Page 51 of Kilty Plea
“The bandits took me to the Abbey. ‘Tis far too remote to have found it accidentally—the members who join must really want to be there. But that also means, ‘tis too remote toleave.”
His hands found her hips. “Ye’re saying…ye were a prisoner there?”
She shrugged. “In order for the men who join to have the benefits of community, fraternity, and cosmic oneness—or whatever shite the Abbot preaches—the women have to work their fingers to the bone. The Abbot uses those women to keep the men indebted to him; their service, their cooking, the way they—we—took care of them.” She swallowed, her gaze dropping to his chin. “And sometimes, he offered the women to the men as bribes, or gifts. To keep them happy.”
“Or to manipulate them,” Payton growled, understanding. “Did this happen to ye?”
She shook her head. “The youngest women slept in the unmarried women’s dormitory. We were told we were special, honored…but really, he married us off to the men who’d done him favors, or whose favors he wanted to assure.”
Fook. “Like me.”
Her breath eased from between her lips, and she nodded. “Like ye.”
Well, he’d be damned afore he allowed the Abbot any control over him! Flora hadn’t belonged to the man to give away in the first place!
One thing didn’t make sense. “The Abbeyisremote. How did the bandits find ye?”
Flora shook her head, sadness creeping into her features. “Ye dinnae understand. The bandits didn’t attack my home and kill my father randomly. They were there forme.”
Understanding dawned, and Payton’s eyes widened. “St. Bart’s earlobe!They took ye to the Abbey on purpose? Because ye were a young woman? For duck’s sake, did they do it onhisorders?”
Rage was coursing through his veins now, which made her little smile seem odd.
“Ye nevermean‘duck.’ But aye, the Abbot was working with them. Or rather, they worked for the Abbot. In the time I was with him, that same band brought in two other young women, and I have to assume they did it the same way.”
“Fooooooook,” Payton groaned, stumbling away from her and scrubbing his hand over his face. “There’s a group of rampaging bandits wandering about the Highlands, attacking vulnerable crofts and stealing lasses, and they’re doing it underhisorders?”
Flora pulled the tartan tighter around her. “Ye killed them, remember?”
“Why?” Suddenly, he dropped his hand and pierced her with a hard gaze. “The Abbot was the one to send to the Hunters and request help vanquishing the bandits.Whywould he do that, if he was working with them?”
She shrugged. “I dinnae ken.”
A calm sense of certainty filled him as he reached for his sword. “Then let us go find out.”
“But put on yer plaid first. Else ye’ll put someone’s eye out with that thing.”
How could she be smiling again already? “The blade’s in the scabbard.”
Flora grin grew. “I wasnae talking aboutthatsword.”
He glanced down at himself, realized he was still nude, and rolled his eyes, reaching for his kilt instead.
Ten minutes later—aye, wearing the damned kilt—he was pulling Flora down the stairs to the great hall, the rage still pumping through his body. She’d taken time to put on slippers, but still wore only her chemise and the tartan wrapped snuggly around her.
Most of the Hogmanay revelers had passed out or gone to sleep. There were still a few quietly drinking, and on the dais by the hearth, two men sat, speaking animatedly. ‘Twas Daniel…and the Abbot.
“There’s always a place for a driven young man such as yerself, Father Daniel,” the Abbot was saying, his tone inviting conspiracy. “The Abbey has all sorts of benefits for someone who is willing to help.”
He was winking just as Payton stomped up onto the dais. His expression faltered for a moment, but the smile he plastered onto his face a moment later seemed forced. “Sir Hunter! I was just extoling the rewards of Abbey life to yer brother.”
“Aye,” growled Payton. “I’ve heard all about thoserewards.”
Since Flora joined them at that moment, the Abbot’s gaze darted to her—half dressed, hair in disarray, looking as if she’d just come from his bed—and back to Payton. And his grin grew far more sincere…and knowing.
“And I can see ye’ve been enjoying the benefits of those rewards right now. Is she as wild in bed as I thought she’d be?” he asked with a smirk.
It took everything in Payton’s power not to slam a fist into the bastard’s face. Flora had put her hand on his arm, reminding him they needed answers.
