Page 38 of The Anguish of the Scottish Lairds
Sloan carried Eva up the stairs, then set her gingerly on the bed, kissing her forehead once he took his hands away. He feared he’d get slapped, but he couldn’t help himself.
Lennox started right away with his questions. “Eva, who was he? Did you recognize him? Where are you hurt?”
She shook her head, tears misting her gaze, but she controlled it. “I’ve never seen him before. He came from outside and said he would make me happy. Then he attacked me, punched me, slapped me, knocked me down. The last thing I recall is his hands ripping my skirts. I fainted, I think. What did he do to me?”
“You don’t recall the rest?” Her brother took her hand, and Sloan could feel the rage emanating from Lennox as much as from himself.
Sloan’s preference would be to set Eva on his lap and hold her tight. She needed comforting more than anything, yet Lennox focused on catching her attacker.
Eva swallowed and whispered, “Nay. I woke up, and he was panting over me and Sloan grabbed him from me and I don’t remember anything else. What did he do? How will I know?”
The door opened and Doiron entered with their mother, Meg behind them with a basin of water and a pile of linen squares.
“What happened, Eva? Your face? Someone punched you?” Rut was frantic, grabbing her daughter’s hands. “Who did this? Lennox, find him and whip him in front of everyone. How dare he touch my sweet daughter!”
Doiron studied Eva, her hand running up the scratches on her arm, checking the blood on her skirt, her swollen eye, her cut lip. “The blood could have come from many places.”
Eva said, “Meg. A wet linen. I must wash myself. I’m dirty. Get him off me. Get him …”
Rut said, “Lennox and Sloan, out.”
Sloan took his leave without any more encouragement. It wasn’t a place for men. Lennox led him straight to his solar, closed the door, and poured two goblets of his best amber brew.
Lennox whispered, “I’ll kill him.”
Sloan said, “Not if I get him first. I’ll torture him first, then kill him.”
Lennox whispered, “I don’t think either of us knows exactly what happened, but I’m not going to mention rape. For Eva’s sake, I’m going to let it be known that you stopped him before he was able to complete the act, and I pray it’s the truth. I thank you graciously, Sloan, for coming to her aid. What made you stop here?”
“I was coming from Clan Grantham a bit behind her. I saw the lone horseman taking the back way to your castle. Didn’t trust him, but I had no idea that he was going to attack her.”
“Glad you got there when you did. I’m not going to say another word until my mother and my wife update us.”
Sloan fell into the chair, his heartbeat finally slowing.
He’d find out who the bastard was, one way or another.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Kelvan
Kelvan stood on the parapets of Mingary Castle near Kilchoan in Ardnamurchan, catching sight of the small galley ship headed toward him. It was too small to be from Europe, so it had to be his men near Mull.
As soon as word reached him about the green meadow faery and the wee laddie with special powers, he arranged everything just the way he wanted. He’d arranged to have men on Ulva, Coll, and Mull, all ready to do his work. He’d had Egan at Drimnin and Garvie on Ulva, but some chieftain had taken care of Egan for him. And Garvie had gotten too arrogant, so his death was no true loss either. He’d found someone to take his place in less than a day. A younger man who did whatever was asked of him.
It didn’t matter. Egan had been past his prime and had gotten too far along in his years. And Garvie’s temperament was too explosive. He’d become more of a hindrance than an asset. The only true loss had been the old couple who’d watched over the bairns. That had upset him because they were harder to replace. The woman had treated the bairns as if they were her own, but when the entire incident with Egan and his men had taken place, someone had located the couple and set them free. This was a huge loss because it wasn’t easy finding someone to care for bairns.
He’d have to search for a replacement soon because he already had a plan in motion to abduct the wee ones.
His priority was finding that faery who would grant his wishes. It was the only way to the one missing piece in his life—his daughter.
He and his wife had gone through a difficult time, and while he smiled at the thought of shutting that bitch’s mouth finally,he hadn’t expected to lose his daughter. Someone had been smarter than he had been, whisking the wee lass away before he could grab her.
He wouldn’t stop until he had the lass. His new wife wanted power and revenge against two clans; he just wished to get his daughter back. She could gain him some good coin from afar, though getting her back was more than that. It was revenge against his wife and how she’d treated him. She hadn’t liked his ways so he put an end to that by putting an end to her.
He nearly giggled with delight at how easy it had been, but now he had to find his daughter and he didn’t care how he did it.
He stood on the parapets as the boat approached, four men getting off the vessel. “Come inside,” he shouted down to them from above, pointing to the back of the castle. “Come around and my men will let you in.” He’d had to lock up anything facing the water because of the many pirates who dared to try to take over his estate in the past. They couldn’t be trusted.
