“Aye,” Evina breathed, and then moved quickly toward the opening, intending to close and lock it. She’d then have Gavin fetch Conran and the others to search the passages again. The attacker was obviously in there. At least, that was her thinking. But she never made it to the entrance. Evina had barely taken a step past the bed when movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She started to turn, but was too slow. Even as she spotted the tall, balding man in a semiclean plaid raising up from his crouched position on this side of the bed, he was grabbing her arm and dragging her up against his chest.
“Gav—!” she managed to shout before he covered her mouth with one hand, and pressed a knife to her throat with the other.
“Whist, lass, ye’ll be drawing company we do no’ want,” he growled, pressing the knife sharply against her neck.
“Let her go,” Gavin demanded, drawing his sword from his belt and raising it threateningly.
“Lower the sword, lad,” her captor hissed. “And do no’ even think o’ callin’ out fer help, else I’ll slit her throat right now.”
Gavin hesitated, his hand tightening on his sword, but then he firmed his chin and shook his head.
Her captor released a low chuckle. “Hold on to it, then. But that broadsword looks heavy. Ye’ll tire eventually . . . and I can outwait ye. I hold all the cards.”
They all stood at a stalemate for what seemed an interminable amount of time, and then a knock sounded at the door.
Chapter 17
“There,” Aulay said, tugging at a pleat here and there. “Ye look fine.”
“Thank ye,” Conran muttered, sliding his sword into his belt. “And thank ye for the loan o’ the clean shirt and plaid. ’Tis most annoying no’ having any o’ me own plaids and shirts here.”
“I can imagine,” Aulay murmured, stepping back to peer at him before admitting, “’Twas a gift from Niels. Made from his own sheep.”
Conran raised his eyebrows at this news. “Then why did he no’ bring it to me?”
“He wanted to, but I said I would,” Aulay admitted. “I wanted to talk to ye.”
Conran sighed and shook his head. “I am marrying her, brother. There’s no need for threats, or beatings. I—”
“I ken that,” Aulay interrupted dryly. “Any fool could see ye’re in love with the lass and happy to marry her.”
Conran stiffened at the words and then grimaced slightly. “That obvious, is it?”
“Aye,” he said with amusement. “But that’s no’ what I came to talk about.”
“What did ye come to talk about, then?” Conran asked, his eyebrows rising.
“The plan the ladies cooked up,” Aulay said. “The tent.”
“Oh. Aye. The Sinclairs’ traveling tent,” he said heavily, recalling the plan the women had hatched up. He and Evina were to sleep in the tent tonight, their first night as husband and wife. It was supposed to be because with so many guests there was no room in the keep itself. But the truth was, the women were hoping that the bastard who kept trying to kill Evina would see their sleeping in the tent as a perfect opportunity and make one last attempt.
“Ye do no’ like the plan?” Aulay asked, not seeming surprised. “I thought it a good one.”
“Well, ’tis no’ yer Jetta who will be in the tent in peril if the bastard does make another attempt to kill her,” Conran pointed out shortly.
“Nay,” Aulay agreed. “‘Twill be Evina.”
“Aye,” Conran growled.
“He may no’ attack,” Aulay pointed out soothingly. “We will have men stationed at the entrance and at each corner o’ the tent to make it seem like ye’re well-guarded.”
“Until the two at the back move forward to talk to the men at the front corners, leaving the back unguarded,” Conran said grimly, recalling what Alick and Geordie had told him when he’d pressed for an explanation. “And then he’s likely to slice through the back o’ the tent to enter and try to kill us while he thinks we’re sleeping. And hopefully , Geordie and Alick will be able to get out o’ the chests they’re hiding in quickly enough to stop him from harming Evina.”
“Dougall and Niels and I will be watching from the passage too,” Aulay reminded him. “’Tis why they had the tent set up amid the apple trees behind the kitchens. Besides, ye and Evina will have yer weapons too, and I doubt ye’ll be sleeping for worry that a murderer might be creeping