Isla’s soft laughter rang through the room. “How right you are, though I cannot drum up an ounce of sympathy. That woman is vile.”
“She is, is she not? And it wouldn’t surprise me if Adair has spies to keep watch over us,” Honoria grumbled.
“You might be right,” Isla said, stepping up to the canvas to examine Honoria’s work. “But what need do they have for spies when they have Hugh?”
“Hugh will be verbally flogged along with us.”
“True,” Isla said and pointed to the painting. “You haven’t captured much of his likeness.”
Honoria pulled a face. Of course she hadn’t. Had her brothers granted her wish to visit the city and study great artworks, she might be more accomplished. “I never do.”
“Have you considered what the stranger may have done to prompt such an attack?”
“I reckon he stood quite still.”
“You don’t say,” Isla remarked dryly.
With a reluctant sigh, Honoria tore her gaze away from the stranger to glance at her sister. “Vagabonds and highwaymen attack for lesser reasons than having been prompted to do so.”
“The man is colossal,” Isla murmured. “And he was not stabbed in the back.”
“Perhaps he was tied up?” Honoria suggested, her eyes doing their minute sweep over his features.
“Aye, they stabbed him and he ran away, still bound.”
Lawd, Honoria had forgotten her sister could be every bit as mocking as she. Her eyes returned to the stranger, brushing once more over the dragon tattoo on his chest.
“Perhaps another giant stabbed him.”
“You are impossible.”
“Better that than hasty. The man who hurt him could still be out there. Hugh believes he is trouble.”
“We should be so lucky,” Honoria muttered.
Isla flashed her a wicked grin. “We could always get a tattoo engraved on us. That would stir up a full pot of trouble.”
“Aye, it would be quite amusing to see what pitch Adair’s voice would hit when he saw them.”
“Bloodcurdling, I imagine.”
Honoria gave a throaty laugh. “Boyd would surely launch through the roof in primal rage.”
“Callum’s face would distort into comical horror.”
“Falcon would raise a singular brow and give Adair a look that says ‘See what you have done with your indulgence?’” Honoria mocked in her brother’s low baritone.
“Aye, Gregor would cross his arms over his chest and intone a lengthy lecture about reckless women and the unavoidable consequences of their behavior.”
Honoria clucked her tongue. “Not to mention Lachlan would browbeat us for the name of the scoundrel who spoiled our skin and go looking for a fight, Kieran not following far behind.”
Isla grinned. “If only to make sure Lachlan did not drown the poor fellow in the loch.”
“Then we shall have to find a woman to do the deed,” Honoria proclaimed.
“And I shall take both of you over my knee and beat you within an inch of your lives,” Hugh’s surly tone interrupted their banter from the doorway.
Honoria rolled her eyes. “We were jesting, Hugh.”
