“I wanted to meet you,” Reeves said after a long pause. “To learn more of the duke’s plans.”
“The duke has not been named, as of yet. There is an unsettled question of an unborn heir apparent.”
The man licked his already wet lips. “Then why are you here?”
Why was Jack here? He had thought it was to escape Elizabeth and the siren song of her body and her face. Or to have an adventure as he had had when he was a young sailor. But now, a strange thought came into his mind.
I’m here to protect Helen.
Here to protect a woman he had just met. A woman who, until a few moments ago, he would have thought needed no protection. And would surely reject any offer he made in that direction.
He came up with another answer for Reeves. “It is thought very likely John MacNaughton will be the duke, and he was anxious to find out what his soon-to-be duchy and the surrounding Highlands were like.”
“Ah. Well, as you can see,” Reeves gestured vaguely, “it’s a shithole.”
No. No. The countess could sayshitif she wanted to, in her own keep. This man could not say it in front of her, however.
“There is a lady present.”
Reeves laughed. “You will soon find out there are no ladies in Kinmarloch. There are women though. Mostly ones that look like men. Except for that lovely little redhead.” The man turned his head and scanned the keep. “Where is the shy vixen?”
Jack felt Helen next to him stand up straighter, take a deep breath.
Good woman. Castigate the arsehole.
“I have naething to offer ye, Lord Reeves, so I think ye should leave.”
Why was she being so restrained with this scum? Why didn’t she cut him to pieces with her tongue like she did to me?
“Not even the money you owe me, Helen?” Reeves had an unpleasant smile.
Jack took a step toward him. The dog came up out of his sit and joined Jack, his teeth bared at Reeves, his body tight against Jack’s calf. Jack heard a growl but he wasn’t sure if it came from him or the dog.
Reeves retreated toward the door. “Mr. Pike, I will be telling John MacNaughton of your insolence to me.”
“Please do, Lord Reeves. MacNaughton and I have known each other a long time. Yes, please tell him. He’ll be sure to listen to a man like you before he listens to me.”
The man ducked out the doorway and was gone.
Jack turned to Helen.
“Thank you,mo luran,” she murmured, but she was looking at the dog.
Jack boiled over with an inexplicable fury.
“You owe that man money? How could you think of going into debt to a bully like him? Don’t you know he will take every opportunity to abuse you because of it? Hell, I can tell that, and I’ve only been in the man’s presence for two minutes.”
Helen raged back. “Ye think I wanted to borrow—I had nae choice—ye made him angry, Jack Pike. What do ye think that will cost me in the future? Ye will go back to London and I will stay on here, surrounded on all sides by men with the power and the money to destroy me and Kinmarloch. I must step carefully. Ye dinnae think I was nae dying inside, wanting to spit at him, curse at him, claw that warm coat from him for my Mags, lop off his head with a claymore?”
Jack chuckled. He would have liked to have seen that. Very much. Helen hefting a sword over her head with both hands and Reeves’ blood spraying onto the walls of the keep.
“How much do you owe Reeves?”
“Why?”
He drew himself up to his full height and used his captain’s voice. He hadn’t used it in four years.
“Tell me, Helen,” he boomed.
