A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,146

to a spot just behind Elspeth. Turning her head slightly, Elspeth saw a small dirk with a hollow circle at its base hanging on a hook on the wall. What did Carrie mean to do? Elspeth’s pulse sped.

Grover removed the sword from where it hung and lifted it up. “Thane! Come look at this.”

Thane squeezed into the room, his gaze instantly landing on the sword in Grover’s hand.

“What’s that?”

“Supposedly Dyrnwyn.”

They thought this was the sword of Rhydderch Hael? If they were from the organization Tavish had mentioned, and it seemed they were, it made sense they were looking for one of the thirteen treasures. Were they even aware of Lann Dhearg?

Thane took the sword from Grover and turned it in his hand before laughing with youthful exuberance. “The hilt is all wrong. Dyrnwyn has a red jewel in the pommel. But that wasn’t its original form. It was gold, with runes—”

“Enough,” Grover snapped.

Thane nodded as he pressed his lips together.

Grover pivoted toward Carrie, snarling. She grabbed a mace from the wall and swung it at Thane, who was closest to her.

The second Carrie attacked, Elspeth grabbed the dirk and struck out at the nearest man, which was Grover. He dodged the knife and hit her in the forearm. Carrie cried out, distracting Elspeth. She lost hold of the dirk, and it flew from her grip.

Elspeth watched in horror as Carrie fell to the floor in a heap next to a seemingly unconscious Thane. “Carrie!” She tried to go to the fallen woman, but Grover grabbed her upper arm.

He screamed in her face, his spittle showering her cheek. “Bitch!” He shoved her toward Kent. “Take her!”

Kent put his arm around Elspeth’s middle and hauled her from the Chamber of Sorrow. Something inside her snapped. She kicked at him and tried to wrest free of his hold.

One of the villains from the common room appeared in the doorway to Carrie’s room. His gaze flicked nervously toward Kent. “Tomlin is dead. Fitz came from the stable—he was hit in the head and fell unconscious. Ed is taking care of him.”

Grover had come out of the Chamber of Sorrow and now swore viciously. Kent began to throw things—a pitcher, a basin. Then he went into the Chamber of Sorrow, where he pulled things from the walls, all the while shouting and cursing. Elspeth could clearly see him from where she stood.

“Kent!” Grover went back into the Chamber of Sorrow and grabbed the man’s shoulder. “You can’t save him now. But you can kill the man who did this.”

Kent stopped and turned, his expression cold and terrifying. He combed his hand through his hair. “I will see him dead.”

Elspeth’s blood turned to ice. She didn’t doubt he would try to kill Tavish at the earliest possible moment. Assuming Tavish was still alive. Her insides went colder still.

“Yes, you will kill him,” Grover assured Kent. “You will have revenge for your brother.” He turned suddenly and came back into Carrie’s room. “You.” He clasped Elspeth’s forearm, then turned his head to the man who’d come to inform them of Tomlin’s death. Grover pointed toward the Chamber of Sorrow. “Jackson, tie up the serving maid and bring Thane.”

Jackson nodded and stepped into the room. Grover dragged Elspeth into the corridor and shoved her against the opposite wall. “You know this man who killed Tomlin. Tell me who he is.”

Kent had come out behind them and now moved to Grover’s side. He wound his hand in Elspeth’s hair and pulled until her scalp burned. “Tell me!”

Elspeth fought to keep her panic at bay as tears of pain burned her eyes. “I don’t know him.”

“You lie.” Grover bared his teeth at her again as he leaned close. “Does he have the sword?”

“I don’t know anything about a sword.” Elspeth wanted to pull away from Kent’s hold, but to try would only increase the agony in her head.

“She lies,” Kent spat. “They knew about the sword.”

“We don’t. Carrie—she was just trying to appease you with one of the swords in her collection. You’re the one who mentioned a sword.”

Grover stared at her. “I know you’re lying about knowing him. It seems reasonable you’d lie about the sword too.” Grover tipped his head in the direction of Carrie’s room. “Perhaps I should have Ed kill the serving maid to find out what you know.”

Kent pulled on Elspeth’s hair. Hysteria rose in her throat. She struggled to breathe as the blistering ache in her scalp persisted. “His name is John MacLean. I