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Ambrose started looking around. Specifically, he was looking at the cottages several yards behind Titus.
“I’ve come for something that belongs tae me,” he said. Then, he turned to Conan. “Is this where ye saw Esme?”
Conan was well back and away from Titus. Considering he was afraid of the man after seeing him fight in the arena the night before, he made sure that he was far away from him.
The bully was cowering.
“Aye,” he told his father. “She went intae the second cottage, over there.”
He was pointing to Cam’s cottage and Titus was listening to it all very carefully. It was clear that Ambrose wasn’t interested in him at all, only in Esme. Titus already knew that the pair had spotted her, but here they were, extremely close to her, having sneaked into the Ludus Caledonia without even being seen. Clegg had been certain they would not leave completely, and he’d been correct, unfortunately.
Damn…
Titus had a very big problem on his hands.
He was the best warrior the Ludus Caledonia had to offer, but even he was mortal. He could take on a group of armed men, but he wasn’t certain for how long before they overwhelmed him. Things like kicking them in the head and clubbing them in the groin were part of his tactics in the arena where they weren’t allowed to use real weapons, but these men had swords. They’d come to kill anyone who stood in their way.
That man was Titus.
“Ye’re not going intae the warrior’s village,” he said evenly. “If ye do, ye’ll be walking intae an encampment of armed men, and there are many more of them than there are of ye.”
Ambrose didn’t seem to be bothered by that. “I told ye I am here tae retrieve what belongs tae me,” he said. “Esme de Gracia is here. She’s Conan’s betrothed and I want her back.”
Titus debated his next move. He could try to keep the situation calm until someone in the warrior’s village saw what was going on and told the sentries, or he could posture aggressively and hope it was enough to drive Ambrose back. He needed help because he didn’t want Ambrose’s armed guards getting around him and to the cottages.
To Esme.
He found himself praying that Cam and Brody would make an appearance.
He needed help.
“Do ye even want tae know why Hugh is here?” he said, trying to shift the subject. “He came tae tell me that he sent me missives during my time at Culroy, missives ye burned. Ye told me he hated me, but that wasna the truth. Ye lied tae me, Ambrose. What else have ye lied about?”
As he’d hoped, Ambrose’s focus moved to Hugh, still standing behind Titus. He stared at him a moment before snorting.
“Is that why ye’re here?” he said. “Tae mend ties with yer son?”
Hugh nodded slowly. “Ties ye tried tae sever, I hear.”
Ambrose didn’t deny it. After a moment, he simply shrugged. “Ye married my sister and fathered a bastard,” he said. “Ye dinna think I would retaliate?”
Hugh scowled. “Ye’re the last person in the world tae judge a man,” he said. “The sins ye’ve committed far outweigh anything I’ve ever done. Ye had no right tae keep Titus from me.”
Ambrose’s eyes flashed with rage. “Ye shamed my sister and ye dinna expect me tae do all I could tae keep the lad from ye?”
“Ye’re a damned fool,” Hugh growled. “Ye forced me tae marry yer sister with promises of an alliance, but ye went back on yer word.”
Ambrose’s eyes narrowed. “Ye were not worthy of my word, Hugh.”
“Why?” he snapped. “Because I’m a prince of the royal house and ye’re not? That was always at the root of this, wasna it? Yer petty jealousies caused ye tae lie and cheat and try tae control me and my family, and when ye couldna do that, ye spread rumors about me. Ye tell everyone I’m allied with the Laird of the Isles.”
“It’s true!”
Hugh took a deep breath so he wouldn’t fly at the man with his fists. “The only thing that’s true about that is that Titus’ mother, Fia, is a daughter of John Campbell, Laird of the Isles,” he said. “I wasna allied with them until I married her. She’s now my wife, and Titus is now my rightful heir. It’s a bond ye canna break and we’ll tolerate yer lies no longer.”
Ambrose was starting to lose some of his confidence. He considered the separation of Hugh and Titus some of his finest work, but now he could see it had been ruined. Somehow, the two of them had connected in spite of his attempts to keep them apart, and that realization was beginning to shake him. But that understanding also swung his focus back on Esme, something he could control.
“Get out of my way,” he snarled. “If ye dunna move, I’ll kill ye.”
