“Ye’re no’ the only one whose purpose in this farce has been completed,” Hugh chided him. “Mine is done as well.”
Laird frowned at his descendant in confusion. “What do ye mean?”
“Sorcha carries my bairn, aye?” Hugh told them and amid the varied reactions, Claire’s hands covered her belly protectively. “That is Donell’s endgame in all this. He’s pushed us all around his chessboard to do his bidding. Now he has all he needs from us. From me.”
“How can you be so sure?” Emmy asked.
“He all but told me,” Hugh responded. “’Tis this bairn he’s aimed for all along.”
“W-why?” Claire stuttered. “What does he want with my baby?”
Laird looked back to Hugh. It was a bloody excellent question but Hugh had no satisfactory answer for him.
“I dinnae ken Donell’s future plans, however I ken this is what he wanted all along. What he is ultimately protecting. For what purpose, we may ne’er know. Nevertheless he means to keep our bairn safe and I’ll hold onto that for the time being. We are fortunate Jameson is still unaware Sorcha is wi’ child or he would’ve come for her straightaway.” Hugh’s lips set in a grim line. Dire promise laced his next words. “I would face him wi’oot him using yer bairn as a shield and beat him to a bluidy pulp for all he’s done. All he would do if he had the chance. Bugger it, I want another go at him.”
Laird understood Hugh’s need for revenge. To a man, they all four had a thirst for it.
Claire’s feelings on the matter were clear by her expression and she didn’t hesitate in adding her protest. “You cannot, Hugh. You’ll be using a cane for weeks. Once you’re able to stand on that leg at all.”
She did have a point, Laird knew. Even Hugh appeared disgruntled but resigned by the reminder. A great deal of the thigh muscles and bone had been damaged by the bullet he’d taken to the leg, to say nothing of the injury to his back and side.
All to spare Hermione from any harm. Hugh had stood unwavering, unarmed against Jameson to save her. Having seen the damage a single pistol could do from a distance, Laird had to admire his courage.
And at the same time, condemned Jameson further for his cowardice. Armed against the weaponless. Careful distance kept between himself and any threat. He was no man in Laird’s eyes, but a dog to be put down. Laird touched the gun still hidden at the small of his back.
How daring would Jameson be when his opponent was armed in kind? Laird only wished he could meet his foe on a true battlefield. There would be little satisfaction in a victory gained from a bullet shot from a distance.
But a victory it would be.
“I ken ye yearn for retribution,” Laird consoled Hugh. “We all do. Regrettably, Claire’s logic is sound. We cannae show any disadvantage.”
“You have every disadvantage!” They all turned to Scarlett. She stood full of condemnation, and with the baby in her arms, looked like a righteous Madonna. “You are honorable men facing an unremorseful enemy. He’s a psychopath. He was going to shoot a helpless infant, for crying out loud. Do you think he’d hesitate to shoot each one of you in the back?”
Rhys scowled at her. “Ye think we cannae take him, lass?”
“No, I’m not a hundred percent you can.”
Laird scoffed at her renunciation. “’Twill be three against one, lass. This is no’ another of yer nae-win situations. What did ye call it?”
“The Kobayashi Maru.”
“Aye, ‘tis no’ that.”
“Arguing with your wife is,” she countered. “You’re cockiness is what’s going to get you killed.”
She didn’t understand after all. Laird was tempted to argue the point but knew from years of experience his wife was stubborn in the best-case scenario. When her emotions were involved, she was immovable. However, he was too on this matter. Scarlett hadn’t been able to change his mind about fighting at Flodden even after she’d provided proof of their failure. She wouldn’t be able to change it now when he was convinced of their victory. When honor demanded satisfaction.
Scarlett saw it in his face. Her jaw set in response as she glowered at him. She might not like it but in the end, she would forgive him.
“I’m going to take our daughter back to the nursery,” she announced and left the room with the baby. Hermione tugged on Laird’s hand and he lifted her into his arms.
“She’s right, you know?” Jack had the nerve to speak in Scarlett’s defense. “Jameson’s too unpredictable. Rhys, you cannot do this, mate. Let the police handle it.”
“Ye dinnae get a say in the matter,” Rhys snapped. “We will win this day.”
“Then let’s get on it,” Connor said from the doorway. “The lockdown has been dissolved. Let’s be done wi’ this.”
“Aye,” Laird and Rhys agreed.
“I want to go by the hotel and get our blades,” Laird added. “I willnae hae ye two unarmed.”
“And ye?” Rhys asked.
Laird pulled out Scarlett’s pistol and showed it to them. “’Tis a shame we dinnae cross paths earlier. This time, I will meet Jameson on his own terms.”
A heartbeat of silence fell over the room.
Emmy cleared her throat. “Connor, may I have a word with you for a moment?”
Emmy
“You can’t be thinking of going along?” Emmy asked the moment they stepped into the hall.
“I maun, lass. We cannae wait for Jameson to make another move. We maun take the battle to
