“Ye’d believe thatban-aibhistear?Did I no’ save yer life?Did I no’ give ye great power?How many other peasant lads could claim to be so highly regarded by their laird?”
Logan clutched his shirt tighter and put the pressure on his neck again.He brought his face close.“Enough lies.What did ye do?”
Gillean shook his head.“Yer a fool.Dinnae throw all ye have away over that woman.”
Teeth clenched, Logan squeezed his neck until he thought the laird would pass out.He should have realised the laird would not give up the truth easily.He dropped the man, leaving him panting on the floor.
“What lies did ye tell me?”
Gillean put a hand to his neck and drew in a rasping breath.“I saved yer life.That whore left ye for dead.”
Fury reeled through him in a fresh wave.He kicked out with his boot.The cry of pain from Gillean did little to appease him, so he kicked again and again until Gillean threw up his hands in surrender.
Kneeling, Logan grasped his shirt and drew him close again.“Tell me everything.”
“Ye were at the battle,” he panted.“Ye were one of Lorna’s men.Ye helped her escape and joined the fight that broke out.I didnae see what happened but after we found ye, barely alive in the bailey, I ordered ye to be put in the donjon.Lord knows I should have killed ye then and there, but ye knew stuff I didnae about the Glencolum clan.I had hoped ye would be useful.”
Logan let out a shuddery breath.So it had all been true.Lorna had been speaking the truth and he had treated her...by God, what a fool he was.
“What happened then?Why all these lies?”
“After...”
“After what?”Logan raised a fist in threat.
“After we couldnae find out what we wanted, ye were...”Gillean glanced down, “ye were tortured.At some point, ye passed out and we didnae think ye would awaken.”
“But I did.”
“Aye, and with no memory of anything that happened.”
“So ye decided to lie to me?Why?Why take the risk?”
“I recognised yer worth, Logan.Remember that.”Gillean’s expression grew imploring.“I knew ye’d be a good man to have by my side.”
“Ye played a risky game, my laird,” he said bitterly.
“Aye, I’m aware o’ that now.But this is what we do.We take risks and we triumph.This doesnae need to mean anything, Logan.Join with me in this battle and ye can gain more than ye ever dreamed of.”
“Ye’d let me stay by yer side after what I’ve done to ye?Ye think I’d want to aid the man who took my life from me?”
He shrugged.“This war.I will do whatever I must.”
“As will I.”
“And what is that?Ye shallnae win.Do ye think ye will get away with this?”Gillean’s voice rose with each word.“Do ye think ye willnae be cut down for harming me?I shall see that ye pay for it.Mark my words.”
“As will I,” he repeated calmly.Somewhere inside everything had fallen into place.Anger had been replaced with anticipation.Everything he knew had been wrong yet here was his chance to make it right again.Lorna was his chance.
“Yer going to go after her, aren’t ye?”
Logan nodded and released the man.
Gillean struggled to get to his feet and gave up.“Yer a fool.Why would ye choose that whore over this life?”
Mayhap all his anger wasn’t quite gone.He slammed his fist into Gillean’s face and released a grim smile of satisfaction as he slumped over.Now he needed to catch up with Lorna.Logan raced down into the hall and past the stables.Gillean might awaken at any time so he did not have time to have a mount saddled.If any of the men thought it odd he stepped outside the castle walls without his horse, none mentioned it.Once he was out onto the open hills, he paused and glanced back at the castle.
He’d thought mayhap anguish and regret would fill him, but it didn’t.He’d never truly belonged in that role.But did he belong anywhere else?
