Page 147 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

"The war! I remember now. Nora told me yesterday. She said that the Duncan clan killed her mother."

"Well, it was a long time ago," she conceded. "That's what her father says, the laird. He raised Nora with this belief, which may be true, though."

William nodded grimly.

"So, now I understand that this thing with marriage was just a plan to kill me. I thought she really liked me. I remember my conversation with Nora yesterday, but I didn't give attention to the details. She used me."

It was stupid, but William found tears prick up in his eyes. Immediately, he moved to quash them as Fiona glanced thoughtfully.

"Och, William, ye must hear me," pleaded Fiona.

William looked up, startled. Fiona's light eyes glittered in the dim light. She seemed impassioned.

"Ye must give her a chance, at least to explain…"

But William shook his head. Inside, he wanted it, but he was not ready to hear it. Not yet.

Undeterred, Fiona pressed on.

"William, she was forced, groomed into murder from the start, an' it's nae as if it were a choice. She is afraid o' him. He said he would kill her, an' I believe it."

William thought for a moment. He believed it too. Suddenly, a deep rage took him.

"I'll kill him," he murmured, rising from the table.

Fiona looked at him uncertainly.

"Where is he?" he snarled, heat rising in his veins. Everything felt wobbly. The chamber, already badly lit, suddenly seemed darker.

"In the dungeon," said Fiona calmly. She fixed him with her deepest look intently. "An' ye will deal wi' him the way ye see fit," she assured him. "But nae noo. Right noo, ye need to attend to more important things."

She looked at him closely.

"William, I think ye ken the lass loves ye. She wouldnae have gone through wi' the horrible plan. That is why she ran."

William did know it, and a cold realization spread throughout him. Douglas was behind all of this. Nora had been an innocent pawn.

Pushing Fiona to one side, he darted out of the cabinet door.

He was going to find Nora.

* * *

"Well, this is like auld times, isnae it? Me ootside the door, an' ye nae letting me in."

William's voice came off light and playful, carrying on the early morning air. It was not how he had intended it, but like so many things, it had taken a life of its own. He rattled Nora's door impatiently, shivers running down his spine. The sly cold of dawn was upon him, freezing him in his tracks.

"William?" Nora's voice came muffled through the door. She sounded confused.

William's impatience snowballed. "Aye, I need to speak wi' ye, lass. Ye have questions to answer. Then I will decide whether it goes afore a trial."

His voice was stern and imperious. Despite his feelings, he was determined not to give her an easy time.

"William," pleaded Nora, sounding hopeless.

Something got him in the heart. Covering his feelings, he coughed self-consciously.

"I command ye to open this door right now!" he barked.