Page 52 of Bewitching her Highland Savior

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Liam paced around his room like a wild animal. He felt trapped, as the walls encircled him and closed in on him with each step. However, there was no torture like not being able to see Muriel. Nothing Laird Macleod could do to him could compare to the agony of being apart from her; it gnawed at his guts at all hours of the day and night.

He didn’t know where Muriel’s chamber was or where her mother was being kept. He didn’t know how many guards patrolled the grounds. He didn’t even have his weapons, as Laird McNeil’s men had taken them all from him, even the knives he had hidden; leaving him defenceless. Even so, he was determined to escape.

All he had to do was wait until there was only one guard in front of his door. He knew there were moments like that. He had heard them talking outside every time one of them got too hungry to wait for a change in the shifts or had to relieve himself, leaving the other alone. Once there was only one of them, he would just have to subdue him, steal his weapons and find Muriel and her mother.

Easier said than done.

It wasn't a plan at all, and Muriel hadn't given him any indication of where she was going when she came to see him. He wished he had been more adamant with her. If he had pushed her a little harder, he might have been able to persuade her to go along with whatever plan he devised.

The sound of the door opening startled him, and he jumped, paranoid for a moment that someone had read his thoughts or figured out what he was up to. Liam had no idea what to think when the laird walked in.

“I have nae desire to speak with ye,” he told the man; turning around to face the window. “Whatever ye have to say will surely be a waste of me time.”

The laird remained silent for a long time, and when Liam finally gave in and turned around to look at him, he found him sitting in one of the chairs, unguarded.

Is he that confident that I willnae harm him, or does he believe he can best me in combat?

Perhaps he could, armed as he was with a sword and possibly a slew of other weapons hidden on himself. Liam considered attacking him and attempting to steal his sword in order to either kill him or use him as leverage to free Muriel and her mother, but he wouldn't have the advantage of surprise. His attack could easily go wrong, and he could be killed as a result.

It was wiser to wait, bide his time and attack when they would all least expect it.

“I’ve told ye before that ye’re a brave lad,” the laird said. “It’s yer best and yer worst quality. I ken that ye havenae given up yet, even though there’s nae a thing ye can do to stop me.”

“If there was nae a thing I could do, ye wouldnae have come here to see me,” Liam said. “Ye’re afraid of what I’ll do, are ye nae?”

“Afraid is a big word,” the laird said with a small shrug. “I simply find yer efforts a nuisance, one that can tarnish me relationship with Laird Macleod. And that’s the last thing I want, Liam. I put a lot of effort into arranging this marriage.”

Liam couldn’t stop a bitter laugh from escaping his lips. “And ye think that I’ll help ye ensure it goes weel?”

“Nae,” the laird said. “I just want ye to nae meddle with me plans. And I’m prepared to pay handsomely for it.”

Liam wasn’t surprised to hear that the laird thought he could sway him with gold. It was the one thing that he valued the most, so naturally, he would think that everyone else would give up everything they held dear for it.

“I’m nae interested in whatever ye have to offer me,” he said. “I have what I need. If I needed more gold, I’d work for it.”

“But what if ye never had to work for it again?” the laird asked. “What if I offered ye so much that ye wouldnae have to lift a finger?”

Liam raised an eyebrow as he pinned the laird with his gaze. “I could also do that, were I so inclined,” he said. “Ye understand that ye’re speakin’ to a McAlpine. I may be an illegitimate bairn but me sister has offered me many times to serve as Laird McAlpine’s advisor.”

“But then ye wouldnae have the independence that ye crave so much,” the laird said. “Isnae that what ye want? When I first met ye, ye spoke of travellin’ the world. I’m givin’ ye the chance to do that noo.”

Liam was losing his patience, which he didn't have much of. He used to think Laird McNeil was an odd man, perhaps a little rough and controlling, but now he saw him for what he was: a small, cruel, greedy man, who cared about no one but himself.

But perhaps I can use this to me advantage.

If he was blind enough to think that Liam would willingly give up Muriel for a bit of gold, then he was an easy man to fool.

“How much?” he asked; eyes firmly planted on the laird’s as he feigned interest.

“How much is me daughter worth to ye?” the laird asked with a chuckle.

The sound infuriated Liam. How could that man sit there and joke about such things? Muriel had been right when she claimed that her father only viewed her as an object, as something to be traded and he hadn’t believed her then.

Had I believed her, would things be different noo? Would we nae be here?

“Let’s say… a chest of coins,” Liam said, testing him.