Tam laughed. She expected him to go on and refute her claims, but he didn’t. “Ye ken that I ken he didnae murder those girls.”
Ceana could not believe the words he spoke. “How?” she whispered.
“Oh, please. Anyone who really kens Torcall would ken that he cannae.”
Ceana’s face melted into disbelief. She was just about to smile at him and offer an arm of friendship when he spoke.
“And this makes it even better,” Tam’s sinister laugh rang out. “The bastard will die painfully for a crime he didn’t commit.” He laughed. His eyes sparked a maniacal glee that sent shivers down her spine.
“Torcall will nae die,” she told Tam.
“Oh, he will,” Tam said, “and ye will be there to watch it.”
Laughter ringing out, he walked away.
Ceana watched him walk away, and, for the first time in hours, she knew what she had to do. Torcall wouldn’t die in that cell. She would not let him, and she would damn to hell anyone who tried to stand in her way.
She felt calm fill her mind, and she nodded. Then, as though nothing had happened, she continued the walk home.
* * *
Ceana sat in her chamber and made her plans quietly. It was at that moment that Alina arrived home and marched into her chamber.
“There is a door for a reason, dearest sister. Knock?”
“‘Tis a stupid door,” Alina said. “Did ye hear what Laird Francis said?” she asked her with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
“I did,” Ceana said simply and looked back outside the window.
“So ye see that Torcall indeed killed those girls?”
Ceana said nothing. It was of no use. Instead, she thought well of her plan.
“Dammit,” Alina drabbed a hold of her arm and tugged her to her feet. It was the first time that Ceana had heard Alina swear. She dragged her eyes up to Alina.
“What do ye want?”
“Look at ye! Yer eyes are blank. I do nae even ken ye anymore.”
Ceana tugged her arm out of her sister’s grasp. She was losing her patience fast. “What do ye want, Alina? Ye have branded him a murderer, and I didnae stop ye. I have given up on trying to convince ye, yet ye will not let me be. “Why is that? Why?”
“Because ye are blinded by—”
“The only thing that blinds me here is what I saw. I saw everything.”
“Nay,” Alina gasped. “ye are in love. Ye do nae ken anything.”
“And what do ye ken, Alina?” Ceana asked quietly.
“Ye push every man away and choose to be by yerself because ye are too good for everyone, aye?”
“Ceana--” she tried to stop her sister, but it was too late.
“Yer life is miserable, and ye expect mine to be too? Ye do nae ken love. All ye care about is yerself. Ye do nae care if an innocent man dies. All that matters is yer stupid pride and behavior!”
Alina slapped her.
Ceana put a hand to her cheek. “Ye struck me?” Ceana asked in disbelief.
