Page 44 of Brigand

“You’d better come.”

Ewan glanced over his shoulder at the bundle of fragrantwoman curled in his bed. She stretched, giving him a blinding view of herbreasts. Even encased in that wretched dress, they made his mouth water. Hedidn’t want to leave her—he really wanted to make love to her, and now—but he coulddeal with whatever this was quickly and return. Then he’d make love to her allday.

He stormed down the stairs, yanking on his shirt, but hisstep faltered at the sight of his men scurrying about, scrubbing flagstones andtidying up rancid dishes. “What the—”

“Ewan McCloud,” a shrill female voice bellowed. The soundrang off the walls.

His gaze snapped to the entryway. Callum MacAllister stoodthere with a small woman by his side. Ewan blanched as he recognized hisbetrothed, but in a fine fury—unlike he’d ever seen her. Her hair was down andwild and she stood with legs apart, hands fisted on her hips like a general onthe verge of a bloody battle.

Which he suddenly suspected it might be.

Their marriage, that was.

“Kaitlin? W-what are you doing here?”

She advanced on him, her fury preceding her. “What the helldo you think I’m doing here? You kidnapped Violet.”

He took a step back. “I didn’t kidnap Violet. He did.” Hepointed at Callum, who flinched.

“I only did it because Kaitlin ran away.” This, the littleass whined.

She glared at them both in turn. “I am here to marry you.”

He attempted a cocky grin. “You don’t need to sound so happyabout it.”

“What the hell did you expect?” she snarled. “Forcing me tomarry you. Kidnapping my best friend—”

“That was not I.”

“Making my brother do it then. Holding his debt over hishead.” With each accusation she stepped closer, and with each of her advanceshe retreated until he was flat against the wall. “You, sir,” she poked him inthe chest with a sharp finger, “are a brigand.”

He blinked. “Hardly a brigand.” This, he said in a tiny voice.

She crossed her arms. “I have delivered myself into yourclutches. Release Violet at once.” The silence in the hall following her demandsettled in. She spun around and glared at the thunderstruck men. “And you lot,get back to work or I will have your guts for garters.”

A rather frenetic activity resumed.

Holy hell. Ewan stared down at the tiny and fierce creaturehe had promised to marry, a skirl of dread skating through his bowels. “KaitlinMacAllister, you, I fear, are something of a termagant.” He raked his hair andmuttered, “Small wonder you and Violet are friends.”

Chapter Twelve

What was he to do?

He housed Kaitlin in a chamber on the second floor of thekeep and bade her to bar the door. The last thing he wanted was Violet and hisbetrothed meeting up and sharing…stories.

Besides, he wasn’t done with Violet yet. Not by a long shot.

And he needed some time. Time to figure a way out of thisconundrum. He was not marrying Kaitlin MacAllister. He couldn’t. Not now.

And he couldn’t bear to let Violet go.

Callum, however, he sent on his merry way.

He spent most of the day in his office with the door closedand the whisky bottle open, wrestling with his churning emotions. On the onehand, he needed to marry Kaitlin. Needed the entrée to the tonher rank would provide. Sophia would be coming home in a month to prepare forher season and he couldn’t let her down. He just couldn’t. He’d worked so hardto create this opportunity for her to marry a man who mattered. A powerful manwho could keep her warm and safe and dry.

She would never end up in the dire straits his mother hadfaced. Never. This, he had vowed to himself long ago.

Sophia was a sweet, gentle soul. Ewan had done everything hecould to protect her from the harsh realities of life, done all within hispower to prepare her for a future of Quality. She deserved the absolute best.