“Nay.” Evan shook his head. “I dinnae think the mon will do anything to Gavin while they’re here. My concern is he might have a gun. If we burst into the place, one shot could kill someone.”
“So what will we do?”
“The cottage is verra small, with only one door and one window. Armstrong is sitting at a table that faces the door, entertaining himself with drink and cards. Gavin is sitting on the ground in the corner across from the window.”
“At least I can take a deep breath now that we ken where he is. But I’m still anxious to get my brother away from that mon and back home. I won’t feel easy until then.”
Evan touched her cheek. “We will, mo ghràdh. The lad has not been harmed and sits less than a quarter of a mile from us.” He pulled her against his chest and ran his hands up and down her back in comfort. “We must discuss how to do this without someone getting shot.”
Katie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Aye. We need a plan.”
“We have to draw Armstrong away from Gavin. The best way would be to lure him out of the cottage.”
“I should do it,” Katie said.
“Nay.”
“Listen to me.” Katie fisted her hands at her side. “Ye naysay me even before ye hear my idea. ’Tis quite annoying and something I dinnae plan to live with.”
Evan backed up as she poked him in the chest. “Ye are not always right. Yer way is not always the best way.” As she worked herself up into a dither, he held in his smile, feeling like a lion being attacked by a wee hissing kitten.
“My ideas are good too. I have taken care of my household, brother, and clan for years.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I willnae be treated like a bairn.”
Once her tirade ended, he rubbed his hands over his face. “Are ye done now, lass?”
She gave him a curt nod. “Aye.”
“Fine, then tell me yer plan.”
She thought for a minute, then drew herself up. “I will go to the cottage and tell Richard I will go with him. Then, when I am certain he is unarmed, I will signal ye, and ye can come in.” She watched him closely for a minute, then, her shoulders slumping, said, “Nay. That’s not a good idea.”
He smiled and bent to kiss the tip of her nose. “Not a bad one, lass, just not the best.”
“And I suppose ye have the best,” she mumbled. Suddenly, Katie was jerked backward, arms wrapped around her middle from behind, and a knife appeared at her throat.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Katie opened her mouth to scream, but a large, sweaty hand covered the bottom half of her face as her head was slammed against a broad chest. Her eyes grew wide as Evan lurched for her.
The man backed up, dragging her with him. “Stop! Or I’ll kill the lass.” The deep voice brought Evan to a stop. He pressed the point of the knife deeper, and a trickle of blood ran down her neck.
Evan’s mouth dried up, and his heart pounded at the sight of his wife in the man’s arms. “Dinnae hurt the lass.”
“Not my decision,” the brute said. “But we will all take a walk to the cottage and let Armstrong decide.” He pushed Katie forward. “Move.” He looked at Evan and jerked his head in the direction of the cottage. “You go ahead of me. It might not be my decision on whether the lass dies or not, but I’ll slice her throat if ye give me any trouble.”
The three of them made their way through the thicket to the cottage. The man holding Katie used one hand to open the cottage door, then gestured for Evan to enter. Once he was past the doorway, he shoved Katie forward. She fell on her knees. Right in front of the table where Armstrong sat.
Any shock he felt at seeing them was quickly hidden as he looked down at Katie. “Well, well. It appears we have visitors. I assume ye kneel before me to beg forgiveness? And to tell me ye will honor the contract yer da signed and marry me?” His wicked, evil smile turned Evan’s stomach.
Before she could say anything, Evan moved toward her and helped her to her feet. “The lass will not be honoring any fake contract. She is married to me.”
“No matter.” Armstrong waved his hand in dismissal. “’Tis not the lass I want, anyway.”
Evan snorted. “We ken that. Yer an evil mon, and ye won’t get away with this.”
Armstrong motioned to the man who’d brought them to the cottage. With one quick fist to Evan’s middle, Evan doubled over. “I would be careful what I say, laird, since I can have my friend here take ye for a walk from which ye would never return.” Armstrong gulped the last of the whisky in his glass.
Evan had been taken by surprise by the blow to his stomach, but that wouldn’t happen again, and it wasn’t important. Now that they were all here together, he had to figure out how to end this so Katie and Gavin were not hurt. He could take down the giant who’d dragged Katie in, but the gun laying on the table next to Armstrong’s deck of cards made that idea unwise.
“So ye didn’t believe I headed back to Stirling with the lad?” Armstrong continued to play with his cards as he spoke. “Ye are more clever than I gave ye credit for.” He looked up at Evan. “Now we must decide what to do with the two of ye.”
“Everyone in the castle kens Gavin is missing and who took him. If anything happens to us, the entire clan will be after ye.”
Armstrong waved his hand again as if bored with the conversation. “No need for drama, I assure you. Despite what you think of me, I don’t want two deaths on
