Page 21 of A Scoundrel’s Promise

“The constable will see the evidence with his own eyes.” The man surveyed Liam with a speculative eye. “Or perhaps, we’ll just bring the constable here and show him your dead body next to the cows you stole. Who could blame us for having to shoot you?”

“You won’t live long, then,” Liam replied in a mild tone. “My brother will hunt you down.”

Mallatratt shrugged. “I wager the newly wed Lord Fraser won’t want to risk his life now that he has a pretty young wife.”

Liam gave him a cool smile. “With Ewan, there will be no risk. He will find you. He will kill you. Then, he will return to his pretty wife with no one the wiser.” That wasn’t quite true. Ewan would hunt him down and kill him, then turn himself in to the authorities.

Uncertainty flickered in the man’s eyes. His muttonchop whiskers quivered. “I dinnae take kindly to being threatened.”

“ ‘Tis no threat.”

“Then you leave me no choice.” Mallatratt waved his gun toward the clearing. “We will bury your body where Lord Fraser won’t look.”

“Do no’ be a fool—” Liam began. The rustle of leaves behind him registered and he started to turn when pain sliced through his skull.

With a gasp, he stumbled forward then sank to one knee.

“Fall, ye bastard,” Mallatratt grunted.

Something struck him on the back of the head and his world went black.