Page 86 of Highland Ruse

“Did you kill Torra?” Delilah hurled the question at him. It was not diplomatic in the least, but perhaps it would offset his dogged determination to get a clear answer from her when she had none to give.

She did not expect his icy smile to widen, though perhaps she ought to have.

“Torra.” MacKenzie nodded as one does when recalling a fond memory. “I’ve no’ heard her name in years.”

The last word left Delilah’s skin prickling with fear.

“Did you kill her?” she whispered.

He took one more step toward her and stood so close she could punch him. “Ye could say that.” There was an exotic scent to him, some foreign perfume. An expensive one.

All the hope pushing her through the awfulness of the ordeal at Edirdovar Castle, and the difficulty of being away from Kaid and Claire—it all crumbled into dust.

“Go to yer room.” MacKenzie’s gaze scraped over her, abrasive with scrutiny. “Get some sleep and get yerself cleaned up. I’ll no’ wed ye looking like a beggar.”

Delilah turned to go when he reached out and grabbed her arm in a hard grip. She spun toward him and suppressed the urge to drive her elbow into his perfect nose.

He grinned. “I’m going to break ye, Elizabeth. And I’m going to enjoy it.”

Delilah jerked her arm free and left the room before she gave in to the temptation to kill him.

• • •

Delilah regretted having not killed MacKenzie.

She paced her large chamber while Leasa assembled a meager bag of their most precious belongings.

It had been Leasa who had kept Delilah from killing MacKenzie. The guards, who seemed more plentiful by day than they had been by night, would have retaliated for their master’s murder by seeing both Delilah and Leasa dead.

And while the sacrifice would have rid the world of MacKenzie’s cruelty and freed the MacLeod clan to live in peace, Delilah could not allow herself to so endanger Leasa. Not after all the maid had been through.

But without Leasa there, Delilah would be free to kill MacKenzie.

It would be a worthy sacrifice, and she knew she could get another chance.

Her heartbeat quickened with the possibility.

Leasa could leave once the household quieted, something that wouldn’t happen any time soon given the amount of bustling activity echoing from below. But soon all would quiet, and Delilah could pick the flimsy lock and let her maid escape to Donnan.

Delilah would stay, feigning ignorance at her maid’s disappearance. Then, when MacKenzie demanded answers…Her fingers slid over the metal of her blade before letting the edge carefully scrape along her fingertips. Yes, she could still kill him.

And she would.

Footsteps sounded in the hall, near her door.

Leasa slid Delilah a frightened look.

“Hide the bag,” Delilah whispered.

Leasa quickly complied and shoved the bundle into a corner behind the large bed. No sooner had she done so, the clatter of a key seeking purchase in the lock sounded and the great wooden door flew open.

MacKenzie strode in, followed by several guards.

Ten. There were ten guards.

Too many for Delilah to take on herself without risking Leasa.

“It would appear ye’ve lied to me.” MacKenzie motioned toward them, and the guards rushed forward.