"I did not drug her!"Cormac roared."Ye should ken me better than that.And stop gawking at her, damn you."
"Would ye both stop shouting."Una's voice came muffled from the pillow."I have a terrible headache."
She came to slowly, blinking against the light, nursing her head with one hand.Her face was pale and her eyes, when they finally focused, were slightly glazed.
Then she saw Boyd MacKinnon standing at the foot of the bed and they went wide.
She pushed herself upright, too fast, winced, and immediately began making urgent eye signals at Boyd across the room.
"Boyd," she whispered."Ye need to be careful.This is Mr Shadow.He will not take kindly to yer shouting.Ye have Bella and Quinn to worry about."
"I ken exactly who he is, Una.We have a long history and I'll shout at him if I bloody well like, especially when it comes to protecting ye."
"'Tis all a misunderstanding.He does not ken who I am."
"'Tis a bit late for that."Boyd turned his scowl on her."Una, what the bloody hell have ye gone and done now?"
***
"ARE YE REALLY UNA MURRAYand not Fenella Lockhart?"Cormac asked.
He had not moved from his side of the room.He stood with his arms at his sides and his voice was quiet and controlled.
Una met his eyes."Aye."
"Why did ye not tell me?"
"Because when yer men took me I thought ye were bringing me to the thane for a reward.I could not let on I was not Fenella when that might be the only thing keeping me safe."
"How did those men mistake ye for Lady Fenella?"
Una paused a moment, then took a deep breath."Lady Fenella is a distant cousin, and I tutor her and her sisters in embroidery.'Tis possible they saw us together and simply mistook me for her.We also share very similar features."
"And where is she now?"
"The family are away at royal court in Edinburgh for the summer.Someone should warn them that Fenella is a particular target."
Cormac nodded, then asked, "So were ye just going to keep pretending until we reached Edinburgh?"
She held his gaze steadily."Aye.I mean no.I was going to escape last night and make my way to MacKinnon Keep.I intended to, but then I fell asleep."
"Ye were going to run away?"His voice had dropped further."Alone.On the road.Without a word to me.With no real plan?"
"I was going to MacKinnon Keep!"
"Boyd's keep is two days from here on a road that is not safe for a woman alone, and ye ken it!"He was across the room now, the fear of what she had planned landing hard."Do ye have any idea the kind of danger that awaited ye in the forest?"he roared.
"I knew what I was doing, Mr.Shadow, and I'll thank ye not to shout at me when my head feels like it's been split open with an axe!"
"Then perhaps ye should not have drunk two pints of ale on the night ye were planning to escape!"
"It was one pint!"
"It was two.I counted."
"So now ye're counting my drinks!"
"Someone had to!"
