“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 up on the tent. Then too, just seeing how well-guarded the tent is at first might scare him off before the men move forward,” Aulay pointed out. “It may no’ work.”
Conran merely nodded, but he was torn between hoping the plan did, and didn’t, work. He wanted to catch the bastard, but would prefer a trap that didn’t put Evina in peril. Unfortunately, he hadn’t come up with one yet, and as much as he hated to admit it, Evina’s plan was a good one. She really was a clever wench.
“Anyway,” Aulay said now, “I just wanted to be sure ye kenned the plan.”
“Aye, I ken it,” Conran muttered with a sigh.
“Good. Then let’s go see ye married, brother,” Aulay said, heading for the door.
Grunting, Conran followed him to the door, and led the way out when Aulay opened it for him. He paused in the hall though when he saw Geordie and Alick crouching in front of Evina’s door, alternately pressing their ears to it, and then apparently trying to see through the wooden slats.
Conran was just opening his mouth to ask what the devil they thought they were doing when Geordie turned his head and spotted him and Aulay. Putting a silencing finger to his mouth, the man stood abruptly and hurried to stop them before they moved too close to the door to risk speech.
“What are ye doing?” Conran asked in a quiet hiss.
“Gavin just went in a minute ago,” Geordie explained.
“So?” Conran asked. “He is her cousin. He is probably fetching her for Laird Maclean. He was hobbling pretty good earlier. His wound is most likely troubling him. Between that and Evina’s still being weak, I suspect the two o’ them will have to take horses to the chapel.”
“Aye,” Geordie agreed.
“Did ye tell them?” Alick asked anxiously, joining them then.
“I was just about to,” Geordie said with irritation.
“Tell us what?” Aulay asked.
“We think someone is in there with them,” Alick said, his expression a cross between worry and excitement.
“Who?” Conran asked at once.
“We do no’ ken,” Geordie admitted. “The women went in and came out, and then Tildy came out and Gavin went in. Gavin and Evina should be the only ones in there.”
“What makes ye think they’re no’ alone, then?” Conran asked with a frown.
“Because shortly after Gavin went in, Evina started to shout his name, and then it sounded like two men were talking. At least, we heard Gavin speak and then someone answered in a voice almost too quiet to hear.”
“Mayhap ’tis Evina,” Aulay suggested.
The two younger brothers shook their heads at once, and then Geordie said, “‘The voice sounds too deep and raspy. ’Tis a man, I’m sure.”
“And ye did no’ go in to see what is about?” Conran asked with disbelief.
“It just happened, and we were trying to listen to see what was being said and decide what to do. If there is a man in there, our entering unexpectedly could put Evina and her cousin in peril,” Geordie pointed out. “Besides, we checked the room ere we let Evina in, and no one went past us, and the passages are all locked from the inside. There should be no one in there.”