Amanda Scott (43 page)

“Demons will be roasting you in hell first,” his victim said in a deep, vibrant voice that easily carried to Isobel’s ears.

“You know my skill,” the other said. “Faith, man, you screamed at only the second stripe. Do you really want to test me?”

When his victim remained silent, he raised the whip again.

“Well now, what have we here?”

Isobel whirled, bringing up her riding whip, but a large hand clamped hard on her forearm. “Nay, now, lassie,” the man holding her growled. “Drop it, and be grateful you did not strike me. You lads hold your whisst now,” he called in a louder tone. “We’ve a lovely lass here, come to amuse us!”

Isobel sighed, but it was certainly not the first time that God had failed to answer her prayers.

She did not protest while her burly captor hustled her across the clearing to the others, but when he jerked her to a halt in front of the one with the whip, she said fiercely, “I don’t know who you are, but I am Macleod of Glenelg’s daughter, and you have no business here, certainly not to be doing what you are doing. If this man has broken a law, he should be hailed before the laird’s court and given fair trial.”

“Aye, sure, but that depends upon whose law he’s broken, does it not?”

“You talk in riddles,” she said, but even as she said the words, she realized that she had misjudged the men gathered there. Judging by their clothing, they were not common ruffians. Two wore swords that any of her father’s men-at-arms or those at Lochbuie would have cherished, and the leader wore a black doublet and trunk hose of excellent cut. A chill of fear crept up her spine, but she ignored it and glared at the leader. “A law is a law,” she said. “Cut him down at once.”

“Faith, lass, but you’re full of orders for one who has no army behind her,” one of the men said with a chuckle. “I warrant she’d be a rare one in bed.”

“Let her go,” the man tied to the trees snapped. “She knows naught of what she sees here, but if she goes missing, men will come looking for her. She may even have an escort out there somewhere. Heaven knows, she should have one.”

Isobel could see his face now and thought him one of the handsomest men she had ever seen. But as his gaze met hers, another thrill shot up her spine. He was tied and helpless, but the look he gave her reminded her of the formidable Laird of Lochbuie when he was angry with her.

The leader had been watching her narrowly, but he jerked his head now toward the man who had captured her. “Take a look,” he said.

“She’s alone. I saw no one with her.”

“Look anyway. Sinclair is right. One like that is bound to have keepers.” Motioning to two of the others, he said, “Cut him down for now and tie both of them in the cavern until we sort this out. I don’t want any surprises.”

A short time later, despite her protests, the men forced her to go with them toward a granite wall a short distance away, and through an opening in that wall. Beyond lay the pitch blackness of an underground cavern. Moments later, she was tied hand and foot, as was her sole companion, the one they had called Sinclair.

“I’m surprised they did not gag us,” she muttered when the others had gone.

“No one would hear us in here if we shouted, and you’re mighty cool for a lass in such a predicament,” he said. “Do you have keepers somewhere nearby?”

She sighed. “No, I’m alone. No one will even think to look for me for hours, but when they realize that I’m missing, that will change.”

“Is your father so powerful then?”

“Aye, he’s powerful enough, for he’s a member of the Council of the Isles,” she said. “But my sister’s husband is more so, and I’ve lived with them these past seven years. Most likely he’ll come looking for me soon, if they haven’t killed me.”

“How is it that he’s more powerful than a member of the Council of the Isles?” he asked, and she thought she detected amusement in his voice.

“He is Hector the Ferocious,” she said simply.

Silence greeted that reply, and the amusement was gone when he said, “I see. I think you will survive longer if you do not mention that to our hosts.”

“But why not? Hector terrifies most men.”

“Just so,” he said. “But these are not ‘most men.’”

“Then we had better start thinking of a way to escape from them,” she said matter-of-factly.

Her companion chuckled, then laughed aloud, the sound reverberating from the cavern walls.

“I do not know why you laugh,” she said. “Once one recognizes that a necessity has arisen, one should greet it with resolution and a plan.”

“Well, you’d best plan quickly then, because I think they’re coming back.”

THE EDITOR’S DIARY

Dear Reader,

Ever notice that the best-laid plans have a funny way of crumbling like blue cheese, especially when you throw love into the mix? Come see what a ferocious man and a flirtacious lady do about it in our two Warner Forever titles this May.

Romantic Times BOOKClub Magazine
calls
Amanda Scott’s
previous book “a dynamic story,” and they couldn’t be more right. But her next book is even better, so prepare to be dazzled by
LORD OF THE ISLES
. Lady Cristina Macleod, eldest daughter of a Highland chieftain, is smitten with Hector “the Ferocious” Maclean. As a warrior fearsome enough to earn every man’s respect and a man rakishly handsome enough to win any woman’s affection, Hector is the perfect match for Cristina. The only problem is that he has just asked for her younger sister’s hand in marriage. However, Cristina’s father has a secret plan to fix everything. For throughout the western Highlands, marrying off one’s younger daughters before the eldest is considered unlucky, and Macleod hates to be unlucky. So as guests arrive for the wedding, Macleod plies everyone, especially Hector, with a powerful Scottish whiskey. But what will “the Ferocious” do when he discovers he’s married to the wrong sister? And can Cristina win his heart?

Much like Hector “the Ferocious” Maclean, Cassie Cooper in
Lori Wilde’s MISSION: IRRESISTIBLE
knows all about plans going awry. Entrusted with planning a ball that honors the reunification of two halves of a priceless Egyptian amulet, Cassie Cooper knows her job is on the line. But really—how hard is it to plan a party for scientists? So when the lights cut out, half of the amulet goes missing, and a mummy collapses with a knife in his back, Cassie knows she’s in trouble. Desperate to save her job and find the artifact, she turns to her nemesis: Dr. Harrison Standish—or Standoffish as she calls him. So now this man who doesn’t believe in romance and this woman who’s in love with love must unravel the secrets behind this magic amulet while dodging bad guys and racing against the clock. But will love catch them first? Grab a copy and find out why Rendezvous raves Ms.Wilde “has a unique voice that will soar her to publishing heights.”

To find out more about Warner Forever, these titles and the authors, visit us at www.warnerforever.com.

With warmest wishes,

Karen Kosztolnyik, Senior Editor

P.S. Are you hungry for more? Pick up these two treats that never fail to satisfy: Lani Diane Rich tells the witty and hilarious story of a woman whose mother is kidnapped by the mob with only an ugly parrot for random and a sexy ex-husband for help in MAYBE BABY; and Marliss Melton delivers an intriguing new romantic suspense about a NAVY Seal who uncovers the truth behind a stunning DIA Agent’s disappearance only to fall head over heels for her in IN THE DARK.