Lured to the Night (The Brotherhood 4)

“There are men waiting outside in the bailey,” Leo said gravely. “Douglas told me you know them and that they live in the village.”

Bloody hell. Ramsey could not have come at a worse time.

“Did they say what they wanted?” Lachlan asked.

“They want to speak to Miss Maclean. They swear they only wish to ask her a few questions about the death of their cattle and to know why she was prowling the village late last night.”

Lachlan muttered a curse. “Tell them she is ill and cannot come down. Tell them she will send for them when she is more able to answer their questions.”

Isla cleared her throat. “I am blind not mute, Lachlan. I can speak for myself.” She shuffled until she was sitting up straight. “Help me up. I must know if the cure has proved successful. If so, I shall go down to the bailey and speak to them.” She waved in the direction of the window. “Open the drapes and pull back the shutters.”

Lachlan hesitated. “Let me speak to them first. I can’t wait to curl my fingers around their scrawny necks as a punishment for spreading their evil lies.”

“Which is why I must go,” she said, patting the coverlet until she could feel the edge of the bed. “I’ll not have you brawling with your friends and neighbours.”

Lachlan closed the distance between them. “Stay here,” he instructed though his tone was soft and calm. “I need you to get well. Let me go. Let me tell them you’re ill and you will call for them shortly.”

She winced as she tried to move, her deep groan a clear sign she was still in some pain. “I don’t want to give them a reason to be even more suspicious of me. But perhaps you’re right. Inform them that I intend to address their concerns as soon as I am able.”

Lachlan inclined his head, but upon realising she was not able to observe the gesture, he said, “Of course.”

As expected, Lachlan stepped out into the bailey to find Ramsey, Fraser and Hendry waiting to speak to Isla. Hearing the creak of the oak door, they all turned to face him.

“Lachlan.” Ramsey stepped forward, held his hands up in a sign of surrender. The man did not appear surprised to see him. “We’ve nae come to make trouble.”

“Then why have you come?” He could not wait to hear their ridiculous accusations fall from their own mouths.

“We want to speak to Miss Maclean.” Ramsey cleared his throat. It was the sound of someone wishing to disguise his embarrassment. “We want to ask her a few questions. We’ll nae keep her long.”

Lachlan folded his arms across his chest to calm his temper. After everything Isla had been through he felt like tackling them to the ground and punching them until his fists were numb. “Were you the men who chased us through the forest last night?”

“Aye.” Ramsey glanced back over his shoulder, jerked his head to Fraser. “But we were just protecting what’s ours.”

“Someone’s been killing the cattle,” Fraser said. “We were out keeping watch when we saw Miss Maclean hovering near the field.”

“She’s nae been seen about during the day for years,” Hendry complained. “There’s something unnatural about it all if ye ask me.”

Lachlan raised an arrogant brow. “No one asked for your opinion. Perhaps you’ve been supping too much ale, and it has affected your judgement. Perhaps you have an ulterior motive and all your gossiping and scaremongering has led to an increase in trade.”

“We know what we saw.” Ramsey countered. “We have a witness who says she attacked him in the forest.”

Lachlan stepped forward and all three men shuffled back.

“Are you referring to that pathetic story about the baobhan sith?” He laughed, although the sound revealed contempt rather than humour. “So you all believe in the silly stories your mothers told you when you were wee laddies so that you’d behave.”

“She attacked a traveller,” Hendry said peering over Ramsey’s shoulder. “I’ve seen the scar myself.”

Good Lord. They really had lost all concept of sense and logic. “And where is this witness, this traveller you speak of?”

“He left. Och, the man couldn’t wait to get out of the village.”

Aye. Probably because he’d been paid to lie. “Was this man travelling alone? Did he say how he managed to escape from such a vicious creature?”

“Aye, he was alone,” Ramsey began, “but yer man was too scared to speak. He mumbled something about her being frightened of his horse.”

Lachlan raised his chin. “So the man was scared for his life and yet he continued through the woods alone.” He chuckled. “And you all think Isla is a mythical monster, roaming the village at night to kill your livestock and attack innocent men in the forest.”

The men frowned, looked at each other and then at Lachlan.