Page 81 of Anice’s Bargain

If nothing else, Werrick could prepare.

All too soon, James stood in front of the door to his father’s room. He pushed it open and found the old man slumped in a chair by the fire. Ill health left his face gray and slack, his eyes dull.

In all of James’s life, he had never disobeyed his father; certainly, he had never betrayed him. Not when Laird Graham had knocked him around a bit as a boy, not when James had been berated time and time again in front of his fellow reivers to ensure all knew he was inferior to his father. Nor even when the laird had cackled over Morna’s betrayal and claimed to have already had her himself. Throughout a lifetime of cruelty and belittling, James had always been loyal.

The idea of defying him had not rankled James in the least. Or rather, not until now, when the old man appeared so weak and fragile, mortality clawing at his back.

Laird Graham lifted his head and belatedly regarded James with narrowed eyes. “Visiting with yer little slut, eh?”

Any niggling guilt quickly evaporated on a wave of ire. Ill or no, James wanted to plant one firm blow right in the old man’s crinkled face.

But it wouldn’t aid in the overall plan. Nay, James needed to act as though he’d been betrayed.

Instead of punching his father, James slid into the chair opposite him and scoffed. “No’ mine. No’ anymore.”

“The bonny ones always get ye, lad.” His father slapped James’s knee and laughed. Something in the old man’s skinny chest rattled. “Should we give her to the soldiers for a bit of sport? Fine lass like that…” His dull eyes went bright with lust.

In James’s youth, he would never have been able to swallow down the rage building inside him. Now though, as an adult, after Bastionbury’s instruction and tutelage, James was able to do just that. A deep breath and the violent hammering of his pulse slowed to a manageable rhythm.

“We can use her to get into Werrick,” James offered in a casual tone.

Laird Graham curled his lips from his yellowing teeth. “Go on.”

“Ye know the inside of Werrick, aye, but ye still canna penetrate its walls. If we use Anice as a prisoner and offer her in exchange for their gates opening, it’ll work.”

Laird Graham grinned. “Dinna the bastard who married Werrick’s eldest daughter do exactly that?”

James shrugged. “It worked for him.”

In truth, the suggestion had come from Anice. James loathed the idea of her being involved, especially being used against her family. However, with Drake getting away early and informing Werrick of the plan, they would be ready. Anice would be safe. James would see to it himself.

They would then implore the people following James’s father to return to Carlisle. Those who did would keep their cottages and land; those who did not would be forever banished. As a majority of the men had women and children at Carlisle, James was certain many would join him.

It was not perhaps the strongest plan, but it was all they had.

“I dinna like to use the same strategy as others.” Laird Graham rubbed the pad of his thumb over his grizzled chin. “But in this case, it may work verra well. Using his children against him to get what I want…” He nodded. “I like it.”

Some of the tension eased from James’s shoulders. At least his father would be sensible and not throw Anice to his soldiers. Peers of the realm had no need for broken daughters, and Laird Graham was too daft to realize Lord Werrick was a father who would take his daughter back regardless.

If only James had a more reliable army at his back, one that wasn’t full of his father’s clan members. If only he could get over the guilt that held him back from killing his own father.

So many regretful thoughts, and not one helped the situation.

“And her lover…” Laird Graham leaned forward in the chair and lifted his bushy brows. “I say we kill him.”

The idea certainly held appeal—James wouldn’t deny that. Anice might not be in love with the young man, but he certainly was in love with her. That alone ought to be enough to hang him by the neck.

Not that it mattered since Drake would already be at Werrick once the reivers arrived at the castle.

“Bring him along,” James said. “Then kill him as the first warning to Werrick.”

James’s father nodded slowly. “Another fine idea from ye. For a lad wanting to poke about in the fields, ye’ve gotten damn good at strategy.”

Indeed, he had.

Laird Graham looked directly into James’s eyes. “I’m proud of ye, lad.”

Words James had waited his entire life to hear. Except while once it would have plucked a chord deep in his soul, the praise now fell dull and unwanted after the years of disappointment.

His father was unaware of James’s reaction and lifted his chin, quite pleased with himself on having bestowed such a rare compliment on his son. “Go on.” Laird Graham jerked his head to the door, a clan chief dismissing his subject.

James rose from the chair and strode from the room. Once night fell again, he would see to freeing Drake from the dungeon. In the meantime, James needed to get a new missive off to Lord Bastionbury with the change of plans.

Through it all, he had to take the utmost care not to be caught, for he knew if he did, Anice would pay with her life.