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Kelvan

“What the hell were you thinking, Glenna? You can’t fight two Highlanders that size,” Kelvan bellowed while two men carried her back into the castle.

“My hand,” she mumbled. “Get the gems from it, Kelvan. They’re worth a fortune.”

The men got her into her bedchamber, one of them tying a tight band around her arm to stop the blood flow. “Get the healer here to sew her up.” Kelvan paced back and forth, not knowing what to do next. “You’re a volatile fool, Glenna. Not meant for battle. You’re too emotional.”

“Well, I got what I wanted. It happened exactly as I wanted it to.” Her head fell back, her eyes closing, but then she jerked back up again. “It would have been perfect if his friend hadn’t caught my hand. That could still prove to be a death blow to Ramsay.”

“Too late now, you fool.” Hell, but the woman was too emotional. Women were only good for one thing, and she was proving no different. “Now you’ve thrown everything off.”

“Nay, I set it up perfectly. You don’t understand strategy, Kelvan.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Their entire clan will be so busy trying to save him that they’ll be ripe for an attack.

Now’s the perfect time to come in from the back, climb over the wall, and get the bairns.

They won’t be paying them any mind. I set this up for you, my love, so you can get your daughter.

We can get the bairns first, then negotiate for Kyla and her son. ”

Kelvan fell into the closest chair. “You’re right. They’ll have healers flying around and never notice anyone in the cellars.”

She was smarter than he thought. This was his chance to retrieve his daughter.

Sweet Shealee was the best thing that ever happened to him.

The wee lass looked at him as if he were the best person in the world, which, of course, he was.

Smarter than anyone else. Shealee would probably follow him wherever he went, kiss his cheek whenever he asked her to, and she always smiled at him, even as an infant.

Then when she was a bit older, he’d sell her like the others. What good were lasses, anyway?

Word had reached him that his daughter and Merryn had left MacLean land.

If he had to guess, he would wager they were at Duart Castle, whose occupants took in everyone who needed protection.

He had to go and see if his daughter was there.

Then he’d steal her away and keep her until she became like all the other needy females of the world, so annoying that he’d sell her to someone in Europe.

Glenna had passed out, his men busy getting the healer, but Kelvan didn’t have the forces he needed to follow Logan and his men.

He couldn’t gather a large enough number for what he needed for another two or three days, but by that time, Logan would be suffering from the fever and probably near death.

That would still mean the entire group would be unsuspecting, so upset that they would not be as aware as they should be.

He went over and kissed Glenna’s cheek. “Many thanks to you, my love. You are right. Instead of waiting a fortnight, we’ll attack in three days.”

Then he grabbed a drink, sat down, and set his feet up on a nearby stool. “I’m coming for you, Shealee. Soon you’ll be where you belong.”