Free My Notorious Highlander (Highland Adventure 5) by Vonda Sinclair

able to make a quick escape.
    "I want to thank you again for rescuing me," she said. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come along."
    He gave a brief bow. "There's no need to thank me. I only wish I could've reached you sooner."
    "You arrived just in time. 'Tis all that matters."
    "I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly. But I must ask… why you said what you did when I bested MacBain?" His expression shifted to that dangerous one she'd witnessed on a few occasions, though never directed at her.
    "What do you mean?" She searched his face, trying to figure out what he was talking about and why he was almost angry about it.
    " Don't murder him. That's what you said when I was holding the blade to MacBain's throat."
    "Oh." Jessie drew in a deep breath, her stomach twisting and tying in knots as she tried to compose a reasonable excuse in her head. "I… I simply didn't want any more death. MacBain is a chief and if you were to kill him, there would be consequences. The MacBain clan would no doubt attack the MacKays in revenge."
    Torrin crossed his arms over his broad chest, eying her with needle-sharp interest. "Why did you use the word murder instead of kill ?"

Chapter Five

    Jessie watched Torrin cautiously, scarcely able to breathe, her heart thundering in her ears. Why had she let him stand between herself and the library door? Mo chreach . She glanced down, remembering she had not yet retrieved her dirk, and she only had two blades on her person at the moment. One was strapped high on her thigh, and a smaller one was sewn into the hem of her arisaid . She could not get to either of them easily.
    But deep down she believed Torrin wouldn't hurt her, no matter what she might say. He'd rescued her from MacBain, after all. Could she tell him she knew he'd killed her foster brother all those years ago? Could she ask him why? Or would it be a grand mistake? Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to be courageous.
    "Because… I know. I saw what you did," she said, watching Torrin's face closely.
    He frowned. "What are you talking about?"
    "Eight years ago in Caithness . On Keith lands."
    Torrin's eyes narrowed upon her, giving her that lethal look. "What did you see?"
    She swallowed hard and forced herself not to retreat a few steps like she wanted. He must not know how much she feared him. "I saw you murder Lyall Keith."
    Torrin shook his head, his eyes reflecting sadness instead of anger or guilt. "I didn't murder him," he said in a calm tone. "He'd raped and murdered my sister. 'Twas justice."
    Disbelief struck Jessie, knocking her back a step. "What? Lyall did that?"
    "Aye. Besides, he had a sword. 'Twas a fair fight."
    His unruffled composure confused her, turned everything she knew on its head. Was he telling the truth?
    "Did you know him well, then?" Torrin asked.
    "He was my foster brother. I fostered with the Keiths for several years. And afterward, I went back to visit often."
    "Saints," Torrin hissed. "All I know about him is he was a rapist and a murderer, and my sister wasn't the only one to suffer at his hand."
    How could this be possible? She had always thought Lyall kind and trustworthy. "Maybe there was a mistake. How do you ken 'twas him?"
    " 'Twas no mistake. My sister lived for two days after the bastard raped and beat her. Allina had several injuries and lost a great deal of blood." Pain glinted in Torrin's eyes. "She told us who did it. We'd both met Lyall Keith a week or so before. You see, I'd taken her to stay with our aunt near Lairg . Keith was staying there, too, along with several others. Allina had a mare she was mad about, and she'd gone out to the stables one evening to give her an apple. That's when the Keith bastard and his friend captured her." Anger glinting in his eyes, Torrin shook his head. "When I went back to bring her home, they said she'd disappeared and had been gone all night and half the day. I took a search party out looking for her. We found her knocked out and almost