Page 64 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

"Thank ye," she snarled. She had tried her hardest to control her face, but it seemed determined to act freely. Trying again, Fiona swallowed down her pride.

For a moment, she cast her eyes over the defunct Greenock castle. She had heard rumors about how run down it was. Clyde himself had hinted that all was not well there.

But it was not until she had seen it for herself that she understood just how bad a state it was in.

So, this was the great hall. However, it hardly seemed very great. Most of the candelabras remained unlit, or even in some cases, missing.

A gloom hung in the air, oblivious to the bright sun burning outside. Fiona's sharp eyes noted the hastily removed paintings from the walls, stacked haphazardly on the floor below. She could not see, but she imagined they must be Clyde's family portraits.

Anxiety fizzled in her veins. The thought of Clyde had kept her going as she had ridden to get here. Anything could have happened to him. Ice went through her heart. Did Fraser even have any reason to keep him alive?

Feeling sick, Fiona tried her best to dismiss such thoughts. Instead, she forced herself to smile at Fraser.

"Please, have a seat," said Fraser, trying his best to be regal. Nervously. Fiona followed him to a chair beside his at the top of the hall.

"Patterson!" Fraser snapped his fingers. Fiona watched impassively as a stooped servant hobbled into the hall. Fraser looked irritably at the old man. He nodded, and slowly, the servant brought over a decanter.

"Some wine?" said Fraser, as the stooped man fumbled with the tray. Fiona nodded. It seemed to take an age for the servant to pour the drink, and as he did, Fiona caught his eye.

Sadness poured out of his gray-rimmed eyes. Fraser watched impatiently as he poured the drinks, and just as he was walking away with the decanter, there was a huge crash.

Fiona turned around. The elderly servant had collapsed on the ground in a pool of spilled drinks. Crimson trickled from every angle across the dusty floor. Looking over, Fraser regarded the man bemusedly.

"Och," he said. Fiona could see him smarting. She turned gently to the elderly servant to try and assist him.

"Nay," murmured the man, finally, dragging himself to his feet.

Scowling, Fraser hailed another servant to the scene. This was clearly not going as planned.

As Fraser snapped his fingers, there was a flurry of activity. A new servant came in. In the commotion, Patterson turned to Fiona.

In a low voice, he said, "Miss, I shall help ye as best I can...Clyde is safe for the time being, but ye need to act wi' speed!"

Fiona looked around anxiously. She wanted to make sure Fraser had not heard. But he was busy still giving orders to the servants to clear the spill.

Unsure what to say, Fiona gave a nod and smiled as the elderly servant left the room. Finally, the servants both left, and Fiona was face-to-face with Fraser, who stared at her.

Now he seemed to have dispensed with his friendly demeanor and glared at her directly.

"So what brings ye here? Hoping tae free yer wee sweetheart? Well, hen, ye cannae," he said abruptly. Having delivered his killer blow, Fraser settled back down into the heavy mahogany seat.

"I have a proposal," said Fiona, her voice faltering. Inside, she felt clammy and weak. She had built this moment up in her head, over and over. As she had ridden across the country, she had rehearsed it in detail. Yet now that she was here, staring at Fraser's peely-wally complexion, it was hard.

"Go on, sweeting," said Fraser, his tone like ice. Fiona hesitated. Was it just her, or did the room seem to get even darker?

One of the candelabras flickered, and the cloud outside the narrow windows must have thickened because suddenly it became like night.

"I propose an alliance between the Duncan an' the Greenock clans, one which gives ye favor, an' means ye dinnae have tae rely all on Laird Anderson," she said. "For ye tae release Clyde."

Fiona coughed, her mouth parched and dry. Taking a sip of the wine, she soothed her throat.

NowFraser was listening.

"Aye, lassie. An alliance...that could be braw." His eyes darted around the room, looking anywhere but at her. Fiona wondered what he was thinking. She hoped she was playing this right. He had not mentioned Clyde at all yet.

She was desperately out of her depth and sure that Fraser must know that. Still, she had one ace. Fraser was in need of something that she could supply.

"But?" said Fiona with a faint grin. Was her plan working? Was he going to release Clyde? She could almost see his thoughts turning around in his head.