Page 83 of The Highlander's Auctioned Bride
Bram just smirked. “Much good it did me. Bastard couldn’t even shoot straight.” He parried another blow, hollering as his shoulder caught at an odd angle. “Yer wife will never be accepted here. This is what comes of following a buxom figure and a pretty face,” Bram spat. “Ye’re just like yer faither.”
James swung his sword around in a final arc, leaning down to pull the dirk from his boot, bringing it up and slashing at Bram’s sword arm as he knocked it from his grip.
Bram cried out in shocked terror as James didn’t hesitate, plunging the sword right through the center of the man’s chest.
Bram gave one final gasp and then collapsed on the floor.
There was a scream from behind him as Lillian ran forward. She was sobbing wildly as she fell to her knees beside him. James didn’t know whether her grief was for Bram’s death or hisbetrayal, and he didn’t truly care. He could feel little pity for her, not after what she had almost done to Maisie.
Maisie.
He turned rushing toward her. She stood proudly in the corner looking at Lillian, her face flushed.
“Are ye hurt?” he asked frantically, his fingers gently covering her jaw, pushing her head back, and looking at her throat.
She pulled away from him. “I am well,” her voice had no inflection in it. James stood back, watching her.
“Thank ye for protectin’ me. Ye are right, I should have stayed away.”
James frowned at her. “What are ye talkin’ about?”
But before she could answer there was a frantic shout from the tunnel before them.
“Lillian?” They both turned their heads at the sound of Marcus’s voice. Lillian’s sobs were echoing all about them. “Lillian, my love, what is it? Are ye hurt? What has happened?”
“We must release him,” Maisie said quickly, going to Lillian and with a gentleness James could not understand lifted her to herfeet. “Come now. It is all over. Lillian, come with me. It is all right.”
Lillian could only sob in response; her body wracked with misery as she walked away from the body of the man she believed she had loved.
They all walked out of the cellar towards Marcus’s cell, his face pressed against the bars and a look of relief on his face as he saw Lillian.
“James!” he said in surprise. “I didnae see ye. How dae ye come to be here?”
James unlocked the cell door, and Marcus ran to his niece embracing her.
“Ye are free to go,” James said flatly. “We have found the real culprit.”
“What? Who?”
James and Maisie exchanged a glance as Lillian collapsed into her uncle's body.
“I think ye need to speak with yer niece,” James said woodenly. “Bram Wallace was behind this, and he was usin’ Lillian as an accomplice.”
Marcus’s arms tightened on his niece in bewilderment.
“Lillian? Lily? What is he talking about?”
“I’m so sorry, Jamie!” Lillian wailed. “I am sorry, I am so sorry for everythin’.”
Marcus seemed baffled, holding her against him and staring at James.
“I ken ye werenae involved now, Marcus. But I dinnae wish to see Lillian in this castle again. Ye can dae as ye wish with her, but she is nae welcome on MacLennan land.”
He put his arm around Maisie, holding her close, feeling his gut finally settle now that she was with him again.
He pulled her from the dank, darkness and out into the sunlight.
CHAPTER 31
