“Bute is safe?” Her deception was over. Bute was safe from the Norse and now under the protection of the king. Weariness seeped into her bones.
“Safe enough,” he grumbled.
“Aye, now ye cannae get yer hands on it.”
“But I can have yer dowry and ye.”
“Nay,” she shouted, her voice echoed around the hall and startled even her. “Ye cannae have me. I willnae let ye.”
“Who’s to stop me?” he hissed. “Yer on my lands, in my keep. Ye have no one to protect ye. I shall wed ye and bed ye and then ye shall be mine, pretty one.” He wrapped his strong hands around her head and forced his lips upon hers.
She squeaked and scrabbled against his chest. Blood tainted her mouth as his teeth dug into her lip.
“What in the devil—”
Gillean broke away, panting, hands still compressing either side of her head to glare at Lorna as she scurried down the stairs. Catriona considered breaking away but the pressure on her head had her fearing he might crush her skull and be done with her. Her limbs shook while she tried to absorb everything. Her father was dead. Her home lost to her. The truth was out.
“Gillean, what are ye doing?” Lorna demanded. “Release her.”
“Sister,” he warned, “dinnae get involved.
“I’ll no’ have ye handling a lass like that under my roof.” Lorna propped her hands on her hips.
He skipped his gaze between Catriona and Lorna. Catriona winced when his face filled with rage once more. “This is my castle. I have been kind enough letting ye stay after my brother’s death.” He finally released Catriona and flung her to one side, sending her sprawling. Reeds dug into her palms. “Dinnae tell me what to do in my own home.” Gillean stalked toward Lorna but Lorna raised her chin, her stance firm.
“I have looked after yer home well, brother, and the men are loyal to me. Dinnae think ye can behave so and get away with it.”
Gillean licked his lips and snatched Lorna’s chin, lifting it. Catriona scrabbled to her feet and waited. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest and the tightness increased. A swoon might overcome her soon, she feared, as Gillean’s behaviour began to blur with the Norseman’s. But she kept her gaze focused on Lorna and fought to draw in deep breaths.
“We shall see how loyal yer men are when I have their mistress locked away.”
“Nay!” Catriona flew at him, landing on his back.
With a grunt, he fought her hold on his neck. She dug her nails in but she was no match for him. He flung her off in an instant and her head connected with the stone wall. Pain blasted through her skull and her breaths shortened. There, on the floor, panting and wheezing, she finally succumbed to the darkness as Gillean descended on Lorna.
***
Finn scowled and Dìleas whinnied as he put her in the stables. He sniffed the air and shook his head. Something had put the horse on edge and he felt the same. He set aside the saddle and searched for a stable boy.
No one.
He stepped out of the stables and peered around. Men patrolled the walls but all was quiet—unusually quiet. Where was the cheerful banter? The laughter of men and the noise of a castle at work? He made to walk up the inner steps to speak with one of the men-at-arms, but Logan approached, his dark hair in disarray as if he’d been running his hands through it.
“Finn, thank God.”
“Logan, what is this? Is something amiss?”
Logan went to put his hand to his sword and shook his head as his hand found nothing but his belt. Finn’s frown deepened.
“’Tis Gillean. He has yer sister held prisoner.”
“Hell’s teeth, in truth? Why?”
“A disagreement. Over Katelyn—nay, Catriona.”
Finn stared at the man. Was he addled? What did he mean?
A hand in his hair, Logan sighed and drew Finn toward the stables. “Much has gone amiss this morn. Lady Katelyn is in fact not Lady Katelyn but her twin, Catriona. It seems her father wanted to use her to appease Gillean who was threatening war.”
Finn sucked in a sharp breath. Katelyn was not Katelyn? What in the devil...?
“Gillean knew as much but intended to marry Catriona regardless. He hungers for her dowry, which is like to be plentiful, and, as I’m sure ye noticed, he hungers for K—I mean Catriona too. It seems Catriona denied him and Lorna interfered.”
Katelyn—nay, Catriona—really did not want Gillean then. No wonder she had been upset the previous night. His mind whirled. But why had she not told him? Did she not trust him? “Why has he locked Lorna up?”
“He plans to marry Catriona regardless of whether she consents or not. Ye know Lorna wouldnae allow such a thing.”