Duncan ignored her and handed the document to one of Alex’s guards. Alex received it and untied the leather cord holding the scroll closed. He unrolled it and examined the parchment carefully.
“As ye can see,” Duncan said, “all the necessary signatures are there, and the official seals of Clan Munroe and Clan Sutherland.”
“It appears to be legitimate,” Alex started. “But I have learned the hard way not to trust everything I see. My secretary is experienced at recognizing falsified signatures. Petro.”
Jamie smiled with satisfaction. Alex had the lady’s best interest at heart.
“Milord.” Petro bowed.
“Please take Lady Helen, her maid, and Jamie with ye to my solar. Use all of yer skills to prove Duncan’s claim.”
“I canna be parted from the contract,” Duncan insisted.
“The document is safe,” Alex assured him. “I willna have ye intimidating my secretary or harassing Lady Helen while Petro completes his work.”
“Tis unacceptable, sir.”
Alex grinned and signaled for his two favorite guards. “Hugh. Bruce. Escort our guest to a cell and see that one of the maids prepares a tray of food for him. Make sure he has a clean place to sit and plenty of water to drink.”
“Ye are imprisoning me?”
“Nay,” Alex said. “I’m protecting ye and myself.”
After the guards dragged Duncan away, Jamie turned to his cousin. “Ye wish me to stay with Lady Helen?”
“Aye.”
“What changed yer mind?”
“The look in yer eyes when Duncan insulted her. I believe ye capable of protecting her for now.”
Jamie stood. “Thank ye, Alex.”
Alex nodded and placed his hand on Jamie’s forearm. “Tread lightly, Cousin.”
Chapter Five
Once seated inthe comfortable solar, Helen waited patiently while Laird MacKay’s secretary worked diligently with the forged contract. To her left sat her maid, and to her right stood the red-haired man she had first seen last night in the great hall. He wore traditional Highland garb, a clean linen shirt with the black and blue tartan of the MacKays. His very presence made her feel safe, though his blue eyes intimidated her to the point of making her squirm uncomfortably in her chair. She tried to avoid his lingering gaze but found it impossible not to look at him.
“Thank ye,” she finally whispered. “I feared I had been followed.”
Jamie’s big hands were folded across his stomach. “I doona know why they let ye escape.”
“Perhaps Duncan preferred playing cat and mouse with me.”
His red brows shot up. “Ye are hardly a mouse.”
“Nay?” she asked with a smile. “Sometimes I feel like one. Unimportant and easy prey, surrounded by all these men who make demands of me.”
Jamie relaxed his stance. “I am Jamie MacKay, cousin to Laird Alex.” He bowed respectfully.
“I know who ye are,” Helen said. “I am Helen Sutherland, the earl’s daughter.”
“Aye. And if I may say, yer father is a fool for giving ye reason to flee yer home.”
She sighed in complete agreement. “Money and power means more to my sire than his own children. I doona blame him overmuch, my grandfather did the same to him.”
“Tis the way of Highland lairds. Something I came to dislike greatly during my travels in Constantinople—reminds me too much of the slave markets.” His handsome features showed true revulsion.
