Page 2 of A Rogue and a Noble Lass

He crept through the Keep, following Abigail and the guard from a distance. His footsteps were light and he kept to the long shadows. There were plenty of them. His home was a nest of shadows.

Abigail strode into the Great Hall. A while ago, Logan had found a loose pile of stones that covered a hole in the wall. He pushed them aside and crawled into the hole. He could see Abigail standing before their father, hands clasped behind her back. Their father rose from his chair, clad in his customary black cloak, leaning forward slightly, beady eyes and hooked nose making him look like an old crow.

Abigail had warned him never to taunt their father.

Laird Warnock was not a man who tolerated jokes.

His voice was rasping and cruel. It was as cold as the wind that blew through the Keep. Logan moved his hand and curled his fingers around a rock. He wasn’t entirely sure what good it would do, but he felt better for holding a weapon.

“Ye hae failed, lass.”

Each word was as heavy as a blacksmith’s hammer upon an anvil.

“I am sorry, Da.”

“Sorry?” Warnock spat. “Dae ye think I care about that? We should hae been celebrating good news. Ye should be Ryan Knox’s bride, but instead he took another. He thought someone better than ye, my daughter. Dae ye ken how much of an insult it is?”

He started to pace around.

Logan’s brow became knotted. That must have been what she intended to tell him earlier. He choked on emotion.

What was he supposed to do without Abigail?

“I tried my best,” Abigail countered.

“Ye should hae tried harder!” He waved a dismissive hand in the air. His fingers were more like talons.

“I cannae control a man’s heart,” Abigail said.

Warnock stopped pacing and laughed. The sound echoed through the Great Hall.

“Aye, ye can. This Caroline found a way. She hae everything that should rightfully belong tae us.”

He abruptly grabbed her chin. Abigail’s body arched and she gasped with pain.

Logan grit his teeth and his grip tightened on the rock. Then, Warnock released his grip, pushing her away. He turned his back to her.

“This is a dark day for the Highlands. Alliances will be forged and we will nae be a part of them. Ye carry the blame. Yer worth was in yer obedience but I see ye are as useless as yer Ma.”

“I apologize for disappointing ye, Da. Please tell me how I can make it up tae ye,” Abigail said.

Logan hated how frightened she was. She should never have been put in a position to leave anyway. Her home was here.

“Och, ye will still be married. There’s an old ally of mine. Unfortunately he hae some bad luck when it comes tae wives.” He thrust a hand out and grabbed Abigail’s arm tightly, enough to make her gasp in pain. “And ye will dae anything he requires, anything at all. Ye failed me once. It will nae happen again.”

Warnock pushed her away and gestured for the guard to escort her back to her chambers. The guard had a mean look on his face as he took hold of her arm, dragging her away. Abigail tried to wrest her arm free, but the guard wasn’t releasing her, and she was suffering because of it.

Logan couldn’t take it. He emerged from his hiding place and with all his might he hurled the rock through the air.

“Leave her alone!” Logan thundered.

The guard wasn’t expecting it at all. The shock and fury took him by surprise. The rock hit him square in the nose. He clutched his face and blood poured between his fingers.

Abigail turned in horror, shaking her head. The color drained from her face while Warnock cackled with laughter.

“Och, and why are ye here?”

He crossed the room, and Logan suddenly realized that he did not want the attention of his father.