Highland Escape - Cathy MacRae Page 0,17

with orders not to harm her. When she entered the gateway, I had the gate lowered. She made a run for it but dinnae make it. Howbeit, ’twas close.”

Kenneth stared at him, apparently finding it hard to grasp the tale. “Where is she now?”

“I put her in another cell. I checked to make sure this one locked properly, though I could find no fault with the one holding her before.”

“She was not injured?” Kenneth rubbed his brow, his bewilderment plain.

“Nae. Though she did ask if her attempt will earn her a beating.”

The laird grimaced. “What did ye tell her?”

“I told her, not this time.” Duncan’s lips quirked upward.

Kenneth sat quietly, staring at the contents swirling in his mug. “I told ye she needed to be secured.” His tone sounded smug with a hint of bluster, as if trying to hide guilt over imprisoning a noblewoman.

“Aye, and I said she wouldnae feel the need to escape if she were treated like a guest—which she has earned.” After a few tense moments, Duncan rose to leave before his anger grew worse. He knew there would be no winning this dispute.

Five days. Five days his father forced Anna to sit in that curst cell. For what purpose? He would find out tonight, as a rider had arrived this afternoon bearing news regarding her. Duncan sat by the hearth and waited for his father to broach the subject. After arguing with him several times already, Duncan thought he would try a more passive approach.

“I know my handling of the English lass has been difficult for ye.” Kenneth filled his cup and Duncan’s with wine.

“’Tis not my place to challenge yer orders, Father.” Duncan replied, avoiding eye contact.

Frowning, Kenneth continued, “I could ask for no better son, but ye have done more than challenge my orders on this matter.” His voice carried the frustration of their ongoing argument.

Duncan let the well-earned rebuke slip past unchallenged.

“Ye know my priority must be to protect our people. A woman who appears out of nowhere, who has skills equal to our best warriors, who is both Scots and English, ’tis a dangerous problem.”

Duncan gave a curt nod in agreement.

“Why is she running?” Kenneth mused. “From whom does she run? And most importantly, could these enemies be brought to our doorstep? I took a risk by bringing her here, but feel a tremendous debt to her for what she did for Nessa.”

“Aye, I know, ’tis a difficult situation.”

Putting down his cup, Kenneth faced Duncan fully. “Do ye? I see the way ye look at her. I hear the emotion in yer words. I see how ye wish to protect her.” He paused between each sentence for effect. “I fear by bringing her here we risk the whole clan. Perhaps even our allies.”

“Then why treat her like a prisoner? Do ye know she asked me what makes us different from the men she killed defending Nessa?”

Kenneth closed his eyes, a frown on his face as he leaned back in his chair, fingers rubbing an old battle wound on his shoulder, a familiar gesture when vexed.

“When I told her we would protect her, she thanked me for the protection we had provided thus far, reminding me of the wound Shamus gave her, which she stitched herself.” Duncan’s aggravation rose, crested, finally softening into surrender. “I trust yer judgment, Father. I just dinnae understand it.” Duncan’s resolve to remain cordial began to slip.

Kenneth grunted. “I dispatched a rider before ye brought her back to camp that day. I needed to know as much as I could about her. I have found out she is Lady Anna Braxton, daughter of Baron Everard Braxton, a border lord. Her mother was Lady Rossalyn, daughter of the Elliot Laird. Her mother has been dead for several years.”

His father shifted his weight in the chair and ran a hand through his graying hair.

“Her father and brother were killed in an attack by a neighboring noble who has been trying to gain Anna in marriage. He wanted to acquire her lands upon Lord Braxton’s and his son’s death. Apparently, Anna had rebuffed him repeatedly. Lord Braxton would not force her, and it seems the man grew weary of waiting. None within the keep survived the attack.” Kenneth’s somber voice reflected the harsh reality of her story.

Duncan stood, anger pounding in his skull, demanding he protect her from the schemes of this unknown Sassenach.

“From what I have learned, she and her brother were out hunting and came across