Page 171 of Claimed Highland Brides

“Always, my love.”

Delwyn beckoned to Diego and Antonio to follow him, leading them down to the dungeons where they had the two men corralled. One of them was growling and struggling, pulling at his shackles. The other was lying listlessly on the floor.

Diego pointed to the prone one. “We should begin with him.”

Delwyn nodded. “I agree.”

He extracted a large bunch of keys from his chest and got the door to their cell open. The loud one tried to rush him but was brought up short by the shackles while the other still lay unmoving.

Delwyn kicked him over, so he was lying face-up. “Are you ready to talk?”

The man’s eyes slid towards him and then away again. He didn’t say a word.

“Guard!” Delwyn shouted, and two men appeared at once at the door of the cell. “Take him.” He pointed down at the man, and one of the guards came forward, unlocked the chain that held his shackles to an anchor on the floor, and pulled him up. He pushed the prisoner towards the door, without any regard to his bound feet. The man stumbled and almost fell, but the guard pulled him upright by the chain.

The prisoner uttered a pained sound but was roundly ignored as the guards propelled him forward, towards the questioning room at the end of the corridor. It was made of pure stone, with just one small window embedded in the door. There was a large stone table inside, fitted with another anchor to which the guards locked the shackles. Diego, Antonio, and Delwyn entered the room, each taking a stool and sitting around the table. The guards stood by the door as the prisoner dropped into a stool opposite them.

Delwyn leaned forward. “Who sent you?”

The man sneered at him. “Why should I tell ye tha’?”

“We will let you go if you do.”

Diego raised an eyebrow at Delwyn, not at all sure that that would be a wise decision.

The prisoner’s lip curled. “Why should I believe a Sassenach?”

“You don’t have to believe me. Just do as I say. If you don’t, I assure you that you will regret it.”

Diego uttered a sound of impatience at the man’s continued silence. He strode around the table and took the man by the neck, pressing down on his carotid. “You’ll tell us now, or I shall choke the life out of you. Which is it to be?”

The man’s eyes bugged out of his head as he stared imploringly at Delwyn. The laird’s steward looked impassively back, studying his nails after a moment. “You’d best do as you’re told before you die,” he murmured impassively.

“Fine, I’ll tell,” the prisoner rasped, and Diego let him go. He coughed hard, phlegm flying out of his mouth, body bent double, shuddering with the force of his expectorations.

“Well, go on then.” Delwyn leaned over him impatiently.

“I-I-It was Gilroy MacFarland that sent us.”

“And what was your mission?”

“To gather hostages for negotiation.”

Delwyn straightened up, looking from Diego to Antonio in shock. He turned back to the prisoner. “You mean to tell me you were trying to abduct my youngest sister-in-law?”

“Aye.”

Delwyn growled, pulling his fist back, ready to strike the prisoner. Diego wrapped a hand around his wrist, restraining him. “That won’t help.”

He turned to the prisoner. “Why does Gilroy need hostages?”

The prisoner shrugged. “We are hired hands. We do as we’re told. We dinnae ken wha’ the master wants to negotiate for. ’Tis no’ our business.”

Diego sighed, shaking his head. He looked at his brother and Delwyn. “In any case, we can guess what the man is after. He obviously means either to turn the Douglass family against Barclay or use the girl as a bargaining chip to make Barclay go away.”

“But they didn’t get the girl,” Delwyn pointed out.

“Indeed.” Diego bit his lip thoughtfully. “Still, you’d best let your laird and Barclay know what has transpired here today.”