“Guard her well,” he said in a low voice. “And wait here until I’ve done what I must. I’ll not have her exposed to him a moment longer. I would not want her to awaken and to see him in life or death.”
Tavis nodded his understanding and took Eveline into his arms. Brodie and Aiden hovered close to their father, their eyes dark and worried.
Graeme turned to stalk away, leaving the others behind. He walked through the keep and back to the courtyard, his single-minded purpose to go back to where Silas was holding Ian.
The weak little bastard actually looked at Graeme in triumph when Graeme appeared in the courtyard without Eveline.
“See? I told you I had no use for the simpleton.”
Graeme drew his sword in one smooth motion and before Ian could even process what was about to happen, Graeme thrust the sword through Ian’s belly until the blade protruded out his back.
Ian stared up in shock, his eyes glazing over with death. Blood bubbled from his mouth and slid down his chin to drip on the ground.
“That was for my wife,” Graeme snarled. “I hope you rot in hell.”
CHAPTER 45
Ian dropped, folding like a ribbon in the wind. Graeme didn’t even wait to see if he’d taken his last breath before he began searching his body for the keys to the manacles. He was the sort who would have carried them on his person, and Graeme was right. The key was in the pocket of Ian’s tunic.
He sheathed his sword, not bothering to wipe Ian’s blood from the blade. Then he hurried back to where Eveline was and carefully unlocked the manacles, prying them from her wrists and ankles.
When he stood back to toss aside the chains, he looked Eveline’s father in the eye.
“I have no intention of breaking our treaty. I want only to return to my keep with Eveline.”
He held out his arms for Eveline, but Tavis hesitated. His hold tightened around the precious bundle in his arms, and he looked at Graeme, his expression pleading.
“Our keep is closer. Let us go there so we can be sure all is well with Eveline. Do not deny me this, I beg you. Her mother will want to know all of what you’ve told me. She’ll want to hold her daughter in her arms and know that she is safe and happy.”
Graeme glanced at his brothers and then back to the Armstrong chieftain. It was no easy thing, what he requested. He was asking Graeme to lay aside the past, to walk onto Armstrong land as a … guest. And to remain there as … family.
He stared up again at his brothers and let his gaze linger, wanting their thoughts. Bowen and Teague exchanged looks and turned their heads slightly, taking in the expressions on the faces of Eveline’s brothers and father, who still held Eveline tightly against his chest.
“ ’Tis not a big thing they ask,” Bowen said in a low voice. “A mother would want to know her only daughter is well after such an ordeal.”
Graeme’s heart lightened and relief crushed through his chest. For Eveline he could set aside years of hatred and the burning desire for revenge, but he could not expect his kin to feel the same.
“We should hasten, Graeme,” Teague said. “The lass should awaken among those who love her and not here, where she has suffered abuse.”
Graeme turned his gaze to Tavis. “If you’ll have us, then we’ll be grateful for your hospitality and for any care you can render to my wife.”
Tavis took the three steps that separated him from Graeme and gently placed Eveline in Graeme’s arms.
“Let’s ride and allow Patrick to bury his dead. We can further settle the matter with the McHughs and conduct a full investigation once we are sure that Eveline will recover from her ordeal.”
Graeme lowered his face to his wife’s head and briefly closed his eyes in the sweet wonder of having her back, alive. Then he nodded his agreement to Tavis and turned to stalk back to where his horse was being kept by his men.
*
As soon as they approached Armstrong Keep, Robina Armstrong ran out to greet her husband, her expression frantic.
She stopped short when she took in the presence of the Montgomery soldiers. Her eyes widened as she stared in bewilderment at the impressive display of might. And then her gaze settled on Graeme, and her hand went to her mouth when she saw it was Eveline he held before him.
She ran, skirts flying, as fast as her feet would carry her until she was directly below Graeme. He had to hold his horse in place so she wouldn’t be trampled.
“Damn it, Robina!” Tavis roared. “I told you to remain within the keep no matter what occurred!”
“What has happened to Eveline?” Robina asked, her distress evident in her choked words. She completely ignored the anger of her husband as she stared imploringly up at Graeme.
“I know not all of it,” Graeme said in gentle tones. “Allow me passage so that Eveline may be tended to.”
Robina stepped hastily to the side. “Of course.”
Then she turned and ran as fast as she’d come back to the keep, leaving them to follow on horseback.
By the time they rode into the courtyard, Robina was waiting anxiously on the steps, her fingers laced together in a ball in front of her. Tears shone on her cheeks as she waited for the warriors to dismount.
Bowen circumvented Eveline’s brothers when they would have reached up to lift Eveline down from Graeme’s horse. In a clear message that he considered Eveline one of his own, Bowen reached for her, taking her from Graeme’s arms and carefully lowering her.
He waited for Graeme to slide down and then handed her back into Graeme’s care. Mindful not to jostle her, Graeme walked toward Robina, displaying no discomfort over the fact that he and his men were fully ensconced on Armstrong land and that they were, in effect, at the mercy of the Armstrong laird.