Devils Highlander (Clan MacAlpin 1)

“And what a fine flavor it is,” Aidan replied. “A bit like rum and chimney soot. ” The word chimney amped her internal alarm to a fever pitch. Aidan? Surely there was more than one Aidan in the world. There'd been something familiar in his voice, though, and it niggled. But surely Aidan MacAlpin hadn't returned, after so many years.

She had to know. Marjorie descended another rung. Gathering her skirts high, she squatted for a quick peek at the cabin below. It was dim, lit only b

y a few lanterns hung on the walls.

Though she saw only two men — Cormac and a man holding him at gunpoint — she knew others were there. She heard Humphrey's heavy-chested breathing, sensed Jack standing just by the base of the ladder. Terrified, she bit her lip not to make a sound.

Cormac's eyes flicked to her, and he mouthed a curse. His captor looked up, too, and her heart stopped in her chest.

She shouldn't have looked. She should've popped back up when she saw the gun pressed at Cormac's temple.

His captor cocked a brow, and his cool nonchalance was eerily familiar. Cold sweat prickled her back. He held a gun to Cormac's head, so why did he not sound an alarm at the sight of her?

She peered at the man, holding her breath. He stared back at her, and she felt naked in his gaze. Was this the Aidan who'd spoken?

Could it be the Aidan?

Her breathing sped as her mind processed the impossible. She scrutinized him, straining through the darkness.

Her pounding heart ticked away the seconds, knowing each moment she was exposed was one too many. She compared the two of them, and though the MacAlpin twins hadn't been identical, there was an echo between these two men, in their dark hair, their height.

But it was impossible.

His captor whispered in Cormac's ear, and Cormac nudged him with his shoulder. The man shouldered him back, and disbelief hit her like vertigo. She blinked hard to stop her head from reeling. It was something she'd seen a thousand times — the MacAlpin boys jostling, taunting, shoving.

Aidan.

She was elated, relieved, puzzled, anxious — mostly, she couldn't fathom it. Was Aidan also held captive by the smugglers? But why would he aim his gun at his own brother? Could he be a smuggler himself?

Scampering back up the ladder, she closed her eyes, letting the revelation wash over her. Cormac would've seen him the night he left her to investigate. That was why he hadn't wanted to sink the ship. He'd seen Aidan and hadn't wanted to do anything to endanger his long-lost twin.

Her eyes flew open. She'd known something had come to pass. He'd kept silent, but she'd sensed it. She shouldn't have doubted him. Cormac hadn't turned his back on her —

on the contrary, he'd secretly returned to save the

prisoners. To save Humphrey.

He loves me. She felt it to her soul, knew it in her bones. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He loved her, and it explained so much.

And yet one mystery remained. What would the smugglers want with her uncle? She hunched low on the ladder, straining to hear more.

“Calm yourself, man. We have need of you on the plantation. But you'll get paid. In fact, we'll settle our accounts with profits from the sale of this fool” It was Jack's voice, and he was obviously talking about selling Cormac. The thought sickened and terrified her both. But pay whom? Who else was involved?

“These Highlanders fetch an especially high bounty,” a woman said, and though her voice was muffled, Marjorie picked out a few words. “They've a scarcity of lands yet a surplus of mettle. Ideal laborers. ” There was a round of laughter, and something about the throaty feminine chuckle struck a chord. The bailie's wife. Marjorie's stomach churned.

“Aye, precious,” Jack said. “Selling the MacAlpin will get us more than enough to pay off Lord Keith. ” The rare sound of her uncle's laughter rumbled up to her.

The blood drained from Marjorie's head. Without thought, her hand flew to her temple, her palm clammy and numb.

Pay off Lord Keith. Humphrey Keith. Her uncle.

The ship pitched again, and this time Marjorie slipped and tumbled from the ladder, plummeting to the deck below.

Chapter 36

She lay there unmoving, feeling like a broken doll strewn along the wooden planks. Marjorie gave herself a moment to figure out if she'd done any permanent damage.

“Ree!” Cormac tried to jerk away from his brother, but Aidan's fingers dug into him. Cormac had always been able to take his twin in a fight, but the gun barrel jammed at his temple held him back. “Are you all right? Speak to me, love. ”