Page 50 of Laird Of Her Heart

Dominic muttered something foul and thrust her behind him.

Cameron chuckled. “I’ll happily gut you too lass, if you’ve a liking for it. But later, after I’ve had you and handed you to my men.”

She leaned around Dominic’s bulk and glared at him. “You are a revolting creature. I’m glad your brother murders you.”

From her left, a man squawked. Cameron’s eyes lowered. His head swung around and he pinned the red-faced Scotsman with a glower. “It isna true, Torquil!” he wailed. “I would never do such a thing.”

“A little advice?” Maggie smirked. “Get a food taster.”

It probably wasn’t wise to taunt a bear. Especially when he had a sword. A long, sharp sword. His hammy fingers closed around the hilt and he growled, “Shut your lying mouth, bitch.”

“How rude,” she murmured, mostly to herself, but no one would have heard anyway because just then a hue and cry rose in the bailey.

Also, the sunlight dimmed.

Maggie whirled around to stare at the sky. Her heart lifted as the shadow of the moon rose, blotting out the sun.

Oh, thank God.

Thank God she hadn’t screwed up her dates.

* * *

Dominic stared at the sky as the moon swallowed the sun.

He should not have been worried.

He should not be surprised.

He should have known she was right.

She usually was.

He glanced around the courtyard, at all the men, Camerons and Macintoshes alike, who stared in awe at the sky. They were utterly stupefied, Torquil among them.

It would be folly to waste this opportunity. He pulled his dirk from his boot and whipped behind Torquil, setting his knife to his enemy’s neck.

“Drop your weapons, all of you.”

The Camerons whirled, but taking a cue from their laird, all the Macintosh men sprang into action, surrounding them. A clatter of metal rose as they dropped their dirks and swords.

His pressed the knife into Torquil’s neck. “How did you breach the castle?” he asked softly, but in the silence, his question wafted on the air.

“I…ah…through the sally port.”

“And how did you know where it was?”

To Dominic’s disgust, Torquil’s gaze flickered over to his men and landed on Liam. Who paled.

Hell and damnation.

“Liam? It was you?” Liam, who had brought him the news of the deadly meeting? Liam, who had stayed behind to lock the gate? Liam, who stood to inherit everything if Dominic and Declan died?

Fury scoured him.

The look Declan shot him made clear he’d worked it all out too. He hustled over and grabbed his cousin by the arm. Ewan and Harry joined him, making sure Liam could not slither away. Not until justice was dealt out.

“Tie the Camerons up and throw them in the dungeon,” he commanded and his men scurried to do his bidding. “I hope your family is inclined to pay a healthy ransom,” Dominic muttered to Torquil as they led him away.