Page 17 of McKenna’s Honor (The Clan MacDougall #4)

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F ury erupted behind his eyes as the maid lay at his feet. The anger roared quietly, like the flames in a blacksmith’s forge. Hot enough to melt iron -- or to kill.

Years of experience had taught him how to kill silently, mercilessly, and without any evidence left behind to point in his direction. He chuckled inwardly. No one would ever think he could do such a thing. People loved him. Adored him. Admired him. Well, almost everyone.

The maid’s death had been unfortunate, but necessary. She had known far too much. She wasn’t even aware that she knew anything and she wasn’t bright enough to put the pieces together. But should anyone ask the right questions too soon….

He couldn’t take the chance. Not yet, not when he was so close to the end goal. Very soon he would have all that he ever wanted.

Shaking his head, he looked down at the dead girl and quietly sighed. It was quite unfortunate for she had been such a pretty little thing. He shrugged it off as another sacrifice of war. And this was war.

He put out the candle with his fingertips and quietly left the larder. It would be hours before anyone found her body and he’d be long gone by then. Without question, the little maid had told him everything that she knew. Her lady was on her way to Stirling, guarded by a band of MacDougall men. When he pressed her further, the maid had admitted to overhearing parts of the conversation. “The lady has a box that the laird gave her. I dunnae what be in the box, but they say it has somethin’ to do with Angus McKenna. Somethin’ that can stop him from hangin’.”

Damn Carlich Lindsay. He would have loved to strangle the auld man too, but one dead person was enough. The maid’s death was going to cause a big enough uproar as it was. Two dead people could very well have brought everything tumbling down. He was too close, far too close to begin making mistakes now.

Meticulously he had planned for every eventuality, or so he thought. Damn Arline Lindsay. Her he would enjoy killing. But he could not be in two places at once. As he made his way quietly out of the keep and into the dark night, he quickly formed a new plan. He hadn’t gotten where he was by letting small distractions get in his way. He hadn’t let anyone or anything get in his way.

He was at least a day’s ride behind Arline and the MacDougalls. Hopefully the fools were taking their time in getting to Stirling. He must hurry if he were to keep her from getting there before Angus was hanged.

In no time, he had made his way out of the keep and beyond its walls, making no more noise than a mouse. He had to make certain that Lady Arline Lindsay did not make it to Stirling, at least not alive. And he had to get that damned box away from her.

Who knew what information it held. He cursed under his breath for underestimating Carlich. The man was as auld as dirt for the sake of Christ! What could he possibly know? What information could he have gained laying on his deathbed all these years?

Nay, he couldn’t know anything. ’Twas impossible. Mayhap the auld man had lost his mind and the box held nothing of import. Mayhap it was the auld man’s attempt at one last good deed before death took him. How could he possibly know anything when he hadn’t left his damned room in the past year?

The soft rain helped cover any sound he might have made and washed away any trail he might have left behind. He made his way across the grass and into the woods where his men were waiting for him. He pushed away the uneasiness and convinced himself that there was no possible way that Carlich knew anything. The box was probably empty, or, at the most, it simply held a letter that spoke of all the good Angus McKenna had done for the people of Scotland.

Bah! Angus was just as guilty as he was. He had plotted right alongside him. But plans had been put in place on the off chance the fool had a change of heart or tried to save his own neck. He knew there was naught Angus would not do for his wife and children. Isobel and Aishlinn were ensconced, along with those brats of Duncan’s, in a safe place. He had been very careful with them and they knew not who it was that had taken them.

The moment he saw Angus and Duncan hanging by their necks, he might be inclined to keep his promise and let them go. Mayhap he’d kill them, just to be safe. But not before he had a little fun with Isobel. She was a beautiful woman. He wondered what she’d be like under the sheets. She was probably a tigress in bed.

He knew she wouldn’t come to him willingly but it didn’t really matter. He stifled a chuckle when he thought how Angus would take the news if he ever found out he had taken his precious Isobel against her will. But he couldn’t stifle the chuckle that mental image brought.

Distractions. He could not afford them. He had to focus on the matter at hand. Kill Arline and get that stupid box from her. After that and after Angus and Duncan were dead, then and only then, could he take his pleasures with Isobel.