Desired by a Highlander by Donna Fletcher

Author:Donna Fletcher [Fletcher, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Donna Fletcher

Chapter 15

Willow gripped her husband’s hand tightly as she, James, and Tarass stood looking down at Rhodes. The warrior was dead, blood covering his chest from what looked to Willow to be two stab wounds. He lay inside the woods, not far from where Clan Macardle land met Clan MacLoon land.

Fear ran through Willow. Her husband would be blamed for this. Too many had seen the animosity Rhodes and Slatter had for each other. And there were those who had heard Slatter threaten to kill Rhodes. This did not bode well for her husband at all and she did her best to calm her fears and think sensibly. Not an easy task with the fire she saw blazing in Tarass’s eyes. And when he turned his eyes on Slatter, Willow’s stomach twisted with such fear that she thought her legs would fail her.

“Slatter killed him! He killed him!”

They all turned to see Owen, another of Tarass’s warriors and one who rode with Rhodes, rushing toward them.

Pain and fury mixed in the warrior’s dark eyes when his glance landed on Rhodes. He turned his anger on Slatter.

“Slatter killed him,” Owen said, his curt remark leaving no room for doubt. “Rhodes told me that Slatter asked to meet with him at sunrise, that there was something of great importance he needed to tell him and only him. I wanted to go with him but he ordered me to remain at camp with the men.”

Tarass turned heated eyes on Slatter. “You’ll hang for this.”

Willow went to step in front of her husband, but he pushed her behind him. “Do you want the truth of what happened to Rhodes or would you hang an innocent man and let the one who took Rhodes’s life walk free?”

“You lie, you coward,” Owen yelled. “You set a trap, lured him here, and killed him.”

“I never asked to meet Rhodes, and watch who you call coward,” Slatter threatened with a snarl.

“Liar,” Owen yelled and took quick steps toward Slatter.

Slatter didn’t hesitate, his hand went to the hilt of his dagger.

Tarass’s hand shot out stopping Owen from taking another step toward Slatter. “You deserve to die.”

“The one who did this deserves to die,” Slatter corrected.

“You gave your word we’d have until the end of winter to prove Slatter innocent,” Willow reminded, stepping from behind her husband and wishing he had been beside her in bed when she woke this morning. Then no one could dispute his innocence.

“My word I gave you concerned his other deeds, not killing one of my warriors,” Tarass argued.

“This can easily be settled,” James said, stepping forward. “Dawn, the time of the meeting, would find Slatter in bed with his wife. Willow need only confirm that.”

“His wife would lie for him,” Owen accused.

“My wife does not lie,” Slatter said, defending her. “She would speak the truth and tell you she woke alone this morning.”

Her husband was right. She wouldn’t have lied for him. There would be no reason, since she believed him innocent. Her husband knew her well, just as she did him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.