The Ranger (Highland Guard #3)(54)

A knife wedged between his ribs would have skewered less sharply. The Earl of Ross’s son and heir. Arthur knew of him, of course. The young knight had already made a name for himself. He was a fierce warrior—a tactician on and off the battlefield. The fact that he was worthy of her made it worse.

Arthur didn’t understand the rage pouring through him, nor the feeling of betrayal. She didn’t belong to him, damn it. Could never belong to him.

But that didn’t mean he could forget that not a fortnight past he’d held her in his arms—and come damned close to taking her innocence.

“It seems you had an eventful week, my lady. You work fast.”

A hot blush stained her cheeks. “The details have not all been worked out yet.”

His eyes narrowed, hearing something in her voice. “What do you mean, details? Are you betrothed or aren’t you?”

She lifted her chin. Despite the blush staining her cheeks, he read the defiant glint in her eye. “Sir Hugh proposed to me last year, soon after my betrothed died.”

“I thought you refused.”

“I did. I’ve reconsidered.”

All of a sudden, Arthur realized what this was about. With no help coming from King Edward, the MacDougalls had decided to turn to Ross for help, offering up Lady Anna to provide added incentive for an alliance.

Whether she’d reconsidered or her father had done it for her didn’t matter. He couldn’t let them join forces. An alliance between Ross and the MacDougalls would hurt Bruce’s chances for victory. It was his job—his duty—to stop it.

Arthur gave her a hard look. “And how do you know that Sir Hugh will be amenable to your sudden change of heart?”

“I don’t.” She gave him a pointed look. “But I will do what I must to persuade him.”

He didn’t need to guess what she meant. His reaction was instantaneous. Primitive. For one split second, rage took over and he lost control. His mind went black. She was one hair’s breadth from being pinned up against that stable wall with her lips crushed to his, his manhood wedged between her thighs, and his tongue plunging deep inside her mouth. Exactly where she belonged.

But even out of his mind with rage, the urge to protect her was stronger. He didn’t trust himself to touch her, not like this.

Anna’s eyes widened, and she took a prudent step back.

But he held her in the trap of his piercing gaze. “So you have it all planned out?”

She nodded. “Aye. It will be for the best.”

The fact that she sounded as if she were trying to convince herself didn’t give him any solace. “There is one problem with your plan.”

She looked at him hesitantly. “What’s that?”

“Ross is in the north. The roads are too dangerous for you to travel. The risk is too great. Bruce and his men could be on the move at any time. Your father won’t sanction this.” Lorn was a cold-hearted bastard, but he seemed to genuinely love his daughter.

“He already has. My brother Alan and a score of guardsmen will escort me. King Hood might be a murderous brigand, but he does not make war on women.”

Arthur fought to keep his temper under control. Lorn had to be desperate to have agreed to this. The bastard would do anything to win, even put his daughter in jeopardy. “If the rebels know you are a woman. In the dark, you will not be so easy to discern. You might be mistaken for couriers.”

Had she forgotten already what had nearly happened to her in Ayr? Jesus, when he thought of the danger ...

His blood chilled. He thought about pressing her up against the stable wall again, this time to shake some sense into her. She could be hurt. Killed.

“My brother will protect me. I’m sure it will be fine.”

A vein drummed in his temple. A hundred men could not keep her safe. His struggle for control failed. “Don’t be a fool. You can’t go. It’s too dangerous. Send a messenger instead.”

From the way her eyes narrowed and the set of her chin, he knew he’d made a mistake. For such a sweet-looking lass, she had a surprisingly formidable stubborn streak.

“It’s already decided. And you, I’m afraid, have nothing to say about it.”

Women should be meek and submissive, damn it. But here she stood toe-to-toe with him, not backing down one inch. He’d admire it, if he weren’t so furious.

This time when she spun on her heel and flounced through the door, he didn’t stop her.

Nothing to say about it. We’ll see about that.

If Anna wouldn’t see reason, perhaps her father would.

Bruce’s men were roaming all over the area—raiding, reiving, interfering with the supply lines—doing whatever they could to cause chaos and spread fear in the heart of the enemy. War took place not just on the battlefield but in the mind.

A party of MacDougall guardsmen would be irresistible. Anna would have an arrow in her chest before they were close enough to realize their mistake.

It was the threat to his mission that was twisting him in knots, he told himself. Preventing this kind of alliance—keeping MacDougall alone—was why he was here.

But it wasn’t the messages or alliance he was thinking about. All he could see was Anna lying in a pool of blood.

He had to turn Lorn from this foolish path.

And if he couldn’t ...