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Andrew listened patiently, but so far nothing he heard was earth-shattering. But he was not prepared for what came next.

“He dissolved our betrothal,” she said, her voice squeaking. “He dissolved it because he has promised me to an English earl to form an alliance. The Earl of Annan and Blackbank, Alphonse d’Vant.”

Andrew thought he had not heard correctly. He looked at her as if she were speaking in tongues. But as the information settled, assaulting his mind like an evil curse, he slowly stood up. All he could do was stare at her and try not to explode.

The Earl of Annan and Blackbank.

It wasn’t possible!

“Are you certain of this?” he asked, his voice sounding oddly breathless.

She nodded. “Aye.”

“When?”

“The king says that he will take me with him when he leaves in two days,” she said. She was feeling desperation as well as fear. “I could not believe it myself when I heard it. Did you know that your brother was a great supporter of the king?”

In truth, Andrew had. He’d kept track of his brother all of these years, as it was always wise to know one’s enemy. He’d never lost that sense of tracking his brother like a hound. Faintly, he nodded.

“I’d heard,” he muttered. “I’d heard he was willing to support the king who granted him the most favor. Now, I am to understand you are part of that favor?”

Josephine simply nodded, her eyes still filled with tears. The news was so very devastating for them both. She watched him, waiting for something to happen but, so far, he’d not said anything. He simply looked shocked.

But the truth was that Andrew was more than shocked; every murderous, evil thought he had ever had now took the form of King Alexander. The man was a vile excuse for a man and did not deserve to live. Marry his sweet Josephine to his barbaric brother? Even thinking such a thought was beyond reason.

Lost to his thoughts, Andrew stepped back, stumbling on the corner of a table as he turned around. He seemed to be heading for the door. Josephine rose as well, following him. She feared what he might do once he left her chamber, and she knew she must keep him caged until his temper calmed.

Her suspicion had been correct. He was, indeed, heading for the door. He went for the door but she ran in front of him, throwing herself in front of the panel as he grappled with the latch.

“Where are you going?” she pleaded.

His face was frightening. “Get out of my way.”

“Nay!” she cried. “Andrew, think ! You’ll only hasten your own death if you confront the king and then you shall be of no help to me!”

“Remove yourself, Josephine,” he growled.

She threw her arms around his neck, holding on to him like a great anchor. “Please, nay! ” she begged, then turned her head towards the cracked door. She knew that Ola was out there, somewhere. The little maid was never far from her mistress. “Ola! Find Sully and Thane! I need them! Run! ”

Josephine knew the woman was off and running. Now, she prayed her maid found the men in time. Andrew was far too large for her to hold off for long.

But she held on to him for dear life and he stood still for the moment with his hand on the latch.

Fortunately, she was greatly diminishing his resolve with her sweet body pressed next to his because he knew her words held truth.

With him dead, she would be at the mercy of the king and his brother.

But in his heart of hearts, he knew that he could not allow this to take place.

He intended to make the king pay.

“Please, Andrew,” she was whispering in his ear. “We have just only found each other. I cannot bear the thought of losing you, not now.”

His resolve took another hit. She was begging him and he simply couldn’t resist her. With a heavy sigh, a big arm came up to hold her to him, and he turned his face to her hair, smelling the faint scent of rose.

“You will not lose me,” he said. “But I am The Red Fury and I will fight for what is mine. Have no fear, love; ’tis not I who shall lose this fight.”

She pulled back from him, looking him in the face. “If you kill the king, you’ll bring the wrath of the entire kingdom upon Torridon,” she said. “We shall all lose in that case.”

He met her eyes, digesting her words. It seemed as if an eternity passed while they stared at each other. The longer he looked at her, the more his anger cooled. She seemed to have that effect on him.

“Then I shall speak with him,” he said.

She shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “It would do no good. You know that. It would only anger him.”

Perhaps that was true, but he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Quickly, he pulled her arms away from his neck, breaking her grip.

“I will have to take that chance,” he said. “And you must let me. This cannot go unanswered, Josephine.”

“Nay!” she cried, terrified. “Please, Andrew, nay! ”

Andrew heard her but he simply couldn’t comply.

As he threw open the door, Sully and Thane were there, and they pushed roughly into the room.

Andrew fell back as Josephine wisely jumped out of the way.

Andrew didn’t fight back, but merely tensed up as the two men guided him well away from the door. Josephine ran over to lock it.

“Now,” Sully demanded quietly, “what goes on here?”

Josephine looked like a scared rabbit, harried and somewhat disheveled. She came away from the door, moving to Andrew as he stood back by the hearth. She put a hand on his arm as if she were afraid to let go of him.

“It is all my fault, Sully,” she said, the tears threatening to return. “I must beg your forgiveness and pray that it is in your heart to forgive me.”

He looked puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

“I was wrong,” she said miserably. “The king never planned to marry Justine or me to Colin. I forced you to marry my sister in a fit of panic to save our miserable lives. I was foolish, Sully. Please forgive me for ruining your life.”

Sully wasn’t angry. He had suspected all along that it was not the king’s intention to marry one of the de Carrons to their mortal enemy, but Josephine had seemed convinced of it.

“There is nothing to forgive, Joey.” He smiled gently at her. “I am not sorry that I married your sister. And I know you were doing what you believed to be right.”

Josephine thought he was only being gallant, compounding her misery.

She closed her eyes and tears fell like raindrops.

Sully felt a good deal of pity for her but he was distracted.

He knew without a doubt that was not the reason Andrew had been stampeding through the doorway when he’d arrived. He finally looked to Andrew.

“Where were you going?” he asked. “Why was Josephine begging you not to go?”

Andrew looked up at him with such hatred that Sully felt a chill go down his spine. But he didn’t respond; it seemed as if he was having difficulty voicing the issue. Beside him, Josephine spoke.

“I shall tell you why,” she said. “Because the king has dissolved our betrothal and has pledged me to an English earl, one who is in support of the Scottish king. It is the Earl of Annan and Blackbank.”

Sully didn’t react at first, but Thane went mad.

He cursed, yelled, and threatened until Andrew ordered him to sit and be still.

He slowly complied, red-faced and pounding his fists.

Once Thane was controlled, Andrew let out a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, heading to Josephine’s window for a breath of air.

Sully had heard Andrew’s story and knew exactly who the earl was. Clearly, it was a terrible situation for all involved and his heart ached for Josephine, being in the middle of it all. But given the circumstances, cooler heads must prevail.

“Gentlemen,” Sully said quietly. “It would seem that we have a bit of a problem.”

Andrew chuckled bitterly as he stared out across the countryside.

He was calmer now, but not much. He couldn’t remember ever having been so distressed, and his best friend, Thane, along with him.

His two best friends, in fact. He considered Sully a friend as well.

Somehow, with that company, the problem didn’t seem so large.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to them.

“I think the best thing that we can do is go about our business and try to think of a way to salvage the situation,” he said sensibly. “But if we fail, if we can think of no way out of this, then I shall take Josephine and flee the country.”

Josephine looked at him in surprise. “Flee?” she repeated. “You… you would leave everything behind?”

Andrew looked at her. “My army, aye,” he said. “But it will go on. Thane will make sure of that. The most important thing is to remove you to safety where we can be married so the king can never come between us.”

Josephine understood. In truth, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted. And she was deeply, deeply touched. Andrew was willing to sacrifice everything he had worked for in his life to save her. She was only beginning to realize the depths and dimensions that their love would develop.

But the men weren’t so convinced. “Where will you go?” Sully asked. “Where can you go where Alexander will not send men after you?”

Before Andrew could answer, Thane found his tongue. “Now, see here,” he said grimly. “You mean to say that you would give up everything you have achieved? Your reputation, the respect of your men, and the money?”

Andrew looked at Josephine. Somehow, when he looked at her, all of those things Thane listed seemed so very unimportant by comparison.

“Look at her, Thane,” he said. “Put yourself in my place and ask your questions again. I can no longer deny my love for this woman and I shall do all within my power to keep us together.”

Thane looked at Josephine for a few moments before turning away, slowly shaking his head.

“You disagree, my friend?” Andrew asked him.

“Nay,” Thane said reluctantly. “I agree with you completely, but it still troubles me. All of your plans, Andrew, what of them?”

“Nothing has changed,” Andrew said evenly. “I shall still kill my brother.”

“What if you were to kill him now?”

It was Sully who had spoken; an unmistakable question. Andrew turned to him.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Sully came to him, clearly thinking through his answer “Could you make it to Haldane, kill your brother, and assume his earldom within the week?” he asked. “If you can do it, then as the rightful Earl of Annan and Blackbank, King Alexander will have to honor his pledge and Josephine will be yours.”

Andrew’s expression went from curiosity to surprise and back again. “What you ask,” he finally said, “would be difficult at best. But not unworthy of trying.”

It seemed like a possibility in a situation that seemed wholly impossible.

Josephine felt some hope with it. “I can keep the king here for that long,” Josephine spoke up.

“I can tell him that there is to be a celebration at the end of the week in his honor, and that all of our allies will be in attendance. The man is so concerned with baron support that surely he will stay.”

Andrew looked at her. “Do you truly think you can?”

Josephine nodded. “It is certainly worth a try.”

They were all silent for a while, each to their own thoughts. So much had happened and so much had yet to happen. It all seemed rather daunting but one could not be fearful when a life was at stake. There was much to do now and very little time.

Finally, Andrew moved away from the window, kissing Josephine gently on the temple before quitting the chamber in silence.

He was far calmer than he had been only minutes earlier so she did not stop him.

Sully followed shortly, with Thane the last one to leave the chamber, but Josephine called out to him.

“Wait,” she said, and he stopped.

“My lady?” he asked respectfully.

Josephine looked as if she were searching for the correct words. “Have you ever met Andrew’s brother?” she finally asked.

“Aye, my lady,” he replied quietly. “I saw him once, in a tavern in Haldane.”

“What is he like?” she pressed. “I mean, what kind of a person is he?”

Thane looked at her warily. “Has Andrew told you anything of him?”

She nodded. “He has, but his opinion is so clouded with hate that it is difficult to picture the earl with anything less than horns and a tail,” she said. “That is why I want to know what you know of him.”

Thane’s face hardened. “I know he is a hideous beast of a man,” he said.

“Alphonse is at least a half-head taller than Andrew, and outweighs him by a good fifty pounds. He is absolutely massive. And he has straight black hair that he pulls back into a greasy tail, and his eyes are as black as coal. It is said that he likes to watch small children wrestle with hungry dogs, and then he eats the winner.”

Her mouth popped open in horror. “He eats children?”

Thane shook his head. “No,” he said. “The dogs. But he is evil and vile, and is the embodiment of the devil. He’d have to be to imprison his own mother. That’s why Andrew wants him dead.”

Josephine was appalled by the picture Thane was painting. “How in heaven could Andrew have sprung from the same loins that gave birth to a beast?” she wondered. “Is he a great warrior? Can Andrew best him in a fight?”

Thane seemed to falter slightly. “I have heard that Alphonse is a tremendous fighter,” he said. “That is why his army is so great; men are afraid to fight against him, so they fight with him. But Andrew is a master swordsman; I have never seen better. I believe he can beat anyone.”

Josephine didn’t find comfort in those words. They just didn’t sound reassuring to her. Thane saw her face and, knowing her fears, he hastened to comfort her.

“Have no fear, my lady,” he said gently. “They call Andrew The Red Fury for good reason. He could fight the devil himself and win.”

Josephine looked at him, appreciating his attempt at reassuring her. She forced a smile.

“Then I shall believe you,” she said. “Thank you for telling me the truth.”

“It is my pleasure, my lady,” he said.

Turning on his heel, he was gone. Josephine stood there a moment, her mind a jumble of emotions and thoughts.

Why was love always so difficult? she thought bitterly.

But with the bitterness was a feeling of such utter elation that she was giddy from it.

One minute she wanted to laugh and dance, and the next minute she wanted to collapse in despair.

As she turned for her hearth and sat slowly in her chair, she allowed herself a moment to wallow in her feelings.

Oddly, she felt very alone. She had Andrew, Sully, Justine, and a host of knights at her disposal but, still, she felt alone.

She was the crux of the issue, a problem with no easy answer.

She found herself wishing her father was still alive for she very much needed his counsel.

If the time since his death had taught her one thing, it was that she knew absolutely nothing.

God help her .