Page 157 of The Laird's Masked Passion
The answer came too quickly. Elspeth understood then that Robert had told this story so often he no longer permitted it to contain any truth that contradicted him.
“He took her intae that cursed keep,” Robert continued. “He broke her. He humiliated her. And when she couldnae give him more sons, he killed her.”
The words struck Colin like a blow. Elspeth saw it. His shoulders remained straight. His face stayed hard. But pain entered his eyes, naked and young, belonging not to the laird before her but to the boy who had once stood helpless beneath his father’s cruelty.
Robert laughed bitterly. “And what remained of her? Ye.”
Colin said nothing.
“His blood in her son. His face. His name. Ye are everything he did tae her made flesh.”
Elspeth’s horror changed. Robert had not looked at Colin and seen a man. He had seen a grave that continued breathing.
“So ye attacked the cathedral,” Colin said.
“Aye.”
“The village. The feast. Me guards.”
“I wanted tae take yer clan from ye piece by piece, every man who trusted ye, every family beneath yer protection.” Robert lowered his mouth near Elspeth’s ear. “And then yer wife.”
Colin’s eyes darkened.
“She was tae die first,” Robert told him. “Slowly, once I learned what she meant tae ye. I wanted tae leave ye with nay land worth holding, nay people left tae command, and nay woman beside ye.”
Elspeth’s stomach turned.
“Then,” Robert finished, “I meant tae kill ye.”
Silence filled the chapel. A stone shifted somewhere beyond the broken wall. Robert did not appear to hear it. Elspeth did. So did Colin.
His gaze flickered past her for less than a heartbeat.
Ready.
Robert pulled her backward until the knife bit enough to sting.
“I wonder,” he murmured, “whether yer faither begged when she died.”
Colin’s face emptied. That frightened Elspeth more than fury would have done.
“Release her,” he ordered.
Robert smiled. “Nay.”
“Take me instead.”
Elspeth’s heart stopped. “Colin.”
His eyes found hers. She shook her head. He looked back at Robert.
“Ye wanted MacKenzie blood. Mine is the blood ye blame.”
“And hers is the blood ye love.”
Colin stepped forward. “I will kneel.”
Robert’s smile widened. Elspeth stared at Colin. He unfastened his sword belt. It fell onto the grass with a heavy sound.
