And yet, the thought of Lachlan touching her sent murder roiling through his veins.
Chapter 26
Connor was standing by the hearth after breakfast when the doors to the hall swung open. Silence fell over the room as a gray-haired man in shabby clothing entered carrying a young woman in his arms. As Connor watched her long hair and limp limbs sway with the man's steps, the memory of his mother being carried up the beach at Dunscaith slammed into his chest.
He knew at once that the lass was dead.
The people who had been milling about a moment before moved aside to let the gray-haired man pass as he crossed the room with his burden to stand before Connor. Rage rolled through Connor as he took in the cuts and bruises on the dead lass's face and arms and the ugly finger marks around her neck. She was young, sixteen at most.
"My daughter," the man said in a ragged voice. "She was to be wed in a week."
Warriors died in battle. Connor felt sorrow for every man he lost, but it was an honorable death in the service of the clan, and he accepted it. He could not, however, accept this travesty as part of warfare, though it often was. The violation and murder of an innocent, young lass was unforgivable and merited the strongest possible retribution. He wanted to take his claymore and kill every last MacLeod warrior himself.
"My wife lives, but they raped her as well," the man said, his eyes deep wells of sorrow. "They tied me and made me watch what they did."
Connor's ears rang with the white-hot fury pulsing through him.
"I promise you," he said, clenching his fists. "The MacLeods will pay for this."
The silence in the room echoed like an accusation in Connor's head. Protecting his clan was his duty, and he had failed this man and his family. All he could give them now was revenge. But he would give them that.
"The devils who did this to her," the man said, fighting for control as he looked at his daughter draped in his arms, "were not MacLeods."
"Not MacLeods?" Connor said, stunned. What other clan would have committed this egregious offense against his people. "Who then?"
"They were Hugh Dubh's men."
* * *
Lachlan watched Connor as the old man told him how Hugh's men had gone on a rampage along the east coast of Trotternish, raiding and killing MacDonald farmers who, up until now, had withstood the pressure from the MacLeods to abandon their homes and fields. Connor's face was an expressionless mask, but his rage showed in his clenched jaw and the fire in his eyes.
"Do ye know where Hugh Dubh's men are now?" Connor asked the dead lass's father in a surprisingly gentle voice. "They must have a camp somewhere."
Lachlan was disappointed when the father shook his head. That meant he would have to tell Connor about Hugh's camp himself, which could raise questions he did not wish to answer.
Ilysa appeared at the father's side like the angel she was. With quiet murmurs, she persuaded him to lay his daughter's body on one of the long tables that were still set up from breakfast.
"Warriors, be ready," Connor's voice boomed out in the hall. "We leave within the hour to track down Hugh and his men."
Lachlan followed Connor into the adjoining building and caught up with him on the stairs to his chamber.
"Can I have a word?" Lachlan asked, grabbing his arm.
When Connor turned around, he had battle rage in his eyes. If Hugh could see him now, he would think twice about challenging him. Connor did not answer, but neither did he object when Lachlan followed him into his chamber and closed the door.
"This is a trick meant to trap you," Lachlan said. "Can't ye see it? Hugh's men made certain this poor father knew who they were, and then they let him go. They did that for a purpose."
Connor was glaring at him, but he was listening.
"Hugh can't touch ye while you're inside the castle. He's done this to lure ye out into the open, to a place of his choosing," Lachlan said. "Hugh knows this will make ye come, and he'll be lying in wait for ye."
"Hugh will continue killing and raping until I stop him," Connor said, as he shoved a dirk into the side of his boot. "I cannot sit in this castle while he does this to our people."