“You’llhave it, too.”
“When? And how?”
Her uncle—who had backed into thewallby the window when Angus charged across the room—offered a reply.
“Therewillbe an inquiry into Colonel Bennett’s conduct,” he quickly explained. “We have witnesses. I have spoken to a number of them since I arrived here.”
Richard swung around and glowered at him. “Has everyone gone mad? Surely Your Grace does not mean to suggest that—”
“I mean every word I say, Bennett. Your methods are beyond the pale. You are a stain upon the King’s name.”
But Angus had not yet sheathed his broadsword. Hestillheld it over his shoulder, poised tokill.
No one moved.
Angus turned to Duncan. “That woman has made you weak.”
She shivered, while Duncan offered no reply. He merely stood with legs braced apart, his pistolstillaimed between Angus’s eyes.
Amelia could barely breathe.
“Fergus, Gawyn!” Duncan shouted over his shoulder.
“Take Colonel Bennett to the dungeon and lock him up.”
The dungeon? He had a dungeon?
It was only then—when the other two came scurrying across thehallto seize Richard and confiscate his weapons—that Angus lowered his sword and began to back away.
Duncan, however, kept his finger on the trigger of his pistol.
“My menwillnot stand for this!” Richard shouted, struggling against Fergus and Gawyn’s hold as they dragged him away. “Iwillhave you shot, Moncrieffe!”
Duncan turned the gun on Richard. “Say one more word, Bennett, and I’llsplatter your brainsallover thesewalls.”
They dragged him from thehallwhile Amelia fought to subdue her anxiety—not only from the shocking nature of her husband’s threat just now but fromallthat had occurred in the past five minutes.
Overshadowing everything, however, was the fact that her future husband had kept his promise to her.
Duncan turned the gun on Angus again. “I’llhave your word that youwillnot go against my wishes.”
“My word?” Angus spit on the floor. “What good is any man’s word when you just let my sister’skillerlive?”
“Muirawillhave her justice.”
“ButwillI have mine?” Angus asked. “I wanted him dead, Duncan, and you’re forgetting that not so long ago you wanted the same thing.”
Angus headed for the door, and Duncan lowered the pistol at last.
Just then, four broad-shouldered clansmen entered thehalland blocked the exit. Angus laughed indignantly. He faced Duncan and spread his arms wide. “Are these men here to escort me off the premises?”
“Aye. I can’t let you pay a visit to the dungeon, Angus, to simply do as you please.”
The guards took hold of his arms, but he roughly shook them away. “No need to bother yourselves. I’m leaving this place, and I’llnot be back. I’ve seen enough here today to turn my guts to ash.”
He walked out. One of the guards looked at Duncan. He nodded to indicate an unspoken set of orders. The menfollowedAngus out of the keep to make sure he left peaceably.
Duncan turned to Amelia.
