Page 46 of Highland Storm

The king turned now to Cameron MacKinnon now, asking for his counsel, rather than the laird of Keppenach’s or Lianae’s. “You have spent the past five years in close quarters with the man, the past few months without fail. Is Keane dún Scoti capable of such a thing?”

Lianae could see the muscles in Cameron’s jaw working. There was no telling what he would say. She knew the two men were at odds, but she also sensed his disapproval of her claims.

“The mon I know would ne’er abuse a woman,” Cameron said, his expression sober. He shook his head, belying Lianae’s claims. And he shot Lianae another look of contempt.

Lianae nearly cowed over the hateful glance. Confused, disheartened, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself over the table and beg for forgiveness—for lying about his friend most of all—but if she didn’t do this, she might well find herself dead. Like her sister Elspeth.

The king’s gaze reverted to Lianae. He gave her a pointed glance. “I have him down in the gaols,” he apprised her, his dark eyes piercing.

Panic rose up in Lianae’s breast.

Keane?

He was here?

Now?

“I could have his head for this,” the king continued.

“Ach, nay!” Lianae exclaimed. She shook her head desperately. “Please, nay!” she begged. “It was not his fault, Your Grace!” And she fell at once to her knees.

David slapped his palm down upon the table, making a terrible clatter. “Not his fault?” he roared. “How can ye say such a thing in the very same breath ye would impugn him?”

Hot tears pricked at Lianae’s eyes. By the gods, this was going terribly, terribly awry. She’d never meant to bring Keane to harm.

“He followed to be certain you would be safe,” the laird of Keppenach said. “That hardly seems the actions of a man who would do as you would have us believe.”

Lianae shook her head, her throat too thick to speak. Tears welled in her eyes.

“He now awaits the king’s justice.”

Justice?

There was no justice in this world! Else her father would still be alive. She had to force the words past the knot in her throat. “He treated me with kindness, Your Grace,” she confessed.

“And yet he forced himself upon ye?”

Lianae shook her head yet again.

The king turned his dark, uncanny gaze on Cameron now. “Did they share the same pallet as she claims?”

Cameron nodded, but reluctantly.

“And yet ye dinna believe he abused her?”

Cameron shook his head with far more certainty, and Lianae was both relieved and horrified at once. Keane was innocent, but it proved her a liar.

“Rise now, lass,” the king commanded, his voice like thunder.

Wide eyed and fearful, Lianae immediately did as she was bade, rising from her knees.

The laird of Keppenach spoke again. “Do you ken what I would do to a man who forced himself upon my wife?”

Swallowing with some difficulty, Lianae shook her head yet again.

The laird of Keppenach’s fury was apparent in every muscle in his body, including those now twitching at his neck. “I would take his head, sever it cleanly from his body, and then shove his cock between his lips. Then I would place his head upon a pike, as a feast for the crows.”

He let her think on that image a moment, horrifying as it was. Lianae couldn’t bear it. Sweat pooled between her breasts, despite the time of year. Inside this room, she felt stifled and suffocated.