Page 132 of Laird of Smoke
The idea sickened him.
Nay, the only way to deal with the stubborn lass was to go along with her.To lull her into complacency and then close the shackles of safety around her wrists when she least expected it.Which was exactly what he’d done.
She’d been hurt.Ofcourseshe’d been hurt.
He couldn’t bear to look in her eyes and see the pain he’d inflicted upon her.But it was clear in the tremor of her voice.
Once she understood he’d tricked her and meant to imprison her, she’d gotten past the heartache, and her hurt had turned to anger.But he wondered if she would ever be able to forgive him.
His intentions, of course, were absolutely honorable.He meant to keep her out of harm’s way.And he could think of no safer place for her than as a royal hostage.
If Malcolm believed Eve was somehow valuable to Fergus, that he could use her as leverage, the king would ensure she was well protected by his best men.That protection would be backed by the full force of the royal army.And Adam couldn’t wish for more proficient guards.
Nonetheless, they were only men.They would be vulnerable to Eve’s machinations.The clever lass could mince and cajole, flirt and weep like a skilled player upon a stage.If they somehow let her persuade them into giving her an inch of freedom, she would take a yard, and he’d probably never see her again.
Which was why he recommended the shackles.
She despised him now.He was certain of that.But he would rather endure her hate than be tied up in knots over her safety.
As far as Fergus, Adam knew it was the man’s hunger for power that drove him.He ruled by strength and threat and cared little what consequences his people suffered, as long as he profited.
His own clanfolk weren’t interested in expanding their holding or destroying the homes of their neighboring clans.They didn’t care about allying with the English or rallying against Malcolm.That was why Fergus needed to hire mercenaries to do his fighting.
His clanfolk simply wanted to live their lives.Harvesting crops.Raising children.Falling in love.Dancing.Singing.Praying.Celebrating birth and marriage and holy days.
They were people like the alewife and her husband, living in peace and being good neighbors.
They had no interest in risking life and limb for a bigger plot of land.They were satisfied with what they had.
But men like Fergus could never have enough.They wanted more and more and more.And when their appetites were that voracious, they consumed everything in their path.
Adam knew Fergus had to be stopped.He’d made too many aggressions into neighboring territories, threatening to divide Scotland and rule over the west as king.
But he didn’t agree with Malcolm that all-out war was required to rein in Fergus’s ambitions.
Fergus was still just one man with a few allies.
Like a bad tooth, he could be removed with no harm coming to the rest.
And Adam could be the one to do it.
When he arrived at the Fergus stronghold, Adam demanded to see the laird immediately.Unfortunately, having made himself invisible for weeks as the mercenary Ness MacNeill had its drawbacks.It took several threats and coercion of a guard at the tip of a blade to be granted an audience.
When Fergus greeted him with a frown, Adam told him he’d seen the king’s troops.
“I doubt that,” Fergus grumbled.“If ye had, ye wouldn’t have come back.Not in one piece anyway.”
“I tossed a comely lass in their path,” Adam said, giving him a knowing wink.“They were too busy takin’ turns on her to pay heed to me.”
Fergus chortled at that.
“I have information that may be o’ value to ye,” he continued.
“Information?”Fergus raised a dubious brow.“And what sort o’ value are ye hopin’ to extract from me?”
Adam shrugged.“Not much.I’m reasonable.Maybe an extra cup of ale at suppers.”
“And how do I know this information is worth an extra cup of ale?”
