Chapter 12
Gazingdown at Knock Castle from the crag high above it, Malcolm prayed for good fortune. His father would not take the news well and he would need to act with diplomacy. Looking around the battlements, he was surprised so few men were outside. He prayed Sheona was in her chamber unharmed. He didn’t know what he would do if he found even one mark on her fairskin.
“Where do you think everyoneis?”
Keith shook his head. “I do not know, but I do not think they are inside stitching bluebells onhandkerchiefs.”
“We will proceed directly to the great hall. If the loyalties are truly split between my father and me, we will need to flesh out those on ourside.”
“Agreed.”
They descended toward the castle. Malcolm was on high alert, expecting an attack at any moment. To his surprise, they rode right up to the stable, tossed the reins to the stable boy and strode into the castleunchecked.
“This makes no sense, Malcolm. Really, where iseveryone?”
“I have noidea.”
He heard shouting coming from the direction of the great hall. He ran the remainder of the way and the sight that met his eyes was most unexpected. The hall was full of his clansmen yelling at one another. Malcolm elbowed his way through the men until he reached the table where his father had his hand around Hamish’sthroat.
Malcolm reached in and peeled his father’s hands away from his friend’s throat. “What the hell do you think you aredoing?”
“Well, well. It seems you have decided to return tous.”
“Father.”
“Where have youbeen?”
“I come from Inverness and I have news to share. Where isSheona?”
His father’s brows drew in toward one another. “She ismissing.”
Malcolm’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean? Was she not guarded in herchamber?”
“Aye, that she was. One moment she was there and the next she wasnot.”
His father seemed odd all of a sudden. Moments ago, he was furious with Hamish, now he appeared almostsheepish.
Malcolm raced up the stairs and threw open the door to the chamber in which she’d spent her first night. He scanned the room and even looked underneath the bed. She was not there. How could she simply vanish likethat?
Laughter filled the chamber. Like before, he couldn’t quite locate the source. It grew louder until Keith and others joined him, before it ceased altogether. What the hell was goingon?
“We need to search every chamber, every nook and crevice of this castle until she isfound.”
Keith immediately assigned men to search certain areas and report back to Malcolm. When the chamber was empty, Malcolm sat on the bed. Where was she? He had missed her terribly since their parting. All he wanted was to find her and take her to bed—bury himself in her sweetness throughout thenight.
Feeling useless, he left the chamber in search of his father. He didn’t have to look far. The elder MacDonald sat alone by the hearth in the great hall. Something must have happened, for he seemed like a great deal of the mettle had gone right out ofhim.
“I have news, Father, that you will need to hear, if you willlisten.”
Malcolm’s words brought back the man he’d come to despise. His sneer returned, masking any former softness he might have previouslydisplayed.
“I have no interest in your news, Malcolm. You defy me at every turn. You do not belonghere.”
This man at least was more predictable than the one from moments before. This man was the reason he’d travelled toInverness.
“You will hear my news and you will prepare to surrender to George Gordon as soon as he arrives. You will go with him and enter into peaceful negotiations with the Earl of Argyll and theMacLeod.”
The look of shock that crossed his father’s face was almost humorous. Clearly, he had not expectedthat.
