and anger drove her.
“Whocan say, mayhap your wee efforts will replenish some of the monly stock ofDunweare,” she added, leaning close to him so that no one could hear her. Shecould tell by the way his eyes widened, the green flaring brilliantly with thelight of fury that he understood.
“Doye try to say ye have used me for a stud?” he hissed.
“Idinnaetryto say it. I just did. Quite plainly, I thought.” She foundhis rage curious for he declared he was interested only in her passion so howshe made use of that should matter little to him. “Why do ye linger, Sir Kerr?Ye have made it verra clear for weeks that ye were anxious to be released. Irelease you. Go.”
“Yehavenotheard the last of this, Sorcha.”
“Ifye return to Dunweare ‘twill undoubtedly only be as a prisoner again, and thenI shall ransom ye for a hefty profit. ‘Tis costly to tend after your toughhide.”
“Therewill be payment extracted all right, m’lady, but ‘twill be ye who pay it, andbe assured ye will pay dearly indeed. Beatham,” he yelled even as he mountedhis horse.
Sorchawatched Beatham hurry to mount his horse. A soft sob echoed behind her, and sheheard someone running back into the keep. She knew Margaret had reached thelimit of her strength. As Sorcha watched the Kerrs ride away, she knew it wasnone too soon as she, too, was finding the strength to be calm and dignified anincreasingly elusive thing. She wanted Ruari’s last sight of her to be that ofa woman who could hold to the bargain of giving and taking passion only, nomore. Another moment or two and she was certain he would have been able to seethe pain that was tearing away at her insides. She gave a start when she feltsomeone’s arm encircle her shoulders, and looked up to see it was Neil.
“Howare ye faring, lass?” Neil asked quietly.
“Iwill survive, Aunt.” She looked out the gates at the disappearing horsemen ofGartmhor. “At least, I will if I stay verra far away from Sir Ruari Kerr.”
“Threatenedyou, did he? Dinnae take it to heart, love. He was just angry.”
“Oh,aye, he was that, but I believe he means his threat. If I ever see that monagain I believe I will ignore the dictates of my heart and run, swiftly, in theother direction.”
Ruariground his teeth as he tried to control his temper. The jests of his men soongrew too much to bear, however. A little sullenly he decided it was time theywere reminded of the fact that he was their laird.
“Enough,”he bellowed and was pleased when his men immediately grew quiet, sensing thatthey had pushed him hard enough. A little of his pleasure in exerting hisauthority faded when he turned to look at Rosse, who rode by his side, andcaught the glint of amusement in the man’s dark eyes. “And what do ye findworth grinning about?”
“Ye.Have ye spent all these weeks at Dunweare acting as if ye have a thistle inyour braies?” Rosse asked. “Nay, ye couldnae have or that wee doe-eyed lassiewould have been giving us a chest of gold to take ye away. She did seem to growangry after ye appeared. Until then she was a sweet lass for all she gentlyreprimanded me for not protecting your back.” He studied Ruari for a moment. “Yethreatened her, didnae ye.”
“Yeseem mightily concerned about a lass who has cleared out our money chest.”
“Nay,not nearly, although that whisper of a mon, Malcolm, clucked like a broody hen o’erevery coin we counted out. From what I hear, the lass is burdened with a highfool of a brother, and this is but one more thing she has been forced to do tosave his wretched hide. She dealt fairly with us.”
“Mayhap,but she took my money, and in the beginning there was deception, for she playedmy rescuer, lulling my suspicions. Weel, she will pay for those crimes. Idinnae ken when or how, but I will get my money back and mayhap teach thewretched girl not to play at a mon’s games.”
Chapter Eleven
