The Highlander's Dangerous Temptation by Brisbin Terri

Author:Brisbin, Terri [Brisbin, Terri]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Historical Romance, Scotland Highlands, Highlanders, Scotland, Love Story, Romance, Historical
ISBN: 9780263898637
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Published: 2013-11-02T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Lairig Dubh

‘He comes,’ Connor said to his wife as he watched Rurik approach the keep from the yard. ‘And he looks none too happy about this.’

‘I did not expect him to be happy, Connor,’ Jocelyn replied. ‘I—’

‘I think I know what you had in mind, love. I just think you meddled far more in this than you should have. He has the right as her father...’ His words drifted off as the topic of their discussion threw open the door and strode inside.

‘Connor, there is still no word,’ Rurik bellowed. ‘None.’

‘And there will not be any until the pass clears, Rurik,’ he answered. He read the worry and the anger in his commander’s, and friend’s, eyes.

‘She will be cared for, Rurik,’ Jocelyn said softly. ‘She is safe until we can travel back to her.’

‘Your idea of safe and mine differs, Jocelyn, when your brother is involved.’

Connor watched as Jocelyn took offence at the words and tone of Rurik’s words and stepped between them. For as long as he’d been married to Jocelyn, he had never seen Rurik take a stance against her in any matter, so Connor was not quite certain about this disagreement. Still, his words had been an insult to Jocelyn’s brother, one even he could hear.

‘Athdar knows your feelings about him, Rurik. As does Isobel.’

‘As does everyone here in Lairig Dubh,’ Jocelyn muttered under her breath. Crossing her arms over her chest, she mirrored Rurik’s stance. The battle was on and he stood in the middle of his long-time friend and the commander of all MacLerie warriors and his wife. Not an enviable place to be. He let out a sigh.

‘He is an ally and my brother-by-marriage, pledged in fealty to my service, Rurik. He answers to me.’

‘She is my daughter. He answers to me.’

A stalemate for now, knowing that Rurik would never disobey a direct order. ‘When the pass opens, we will send some men to retrieve her.’ When Rurik rose to his full height, Connor recognised his discontent and desire to argue. ‘Those are my orders for now, Rurik. You have your duties—see to them now and until I give you leave to do anything else.’

‘But, Connor...’ he began.

Damn it, where was Duncan, his peacemaker, when he needed him for things like this?

‘You may not like him, but Isobel is safe. She is her father’s daughter and will not be taken advantage of or abused. You know it and I know it,’ he offered, trying to reduce the tension in the situation.

A stricken expression filled Rurik’s eyes for a second at Connor’s reference to Isobel as Rurik’s daughter and, if he had not been staring at his friend in that exact moment, Connor would have missed it. Something ran deeper here than Connor knew about. Rurik was hiding something about Isobel. He thought Rurik might have realised the slip, for he nodded to both of them and left without another word.

Connor faced his wife and could tell with a glance that she’d seen it, as well, but there did not seem to be the surprise in her gaze that he must have in his own.

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