Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

took him a moment to realize the woman from the Highlands was handing him a key. As quickly as he could, he opened the lo ck and let the chain fall away.
    “My daughters?” Catherin asked, wiping the tears off her cheeks with the hem of her skirt.
    “We have not yet found Rachel, but we will. My men will search every house until they find her.” He stood up, patted her arm and smiled. “Anna is fine.”
    “He beat her, I heard him.”
    “I know, but she is healing.”

    Kevin knew he wasn’t going to get Rachel’s location from the scunner , so he let Stoneham stand there , threatening and insulting everyone and everything he could think of. Kevin wasn’t even listening. He could still hear Anna’s words -- If I moved my head too far, he would cut my throat. -- The thought of how frightened she must have been made Kevin’s blood boil. Then he forced himself to remember the feel of her head on his chest so he could calm down.
    Stoneham seemed to be convinced he could handle all three men without breaking a sweat. Kevin would have liked proving him wrong, but he promised the king he wouldn’t kill the man -- at least not yet.
    “Stoneham, ” the voice behind him boomed.
    Stoneham spun around. “Your Majesty?” He started to bow, but the king shoved him aside and walked into the dining room. Behind Stoneham, ten of the king’s well-armed men stood with swords drawn glaring at him and the color began to drain out of Stoneham’s arrogant face.
    The king walked to the Highlanders and turned to face Stoneham. Had he realized how puny he looked next to the giants, he would have reconsidered. “Something quite remarkable has happ ened,” the king began, “I seemed to have misplaced two full count of men and do you know where I found them? Right here surrounding your property. They were under the mistaken belief I had ordered them to protect you from an expected MacGreagor attack. ”
    Stoneham was starting to get nervous and the king was glad of it when he walked around the Highlanders to the window, looked out and then turned back to face him. “I sent them away. Would you like to see for yourself?” Stoneham didn’t move. “I thought not. Thank God, I will not have that worry. A war with the Highlands is not something I would enjoy just now. When you are dead, I must remember to give this property to a more sensible man.”
    The king retraced his steps, noticed the glare Stoneham was giving Kevin and the one Kevin was returning. “Should I let the MacGreagor have you? I hear his father let you live, but I doubt the son will be so generous. By the way, you have committed bigamy. The church frowns on bigamy, you know. I met your first wife a few days ago an d she has impressed me greatly.
    Would you believe she walked right into my court unattended and when one of my guards tried to stop her, she broke his arm? I was forced to hear what she had to say while I still had a command left. I am thinking of asking her to teach my men a thing or two and perha ps help us improve our Gaelic.”
    “She is not my wife, she is a liar,” Stoneham muttered.
    “I see.” The king spotted the pastries on the table and walked over to examine them. “Invite your other wife to join us. She is a lovely woman and I would enjoy having tea and a pastry with her. As I recall, she has a smile that can make the birds sing.”
    “She is...unwell.”
    “Oh , I doubt that. Call up to her and see if she will come d own.” When Stoneham stalled , the king called up instead. “Catherin, I demand you come down at once!”
    She didn’t hesitate for a moment. Catherin went back inside, threaded her way through the king’s guard, walked into the room and turned to face her husband. Athena was right behind her and with as much hate in her eyes as she could manage, Athena dropped the lock and chain at Stoneham’s feet.
    The king broke off a bite of pastry, savored the taste and swallowed. “Tell me, Stoneham, to which of these lovely ladies should I give the pleasure of cutting you in half?”

    CHAPTER VII

    When it was time to leave, Kevin asked Catherin if she wanted to go with them , but she seemed unwilling to answer. Instead, she whispered to Athena … she wanted to see Anna , but she didn’t want to go back upstairs to get her things. Athena understood and did it for her. Then, when Athena announced she was going with the King to find Rachel, Catherin was so used to being told what to do, she didn’t demand to go