The man took a step back and sputtered, ‘I am sure you kept her safe, Macaulay. Now, my betrothed will be eager to meet me and be taken to a place of safety. So can we get on?’
‘I can go and find Briony and bring her to the inn,’ offered Lowri.
‘Find her?’ Drummond looked Lowri over insolently. Her hair was wild, and her dress muddied from the ride, but still, she looked gorgeous to Cullen. Not so to Drummond, who waved a hand to dismiss Lowri as if she were an annoying gnat.
He turned to Cullen. ‘I would hope that my bride is easily located and not scampering about the countryside, running wild, whilst in your care.’
‘Cullen has protected Briony since he pulled her from the wreck. He saved her life,’ said Lowri.
Donald ignored her, which raised Cullen’s ire. He put a hand on her arm. ‘Lass, go and fetch Briony and bring her to the inn. You know where she’ll be.’ He did not say ‘the tavern’ as that would have sent the awful Donald Drummond into a spasm of disgust, though he longed to humble the ignorant bastard.
***
The wind sent waves crashing against the shore, sending spray up the beach, but the handsome couple staring out to sea did not seem to notice it. Butcher had his arm around Briony’s waist, and she rested her head against his shoulder. To any casual observer, they seemed like a couple in love, and maybe they were.
When Lowri called out, they turned around. Locking eyes, Butcher threw his arm over Briony’s neck and casually slid his hand down her bodice and squeezed her breast, making her flinch a little.
‘Cold hands to go with his cold heart,’ thought Lowri.
‘Good morning to you, Mistress Macaulay. Is it not a braw day?’ said the villain.
‘I’ve no wish to exchange pleasantries with you, Butcher.’ She turned to the lass, and a beat of fear struck Lowri’s heart at the look in Briony’s eyes. ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I would speak to you.’
Butcher smirked. ‘She needed some air after being cooped up in my chamber for so long, but anything you wish to say to her, you may say to me.’ Butcher squeezed Briony’s breast again. ‘Isn’t that right, my little dove?’
Briony gave him a tight little smile. ‘Of course,’ she said.
The lass sported a new dress, red, gaudy and cut perilously low in the bodice. Lowri was no prude, but Briony looked positively indecent. It seemed Butcher’s corruption struck fast, for Briony had been in his bed but a day, and she had already lost her youthful bloom. In fact, she looked positively feral. Yet the lass did not seem too perturbed by her fall from grace.
‘See how happy I am to be out of your clutches. Don’t we look well together?’ said Briony, with a hard edge to her voice.
Lowri was not inclined to be kind. ‘You look like what you are - a villain’s whore.’
Briony’s hands fisted, and she snarled, ‘Is that so? Shall I come over there and teach you a lesson in manners.’
‘Steady, lass,’ murmured Butcher, holding her back. ‘What is your business here, spitting your bitterness, Lowri? Did Cullen send you?’
‘I came to tell Briony that her betrothed has arrived.’ Lowri nodded towards the dock. ‘That ship down there brought Donald Drummond here to claim his bride.’
Briony cast desperate eyes at the ship. ‘You lie. Donald has not bothered himself to come for me all these weeks.’
‘He had a fever which prevented travel. But he is here now, and eager to meet you.’
‘And what is he like? Have you met him?’ cried Briony
Butcher’s hand tightened on her breast. ‘I am sure he is a soft, withered old man,’ he said smoothly.
‘Aye, stooped and shuffling, a repulsive flop of a man,’ laughed Briony.
But her laugh seemed hollow, and she was looking at Lowri with sharp interest. She wanted to know what kind of man she had rejected. Was the lass sizing up her choices?
Butcher let his eyes wander over Lowri from top to bottom in a lazy, greedy way. Then he turned Briony’s mouth to his and kissed her hard, but he kept his eyes open on Lowri while he did it. Lowri bit down on her temper. She would not react to Butcher baiting her.
When he broke his kiss, Butcher patted Briony on her bottom and stalked off. ‘I have business to attend to, so I will let you lasses gossip. No doubt, you have much to tell about this Donald fellow.’
If Butcher felt any jealousy about Briony’s betrothed, he did not show it. Or was he so confident in his appeal that he did not care? Donald may be the most handsome man on earth, but Butcher thought his charms were greater than anyone’s.
Briony kept her eyes on Butcher until he was out of sight and then grabbed onto Lowri. ‘Is Donald really here? What is he like?’
