“I ken ye willnae let Creighton near her,” she ventured, taking a tentative step forward and meeting Dallas’ eyes. “But cannae I make sure she isnae hurt? Please?”
Dallas looked at her for a long moment. He was deciding, no doubt, whether he could overpower her if it came to it. Nora focused on keeping her face impassive.
“Very well,” he said at last. “But I ken this area well. A fall from this height will be yer end, without exception. And daenae think that I am nae willin’ to risk me own life into the bargain, too.”
“I believe ye,” Nora responded. She glanced briefly over at Creighton and found him staring at her with a line between his brows.
He’s nae pleased,she realized.He didnae want me to do this.
There was a knife hanging at Creighton’s belt, but no sword. He made no move to touch the knife, however. That was wise, considering how close his sister was to the edge of that horrific drop.
Too late now. Carefully, step by step, Nora inched toward Dallas and Laurie. She paused at about three paces from the edge. Even from where she stood, she could see the stomach-churning drop waiting below. It made her queasy even to look at it. There were a few pools of water below—not deep or wide enough to save a person, even if they were lucky enough to hit one—and the rest was all rock.
Certain death, as Dallas had said.
Gingerly dropping to her knees, Nora smiled at Laurie. The little girl had begun to cry, tear-trails shimmering on her cheeks.
“Are ye hurt?” Nora whispered. “Bruised, or cut, or anythin’ like that?”
Laurie sniffled and shook her head. “He’s holdin’ me arm too tightly, though.”
Nora glanced over at where Dallas’ fingertips dug into the little girl’s flesh. She tightened her jaw. A quick look over at Creighton revealed that he was staring at Dallas’ hand too, and his expression was harsh and set.
Clearing her throat, Nora met Dallas’ eyes. He was already looking at her. He stood only two paces from the edge of the cliff. If he chose to jump, he would take Laurie with him. And probably Nora too, since she would grab Laurie without thinking.
He could also push one of them over and make a run for it.
He wouldnae get far,Nora thought grimly, conjuring up an image of Creighton racing through the forest after the man.
“It was ye who poisoned me, then,” Nora stated. She deliberately didn’t phrase it like a question. “I wasnae meant to eat anythin’. The nurse’s bad stomach really was an accident, then.”
Dallas sneered. “Aye. She never cared for shortbread, so I kent she wouldnae be tempted to take a bite. That was a bit of bad luck for me.”
“For ye? Oh, how terrible,” Nora snapped, more sarcastically than she’d intended. Breathing in deeply, she steeled herself. There was no good in offending him.
“Why did ye do this, Dallas?” Creighton asked, his voice heavy and dark. There was no change in his expression, but Nora could hear the anger simmering in his voice. Thedanger. How was it that Dallas couldn’t hear it?
The councilman gave a bark of laughter, turning his attention to Creighton. Nora’s hand snaked out, fingers gently curling around Laurie’s free wrist.
If I can pull her free…
“Ye dare to ask me that?” Dallas sneered. “All these years, and ye refused to wed. Refused tolistento me. I told ye that a clan needs an heir. A proper heir, nae a wee lassie!She.” He jerked his chin at Laurie. “Does not count. Nay woman can hold a lairdship. I told ye and told ye, and ye would nae listen. What was I meant to do? Ye just kept sayin’ that ye had an heir, and so it did nae matter.”
“Ye thought that if Laurie was dead, I’d feel forced to produce children of me own?” Creighton whispered, disbelief in his voice. “Ye were goin’ to kill me sister, simply to make me behave?”
“Ye are takin’ this the wrong way. Daenae ye understand? Ihadto do it. Ye would nae listen any other way.”
Nora gingerly tugged Laurie toward her, eyes fixed on Dallas’ hand. If he’d only loosen his grip a little, she could snatch the girl out of his grasp and scurry away. Just a little distance, that was all she needed. Enough to get Laurie and her away from the edge, to give Creighton a chance to get at Dallas…
The air rang with a metallicsnick, and a long, silver blade hovered in front of her face, the point inches from her nose.
“Nae so fast, lassie,” Dallas murmured, dark eyes fixed intently upon her. “Ye are almost as much to blame in this as he is.”
Nora gaped. “Me?”
“Aye. Ye were his betrothed. Oh, we all knew it was a false marriage, but…” He pursed up his lips, shrugging. “Ye were meant to seduce him. I was thrilled to learn that ye were nae a proper lady. A proper lady might balk at intimacy, might refuse to share a man’s bed before marriage. She might be ashamed to learn that she was carryin’ the Laird’s babe, even though that was exactly what we all needed. But a common lass, ahealer… I thought ye would be a bit moreearthythan ye are. Imagine me disappointment.”
Nora swallowed reflexively. Images flashed before her eyes, of herself and Creighton pressed together, lips and teeth and tongue and hands sliding everywhere, unstoppably andthrillinglyso.
