Page 64 of Highlander’s Mercenary Lass

"What duty?" Fiona asked, biting her lip. She had wriggled slightly backward away from Paton and the red hot poker he was carrying.

A brief but creepy grin passed through Paton's lips, then it was gone.

"I shouldnae have ever sent ye away as a bairn, Grace," said Paton sorrowfully. "I should have dealt wi' ye then as a bairn...an' drowned ye!"

Fiona stared at Grace. Both of them were holding each other tightly. Paton stepped forward, his breathing coming closer.

"I should have done it then, righted the wrong. The laird brought shame on the clan by having a bastard out o' wedlock. That was bad enough, but tae have a rival clan's baby? That was unforgivable. An' tae send for ye, tae usurp the laird's power? Nay, I wilnae have that!"

Paton's voice had reached a crescendo. Grace had never heard him like this before. His eyes had started bulging, and his cheeks had pulled into a rictus of contortion.

"Dougie, the doors! Lock them!" he suddenly called to an unseen servant standing guard at the door.

The servant bolted the doors, leaving Grace and Fiona trapped inside.

Paton's shady eyes shined.

"Dinnae fash, lasses. I will do what I should have done afore," he said calmly. Paton walked toward them slowly as Grace pushed Fiona back.

"Aye, I was going tae marry ye, but only because I was going tae get ye together, later, an' dispense o' the wee lassie here." Paton indicated Fiona, who trembled behind Grace.

Grace squeezed Fiona's hand and urged her to hide, but she did not move. Suddenly, everything in the room heated up. Although the fire was a long way from where they were standing, Grace was hot, perspiration building up in her head.

She had to get them out of here, but not before she could understand Paton's plan.

"Ye would kill Fiona!" she hissed. Instantly, Grace had pulled her sgian-dubh. This had gone far enough; now she was head-to-head with Paton, who held the poker closer to her face.

"Nay," said Paton calmly. There was a tense quiet in the chamber as the pair of them circled around the other, a little space opening between them.

Behind her, Fiona shivered as Grace pulled away and closer to Paton's reach.

"Nay, ye were going tae kill the lass in a jealous rage, or something, after we were wed." A slow, pale grin played around his lips. "Perhaps ye would have found her in my bed. I dinnae ken the details, but ye would have been found slaying her, by my guards, an' then thrown in jail yersel’."

Fiona's eyes rounded. Grace took another step nearer. The firebrand Paton was holding was dangerously close, but so was she. Hardly daring to breathe, Grace eyed him with disbelief.

"Ye would sacrifice an innocent lass, just tae get rid o' me?" she said, her voice wavering.

"Unfortunate damage, but needed for the good o' the clan. Then I would marry Anabelle an' save the clan," said Paton, his face resolute. "Anything tae be rid o' the Kennedy rot."

Then, from behind them, there was a hissing sound like a cat caught in a trap. Grace turned around to see Fiona, her light eyes shining with venom. She spat voluminously at Paton.

In an instant, it all changed. Paton lunged forward, charging at Fiona with the fire iron. But Grace was too quick. She swiped across Paton's belly, ripping him with the sgian-dubh.

The tip of the blade caught his plaid, slashing it and grazing his skin. It was not a deep wound, but it was enough to stop him in his tracks.

There was a tense pause. Then Paton stepped forward, and checking himself, he dabbed the blood with his forefinger. Then he moved closer, pressing the poker ever nearer to Grace's head.

"Ye’re going tae regret ever being born, sweetheart..."

"Andrew!"

Aileen screamed at the sight of Andrew as he burst into the upper chamber. His leine was ripped from the shoulder to the sides, showing his bruised flesh.

Maybe Andrew hadn't realized it himself, but blood was dripping from a fresh wound received in combat as he fought his way out of the dungeons.

Getting out of the locked door had only been the beginning of his fight. There were still other guards to get past, and although the others had come off worse, he had still sustained some scratches.

"Andrew, what happened tae ye?" Aileen asked, her wide eyes aghast.