Astrid held up a hand. “As I said, I am not accusing ye.”
“Ye clearly are!”
“I am only telling ye what I have observed,” Astrid continued firmly. “He is a handsome lad. He can be charming when he wishes. He is manipulative. We know that Laird Dickson is the true evil here, so it might be easy for ye to imagine that Struan is just a victim himself. Well, he isn’t. He’ll do what he has to in order to get away, and if that means using ye, he’ll do it.”
An image appeared in her head; of Struan’s face close to hers, an almost surprised look in his eyes. She tasted lavender and felt the brush of his fingertips against the side of her neck.
What did he have to gain then?
Una glanced at Kyla. “And what do ye say to this?”
Kyla shifted uncomfortably.
“I don’t pretend to know my brother well enough for that,” she said at last, a little miserably. “Not anymore. I… I want to believe the best of him, but I know he wants to escape. He’s treated ye differently from the others.”
Una swallowed. “He has? Well, then, what’s to say that I cannot get to him? That I cannotreachhim? Romantic feelings aside, of course.”
Kyla opened her mouth to speak, but Astrid neatly spoke over her.
“Ye cannot,” she answered firmly. “Nobody can. At least, it’s not a risk we can afford to take. Ye must understand.”
Una swallowed hard. She remembered the sight of Struan’s back, well-muscled and dappled with scars, still damp from his bath. Why had he gone out into the hallway? To get soap, he’d said. What had the maid thought, encountering a shirtless Struan Dickson like that?
Had he flirted with her? Maybe. She was certainly eager enough to flirt with him. Apparently, noteverybodyin the Keep was appalled at the very sight of Struan Dickson.
“Una?” Astrid broke into her thoughts, and Una glanced up to find her sister-in-law staring at her, eyes narrowed. “Una, do ye have feelings for him?”
“For Struan Dickson?” Una gave a short laugh. “The only thing I feel for him is hatred. But consider me warned. Now, are ye going to let me get on with my training, or not?”
Chapter 10
My Honor Is My Own
Somebody had gotten him a bed, a proper one. Struan assumed he had Kai to thank for that, in exchange for the information he’d given.
It was all worthless, of course. In truth, there was little Struan could contribute. He’d been away for too long to know what his father’s current plans were.
The bed was hardly sumptuous. It was a stiff, rusted metal frame that squealed when he turned over, and the ropes holding up the mattress groaned as though they were going to snap at any moment.
Still, it was better than a blanket and some straw.
Gingerly, Struan shifted onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. He’d been given another blanket and a thin pillow, and the bed felt like paradise. Lying still and staring directly above himself, he could almost imagine that he wasn’t in a cell at all.
Then somebody pounded on the door, and he flinched.
“Up ye get, Dickson scum!” a male voice shouted. “Ye are to go to the training fields this morning. Laird Kenneth wants ye kept in shape. And there’ll be no detours to the bloody washroom to prance around with soap and lavender, I can promise ye that.”
There was a series of chuckles outside. Struan rolled his eyes. Judging by the smell of his jailors, they didn’t visit the washroom often themselves.
“I’m awake, lads,” he called back, flinging back the blanket.
It almost physically hurt to leave his bed, but he could only hope that it would be there when he got back. Unless he did something stupid or annoyed Laird or Lady Kenneth, he assumed the bed would remain.
Father would be furious,he thought, pulling his shirt over his head.Seeing me relax so thoroughly with the offer of a wee bit of luxury.
He put the thought of his father out of his head, however. It was plain that his father wasn’t coming to save him, at least not in a hurry. There’d be no ransom negotiations. For all he knew, Struan could have been stretched on the rack daily since he’d been taken or tortured in other, inventive ways.
No, Struan would have to rely on himself, as he always had.
