"The Murrays and my father signed a contract that their daughter, Lady Seona, was to marry the next chief of MacKay."

"I know about that, but she won't marry you."

"In truth?" His brows lifted a fraction.

Isobel shook her head. "She knows about what happened between us. She and I are friends. Besides, she's smitten with someone else, although she will not admit it."

"Who?" Dirk asked.

"Keegan."

"Hmm. I see."

"Don't tell him," Isobel said in a stern tone.

"I won't." Dirk almost grinned.

He looked much too scrumptious at the moment with his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest and his blue eyes gleaming with a pleasant expression. She wanted to kiss him, but he'd probably see that as manipulation. "I must go," she said.

"The MacLeods will be here soon. Haldane and the men he broke out of the dungeon went to them. Sent by Maighread."

She hoped and prayed his clan wouldn't want to turn her over to them in order to avoid a battle. "I won't leave with them."

"Of course not. I would never ask you to. They may try to storm the castle and drag you out bodily." His eyes narrowed. "I'll cut them all down if they even try it."

An involuntary shiver raced over her at his vehemence and the glimpse of his passion. Maybe he did care for her, even if he couldn't voice the words yet. He was, after all, a warrior accustomed to hiding his true feelings.

"I thank you for protecting me," she said.

He gave a small nod, his eyes growing darker as he observed her intently. She knew that look and craved it. But she must not succumb again. He felt she was forcing him to marry her. 'Twas the last thing she wanted. He might also suspect, as Maighread had told him, that Isobel was using him to avoid marrying the MacLeod. Also untrue. She didn't wish to use Dirk for any purpose.

"What will you say to Torrin MacLeod?" she asked.

Dirk tensed and his frown deepened. He looked more fearsome than usual in his battle armor—the steel-studded leather and all his weapons. "I'll tell him he is a daft sheep for not protecting you from his knave of a brother."

"I wish we could've sent my brother a missive." Mayhap Cyrus could straighten it all out since he was the one who had gotten her into this mess in the first place.

"As do I, but there were too many risks."

"I don't want you fighting a battle because of me. It would kill me if something happened to you. You rescued me and helped me. Now you and your whole clan will be in danger because of me." Tears stung her eyes.

"There's naught to worry over. I happen to be good at fighting," he said in a light tone.

"I ken it, but…" She shook her head, remorse weighting heavily upon her, and lowered her gaze to her nervous, fidgety fingers. "I told you that you should've left me where you found me. Now look. I've put you in danger."

Dirk approached her where she stood by the door and lifted her chin. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing he wouldn't watch her cry. He stroked his thumb across her cheek, catching her tears. "Shh." He kissed her forehead, then her lips fleetingly. "We'll have the upper hand."

"Don't go outside the walls. Promise me."

He sent her a half grin. "I cannot promise you that, lass. I'll do what I have to do to protect you and everyone at Dunnakeil. If MacLeod attacks, we will fight back."

***

After Dirk's bastard of a horse had thrown Haldane, he'd made two of his men ride together and taken one of their horses.

"McMurdo," Haldane addressed the legendary gray-haired man who rode beside him.

"Aye," he said in a gruff voice. Pockmarks, scars, and wrinkles marred the man's face but those blemishes simply gave him character. Haldane wished he could've seen all the adventures McMurdo had been a part of over the years.

"I appreciate your help," Haldane said. "If I become chief of the MacKay clan, you can rest assured the burial place you paid Da for will remain yours." Although Haldane had no inkling why, the tough old bastard valued his tomb more than anything. Haldane had too much living to do to think of graves. But he'd do whatever necessary to get McMurdo to do what he wanted.

The older man studied him with eyes sharp as a dark blade. "I thank you."

This was one man Haldane did not wish to cross, and having him on his side was like having a secret weapon.

"If Dirk remains chief," Haldane said. "I doubt he'll allow you to be buried there. He sees you as an outlaw, whereas I see you as a resourceful and clever man."

"I'm willing to do what I can to oust him, but he is strong and cunning, and he has a lot of men backing him up." McMurdo's words were wise and well thought out. Haldane tried to slow down and do the same.

"That he does. But if you'll kill him, as my mother paid you to do already, you'll get what you want. I'll make sure of it."

"In that case, I'll kill him," McMurdo said in a deadly calm tone. Clearly, committing murder didn't ruffle his feathers.

"When we arrive at Munrick, I'm certain the MacLeod will send a large force of men to reclaim his stolen bride," Haldane said. "That will get us into Dunnakeil, and if Dirk isn't killed by the MacLeods, you'll have a clear shot at him."

"I can hardly wait. The bastard has threatened me for the last time."

A half hour later, they spotted Munrick Castle in the distance on a small promontory in a loch. Haldane smiled, almost tasting victory. He would be the next MacKay chief, and Seona Murray would be his bride.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Once Dirk found the young maid, Anne MacFarlane, who had gone into Maighread's room the night before, he had her escorted into the library where the clan elders, along with Conall, Keegan and Dirk sat around the table. Considering the pasty color of her skin and her wide-eyed gaze darting this way and that, she was sufficiently scared. Dirk was glad, for he needed the truth.

"Anne, did Lady MacKay give you a missive to take to her son, Haldane?" Dirk asked.

It sounded as if Anne's breath stopped for a moment as she stared at her toes. He hoped she didn't faint.

"If you don't answer truthfully, you'll be imprisoned in the dungeon." Dirk hated to frighten any woman, but the clan's safety depended on the information she would reveal.

"Aye," Anne admitted. "She told me to tell no one. If she finds out I've told you, she'll release me from my position."

"If you're loyal to me and the clan, I'll hire you. If you're a traitor, you'll be treated as such. Aside from that, Lady MacKay won't be needing any maids. She's under arrest and soon she'll be transported to Thurso for a trial."

"Oh."

"So you have naught to lose by telling us the truth. What did the missive say?"

"I can't read, m'laird. But she said to let no one see the missive and to slip it to one of her guards. I was to tell him to take it outside the castle walls, find her son and give it to him."

"And did you do this?"

"Aye."

Dirk wished she hadn't. "As you ken, this led to two MacKay guards' deaths."

Anne's eyes filled with tears. "I am sorry. I didn't know what was in the missive or why she wished me to deliver it. She hired me to do her bidding and that's what I was doing."

"If you want to stay out of the dungeon, you will tell us everything you know about Lady MacKay and her devious plots."