The Campbell Trilogy Read online

  Caution urged her to take a step back, but she forced herself not to cower before him. She found courage in the knowledge that she was his brother’s wife, and Jamie would kill him if he harmed her.

  He scanned the hall and then demanded without preamble, “Where’s my brother?”

  The flat voice echoed in her consciousness, sending a shudder of horrible memories reverberating through her, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. She remembered with some satisfaction the punch she’d thrown in his face and could see that he remembered it as well.

  “As you can see, he’s not here.”

  His eyes narrowed at her impudent tone. “When will he return?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Where did he go?”

  Caitrina felt some of her old spirit rising inside her. How dare he burst into her home and question her as if she were one of his lackeys. Her temper flared. “My husband did not confide in me the details of his travel plans.”

  His cold gaze leveled on her. “Watch your tongue, lass. Unlike my brother, I do not tolerate disrespect from women. Even from family.”

  “You are not my family,” she snapped, though she realized it was the awful truth. His smile only further infuriated her. Discretion escaped her. “I am the lady of this keep, and I’ll thank you to remember it. Consider yourself fortunate that I don’t have you tossed out of here after what you did.”

  If he felt any guilt, he did not show it, but he did moderate his tone. “Your father was harboring outlaws, he knew well the consequences of his actions.” He paused, looking her over with a considered stare. “But I didn’t realize what you were to my brother.”

  The concession surprised her. “Would it have made a difference?”

  He shrugged indifferently. “I don’t know. What’s done is done. I cannot change the past.”

  And as much as she wanted to, neither could she. If she and Jamie were to have a future, somehow she would need to find a way to exist with this man. Though she hoped she would not be forced to endure his company for long. “Why are you here? What is it that you want?”

  At first she didn’t think he intended to answer her, but after a few moments he explained, “My men and I were attacked last night as we rode to Dunoon. If not for the timely arrival of some of my cousin’s men, we would have been overwhelmed.”

  Caitrina couldn’t help the feeling of disappointment that filled her. She would not mourn Colin Campbell’s death. But disappointment swiftly turned to trepidation when she realized the significance of the timing of the attack. “What does that have to do with Jamie?”

  “I’ve reason to suspect that he might have knowledge of the men who attacked me.”

  Ice trickled through her veins, but she gave no sign of how his words had affected her. “Why would you think that?”

  “Because we followed some of the outlaws to Bute.”

  It seemed her fears had been realized: Niall had to be responsible. She dared not ask the question she most wanted to know: the toll of dead among the attackers.

  “And why should my husband know about this?”

  “Bute is his damn responsibility. He was charged with clearing this isle of outlaws, and if he can’t handle it, I’ll damn well do it for him.”

  Dear God, no!

  “I’m sure you are mistaken,” she said evenly, trying to calm her rising panic. “There are no outlaws on Bute.”

  “Is that so?”

  His voice made her skin prickle with alarm. “Of course it’s true.”

  “That’s strange, since I swore I recognized one of the men as your brother. Your brother who is supposed to be dead.”

  She froze, fighting to control her reaction, but every bone in her body wanted to shake. “My brothers are dead,” she said flatly. “You should know, as you were the one who killed them.”

  His mouth fell in a hard, flat line, and his eyes glimmered with anticipation. “I fear not well enough, sister. But it’s a mistake I will soon rectify.”

  Too disturbed to maintain her composure any longer, Caitrina left Colin in the hall and retreated to her chamber to anxiously await Jamie’s return. Colin, she suspected, was preparing to search the hills and caves, and she prayed Jamie came back before he did. If Colin found them first, her brothers and her father’s men would have no chance.

  What a mess. She should have trusted Jamie. If she had, maybe this could have been prevented. Justified or not, Niall had attempted to murder one of the most powerful men in the Highlands. After what Colin had done to her family, she did not blame her brother, but she wondered if something else had provoked the sudden attack. Something that had to do with the strange man Mor mentioned. None of that mattered—Niall would die no matter what the reason if Auchinbreck found him.

  By midday, her prayers were answered. When the call went up, she rushed to the window in her chamber in time to see Jamie ride through the barmkin gate. Wanting to avoid another confrontation with Colin, she waited—impatiently—for him to come to her.

  The minutes dragged on. Finally, after about half an hour, she heard the heavy footfalls tread up the stairs and cross the corridor. A moment later, the door opened.

  Though the fire had burned low, the room heated with his presence. She could feel the anger radiating from him. Anxiously, her eyes flickered to his face.

  His mouth was drawn in a tight line, and his visage bore the marks of his journey. She wondered if he’d slept more than a few hours since he’d left. His lips were chapped raw from the cold, and lines were imprinted around his eyes as if he’d been squinting into the icy rain. Soaked to the skin, he looked as if he’d slogged through bad weather for days—which he probably had.

  She wanted to go to him, but the forbidding look on his face stopped her. “Jamie, I—”

  “You know what has happened.” His voice was hard and flat.

  God, he’d never looked at her so coldly. She knew then that he realized she’d lied to him. Fear ripped through her. Surely he would understand? She’d been in an impossible situation, divided between two loyalties.

  And you didn’t choose him, a voice inside her head reminded her.

  She’d always thought him imposing, but never had he seemed so unreachable. Never had he held himself so apart from her. She’d hurt him, she realized. By not giving him my trust, I’ve made him think I don’t care for him. How would she explain?

  He was waiting for her reply. “Yes, your brother informed me of his purpose for being here.”

  The mention of his brother seemed to trigger his conscience. “I’m sorry that you had to be here alone when Colin arrived. I’m sure it was difficult for you.”

  She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. “It was.”

  “He mentioned that you threatened to toss him out.”

  Her cheeks burned, not sure what Jamie’s reaction would be. Colin might be the devil, but he was Jamie’s brother. “I did,” she admitted.

  “I would have liked to see that.”

  For a moment, she thought she detected the shadow of a smile, but then his gaze hardened. “You know what this means, don’t you? If your clansmen are found responsible for the attack on my brother, not only will they have broken the truce, but they will be charged with murder. My brother is out for blood, and their actions have put all of us in jeopardy.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When we married, I took surety for the Lamonts. I am responsible for their behavior, and my brother wants me to pay. Colin was furious that Argyll gave me Ascog when he thought it belonged to him by right.”

  The blood drained from her face. Niall’s rash actions had put Ascog in jeopardy. Her dream of returning their lands to the Lamonts was slipping through her fingers. And what would become of Niall and Brian and the others? Her eyes shot to her husband. “You must do something.”

  “It’s a little late to ask for my help now, Caitrina.”

  Her heart stopped, hearing the censure in his words. Late. Was he telling her