“As I will,” he replied, though there was no heat to his words. Edna swallowed, but the sound of scuffling boots scraping across the stone told her that someone had followed them up the stairs. If Malcolm was attempting to put on a show, then they had to believe he was on their side.
Edna remained silent as they walked to her chamber, and Malcolm forced her in, turning back to the guard that had indeed followed them up. “Go wait by the stairs,” he growled, glaring at the young lad.
“I-I’m tae stay with ye,” the lad replied, straightening his shoulders. Edna could see the faint tremble of his hand as he rested it on the hilt of his dagger, the way his eyes seemed to look anywhere but at Malcolm, and knew that the lad was scared of the warrior.
Malcolm took a step forward and whispered something to the lad, causing him to hurry down the hall at a clipped pace.
“Wot did ye say?” she asked as he moved inside the chamber, shutting the door.
“I asked if he would like tae wear his entrails as a necklace,” Malcolm muttered, shoving a hand through his hair. It caused it to stick up at odd angles as he did so, and Edna had to stop herself from reaching up to smooth it down.
Instead, she took several steps back, clearing her throat. “Wot are ye doing here, really?”
“I’m here tae save ye,” he responded in a low voice, looking around her sparse living quarters. “And we are going tae have a devil of a time getting out of this place without ye playing along with mah plan, lass.”
Edna crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. “I didnae know ye had a plan.”
“I have a good one,” he shot back, his gaze narrowing. “And I need for that arsehole tae believe that ye are going tae wed him for it tae work.”
The mere thought made her stomach roil. “I cannae wed him.”
Malcolm blew out a breath. “Of course ye cannae, lass. Yer da will gut me if I allow for that tae happen. I told ye, he has tae believe it, not it actually go through.”
Edna dropped her arms, her body fatigued from the lack of sleep she had the night before. Every noise outside her chamber worried her, as if Neacal would come and try to force her to become his wife.
Now Malcolm was here. She could scarcely look at him without thinking of James and how Malcolm had stated that he knew her beloved. Had they been close? Clearly close enough if James had discussed her with the warrior.
Why had James never said anything to her about Malcolm? It was like she almost didn’t even know her own beloved, the man who had been destined to be her husband.
It hurt her. She never thought ill of James, not in the times he had gone on scouting trips or the ribald jests that she was far too meek for someone like him. He had told her that she was exactly what he wished for and that no other lass could ever take her place.
Yet, she knew nothing of his friendship with Malcolm. James had kept secrets from her.
“Wot are ye thinking aboot, lass?”
Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Edna set her jaw. “None of yer business, Scot.”
He chuckled. “Believe wot I have told ye or not, but yer da has sent me tae save ye, and I dinnae plan tae leave this keep without ye.”
She hoped not. She wanted to go home, back to the place she loved and the people that she cared about. “Wot do ye need me tae do?”
Satisfied that she was finally willing to cooperate, some of the anger slipped from Malcolm’s expression. “I need for ye tae start tae submit tae him. He’s got tae trust us both so that his guard is let down, and I can find a way out of here. I will play tae his thoughts that he will be a better laird with me at his side, and ye need tae find a way for him tae believe that ye want tae wed him.”
Edna snorted. “That shouldn’t be hard.” The laird was clearly infatuated with the notion of wedding her. A few bats of her lashes, and she would have him under her spell.
“More importantly, lass,” Malcolm said softly, his eyes searching hers, “is that ye have tae remain safe at all times.”
“Tell me,” she said instead, needing to know, “why didnae James tell me aboot ye?”
A shadow crossed Malcolm’s face, and his jaw clenched. “Because there wasnae anything tae tell, lass. James knew me at a different time, not fitting for a lass’s ears.”
Edna was intrigued. “Would ye tell me?”
Malcolm moved to the door. “Keep one eye open, lass. I will be back in the morning and take ye tae Neacal. Ye need tae start wooing him then.”
Edna didn’t feel the worry as she had when the door closed this time, a small piece of her glad that Malcolm was here, and she wasn’t alone. She believed him when he said that he was going to get them out of here, and as long as she played her part well, it would hasten their departure.
But he had avoided her question, and she wasn’t going to forget it any time soon.
