Entrusted to a Highlander (Highland Promise Trilogy #2) - Donna Fletcher Page 0,81

death would affect everyone to get some satisfaction,” Arran said.

Purity grabbed her husband’s arm. “You will not leave my side.”

“Of course,” the Abbott said with a knowing nod. “If he kills Arran, then he can demand the agreement he made with Galvin be honored.”

“This is all nonsense,” Galvin claimed. “Our warriors guard us well and Wolf’s warriors camp outside the village with more of his warriors on the way. Brynjar is helpless to do anything.”

“Brynjar has never been helpless. He will do whatever he has to, to see this matter done,” Arran said.

“You make this man out to be far wiser than he actually is,” Galvin argued. “He’s a Northman, a heathen—”

“Precisely,” Arran interrupted. “He’s a heathen and battles far differently than you’re familiar with, Galvin. You may think it nonsense until you suffer at his hands and know what it is like to be touched by the devil. And while we may think I am the likely target, Brynjar may think otherwise. He could come after Purity and attempt to take her back to his homeland with him. Or he could come after you, Galvin, for lying to him. Though I believe he would be more inclined to come after me. He would gain more from my death and it would satisfy his pride to capture me again and make sure Wolf didn’t save me this time.”

“The ceremony and celebration must wait,” Purity said, the more they talked the more worried she was for her husband. She feared what may happen and hearing it only made it more real to her.

“That’s not your decision, daughter,” Galvin admonished. “Besides, if we cower in fear, we give the man what he wants and that I refuse to do. The ceremony and celebration continues. We’ll simply be more cautious. Now go and talk with Iona while I see that the Abbott is shown to his room to rest, then I will speak with Arran.”

She was being dismissed and she didn’t like it. She stayed put as her father walked off with Abbott Thomas.

“Go,” Arran urged, his hand at her waist to move her along. Her reluctance to leave him was obvious in the way her feet barely moved and her look that threatened she wasn’t going anywhere. He tried to reassure her. “I’m in no danger presently. Brynjar returns to his camp to make plans.”

“What if he has already made them and waits for you?”

“Observant point,” he acknowledged. “Though, Freen is seeing that he leaves. But so you don’t worry, what say we both agree to remain in the keep.”

Relief hurried a smile to her face. “I’ll wait in the Great Hall for you, since no doubt I will be done before you.”

She gave him a quick kiss before heading to the kitchen and she wondered if he thought the same as she did. How was it that Brynjar knew that the Abbott was here? Her father hadn’t sent word, yet Brynjar had arrived.

That could mean only one thing, Brynjar had kept watch on them and that could explain the warrior’s death. He’d caught Brynjar’s warrior spying and was killed for the discovery.

The question was—how many of Brynjar’s warriors were watching them?

Chapter 21

Arran woke the next morning and sprang up in bed when he turned to wrap himself around his wife and found she wasn’t there. He looked around and neither she nor the animals were to be seen. How had he not heard her leave the room?

Granted they had exhausted themselves making love last night and he had woken later hungry for her again and she didn’t deny him, her desire matching his own. She should have slept more soundly than he had and he should have woken before her. Instead, she was gone.

He donned his garments in no time, finger-combed his hair roughly, and chewed on some withered mint leaves that had been left on the chest by the side of the bed and tossed them in the hearth before he left the room. He wasn’t as frantic as the last time he had found her gone from their bed in the morning. She had given her word about letting him know where she’d be and had kept it. He was certain it wouldn’t take long to locate her.

A chill permeated the air as he took the stairs down and hurried into the Great Hall.

Raised voices caught his attention when he entered the Great Hall. They came from the passageway that connected the kitchen to the keep and a couple