“I’ve a good mind to kill ye,” Iainsaid.
Suddenly, a very soft, warm bodypressed against his back. “You mustn’t kill unless your life is at stake,”Marion scolded. “He’s no threat presently.”
Marion’s warm breath tickled theback of his neck and made him shudder. No woman other than his late wife hadever made him react so. He frowned, as much at his response to her as to thefact that she was right about sparing Froste. He could ensure the knight didnot follow them, if Froste was intent upon doing so, without killing him.
“Put him to sleep,” Iain told RoryMac, who grinned in answer.
Froste jerked, as if to stopwhatever was coming, but Iain simply reminded him of his deadly situation bypressing his sword against the man’s windpipe. Froste stilled, glaring at Iain,but when Rory Mac hit him on the side of the head with the hilt of his swordand Froste’s head lolled sideways, the glare vanished, much to Iain’ssatisfaction. Iain removed his foot from Froste’s chest and looked around him.Rory Mac had felled two of the man’s knights, and Iain had dispatched theother.
Behind Marion, the Scot on theground still lay motionless. “Who is that?” Iain demanded, pointing at the man.
Marion narrowed her eyes, whichwere as green as the lush rolling hills of the Highlands in the summer. “Whoare you to make demands of me?”
“I already told ye, I’m to wed yeby orders of yer king.”
“You did not tellme,” shebit out. “You bellowed it at Froste. And forgive me if I don’t readily believeyou. I need proof.”
Iain produced the decree stamped byKing Edward’s ring and signature. Her eyes widened considerably as she read it.“But why? Does this have to do with the negotiations you mentioned?” Shesounded angry. He supposed he couldn’t blame her, being traded from one man toanother as she had been.
“Because,” he said gently,considering how much he should tell her and deciding to be as truthful as hecould. He would tell her the remainder when he knew he could trust her. At themoment, he didn’t even know how she had arrived here. Had she feigned herdrowning? It seemed likely. “King Edward wants to seal a bargain betweenhimself, David, and me.”
Her brows dipped together. “Whatsort of bargain involves me?” she asked obstinately.
He sighed. “I’ll tell ye all whenwe are safely on the way to Scotland.”
“I’m not moving until you tell me,”she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Iain shared a look with Rory Mac,who gave a nod of understanding. With one swift motion, Iain picked Marion up,snatched her bloody dagger out of her hands, and slung her over his shoulder.His future wife bellowed as she beat her fists against his back. Iain took along approving look at her perfectly formed bottom. He may not want a wife withhis head or heart, but his body certainly responded to Marion’s. He ground histeeth and caught Rory Mac studying him. Iain glared at his friend while handingthe dagger to him. “Keep this until the Sassenach does nae want to use it onme.”
Rory Mac grunted. “I may have itforever, then,” the Scot teased as he strode toward the man who’d been lying onthe ground, his face in the dirt, but was now struggling to sit up.
“Put me down,” Marion shouted.
Iain ignored her for a minute as hestared at the man who was now standing with Rory Mac’s help. The man wobbled,but Rory Mac steadied him, and then the man looked at Iain. For the second timesince coming to Newcastle, Iain stared in shock at Neil MacLeod. He strode,with Marion still cursing and hitting him, toward his clansmen.
“Neil,” he growled, then quicklysoftened his tone when he realized Neil had blood on the left side of his face.
Neil moved his hand toward his earand winced. “Froste, the clot-heid, took my other ear and my sword.” He groanedand swayed again.
“Put me down!” Marion demandedagain. “I can help him.”
Iain set her on her feet. “Be quickabout it,” he ordered, wanting to be gone from this place.
Marion pulled up her skirt,displaying her slender ankles, which Iain found himself staring at until hefelt her stare on him. He pulled his gaze to her face. “How can I help?”
She held the edge of her skirt outto him. “Tear this. I need to dress his ear.”
Iain complied, then handed thestrip of material to her.
She took it from him with waryeyes. “Do you have any spirits?”
“Aye. For cleansing the wound?” heasked.
“Yes.”
Iain took Neil’s arm and nodded toRory Mac. “Fetch it.”
Rory Mac tipped his head and rushedoff. Iain turned to Neil. “What are ye doing here? Ye did nae mention a word ofcoming. How do ye ken Lady Marion?” As he waited for Neil to answer, Marionrushed over to the knight Iain had felled. Beside the man was Neil’s sword. Asshe struggled to lift it, Neil spoke.
