The Imposter (24 page)

“I’m no match for ye,
McClain.  Ye ken that well enough and so do I.  In my younger years, maybe, but
now I’m an old man.”

“I’ll give ye nae
mercy, ye bastard,” Devon threatened and lunged towards the older man.

“It is I who shall
be the giver of mercy.  If ye wish to fight me and have yer sister’s man
killed, then lets get on with it.” Cameron threw a nod directly behind Devon
which caused a sinking feeling in the pit of Devon’s stomach. 

Devon knew what
had happened before he even turned to look at Brennan.  In his rage and haste
to engage the Cameron in a sword fight, he had neglected to have Brennan’s
back.  He turned cautiously to see two Cameron men restraining Brennan, and a
third man holding a knife to his neck, causing a crimson trickle of blood to
stain his shirt.

Brennan looked
into his friend’s eyes and implored his forgiveness. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed
towards his friend, bathed in the shame of his weakness he did not fight his
captors.

Devon turned
towards the Laird, and straightened his body.  He dropped his sword to the
ground and it landed on the Earth with a heavy thud.  “What do ye want from me,
Cameron,” Devon said coolly, glaring at the older man.

“I want yer wife.”

“Ye canna have
her.”

“We’ll see about
that.  Take him!” Cameron barked as a swarm of his men descended upon Devon and
restrained him.  Devon did not fight them he would gladly surrender himself so
that Kate would be safe from this bastard.  “And you, ye weakling,” Cameron
addressed Brennan, “Head back tae yer clan and tell them that I’ve taken Devon
McClain as my prisoner. I will hand him over to the English to collect the
price on his head in two days time.  Unless, that is, ye provide me with
Katherine Berkshire before then.” 

The men holding
Brennan released him roughly, pushing him to the ground. 

“And don’t get yerself
killed, lad.  I need ye tae relay my message.” Cameron smiled and taunted
Brennan as he walked towards the men who were tying Devon’s arms together and
securing them to the saddle of a horse. 

“Tell her no to
come!” Devon bellowed as he was led away.  “I’d rather be killed!”  One of the
guards silenced him with a punch to the face, causing blood to drip from his
split lip.

***

            Brennan rode like a
madman back to the McClain lands, guilt sitting heavily in his stomach.  He had
intended to help the Clan, and now look where he had gotten them.  His best
friend was a prisoner of the Camerons and would surely be killed before he
would allow his wife to be handed over to the Camerons.  Brennan had seen the
way that Devon looked at Kate and he knew that there was no way that he would
part with the lass willingly.

His leg ached from
the breakneck pace of the ride, but he would not relent.  Devon’s life hung in
the balance.  Laird Cameron was not a patient man by nature, and Brennan feared
not being able to return to the Cameron lands in time to save his friend.          Leti
would kill him if her brother was killed due to his stupidity.  He dreaded the
thought of facing Leti with the news that her brother had been captured at his
expense, she didn’t even know that he had snuck away to join in the battle.

 Brennan knew that
Collin would not bother Kate because her dowry had not yet been received. 
Stupidly, he had figured that he could be of more help to the Clan by joining
in the battle, loathing the idea of sitting idly around the keep protecting
women.   If he didn’t die now trying to save Devon, Leti would kill him for
sure, he gulped, fearing Leti’s wrath.

Brennan arrived at
the castle in the middle of the night, thundering into the stables, rousing
Jaime from his slumber.  Breathing raggedly, he tossed the reins of his stallion
at a dreamy eyed Jaime and walked towards the keep without a word of
explanation.  He stalked quietly up the stairs so as not to wake other
Clansmen, wishing to keep this incident as quiet as he could. 

He knocked quietly
on Nathan’s door and heard a muffled grumble from within followed by the sound
of feet padding across the flagstones as Nathan unbolted the door.

“I need yer help,”
Brennan said briskly, not asking permission to enter Nathan’s chamber, but
brushing quickly past the sleepy eyed giant and closing the chamber door behind
him.

“Now?”  Nathan
asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes, causing his already bushy eyebrows to look
even more out of control.

“I’ve done
something stupid,” Brennan confessed, the words felt tight, constricting with
guilt in his throat.  “I went after the war party, thought I might be able to
help, thought I was strong enough.  I didn’t want tae be left behind.”

“What happened?”
Nathan asked, already alert, alarmed by the tone in Brennan’s voice.

“I got into
trouble, wasn’t as strong as I thought.  Devon had to come and save me, and they
captured him, took him prisoner.  The Camerons have him.” Brennan admitted
guilt and embarrassment heavy in his voice as he looked up at Nathan.

“Do ye ken where
he is being kept?” Nathan asked, already spinning his wheels, formulating a
plan of rescue. 

“No, but Cameron
has asked for Kate.  He wants Kate in exchange for Devon’s life.”

“Devon would
rather die,” Nathan said firmly, an air of protection in his voice.  Nathan had
seen how Devon looked at Kate, how he had kissed her so openly, expressing his
feelings for her openly before the clan. 

“It’s our only
hope of getting him back alive.  We can make a plan to rescue her after Devon
has been released,” Brennan said, having come up with this as the only option
of getting Devon away from the Cameron keep alive. 

“Yer a dead man,”
Nathan said coolly.  “I’ll help ye, but ken that Devon will kill ye himself if
Kate is put in jeopardy.  Hell, I might have tae kill ye if the lass gets
hurt,” Nathan warned, his affections for the lass were worn on his sleeve.  He
felt a connection with the girl having been the one who found her in the forest
and had more than once wished that he had been the one who had been lucky
enough to claim her hand in marriage.

“My life is the
least of my worries at this point,” Brennan confessed.

“Go wake the lass,
and I’ll grab a few things before we leave.  I need to think of a plan,” Nathan
said, already walking away from Brennan to get himself ready to leave.  “And be
honest telling her that ye were the one who fucked this all up,” Nathan
demanded, dismissing Brennan as he prepared for the task at hand.

                                                            ***

Brennan swallowed
hard as he stood outside of the chamber that Kate shared with Devon.  He had
stood outside this door so many times before; the memories of the times that he
had shared with Devon were painful.  He rapped on the door quietly, clearing
his throat and squaring his shoulders, willing himself to be strong for the
news that he must bear to Kate.  He knew that she cared about Devon, had seen
it on her face both before and after her unexpected marriage to his best
friend.

Moments later,
Kate answered the door hesitantly, only opening it a crack and peering out into
the corridor.  When she saw Brennan, her eyes widened in fear.  It was evident
that she expected the worst kind of news from him.

“What happened?”
her voice was pleading, scared as she opened the door to allow Brennan into the
room.

“I’ve done
something foolish, Kate.  I’m so sorry,” Brennan said guilt heavy in the pit of
his stomach. 

“What!” she exclaimed,
questioning.  “Is it Devon?” her eyes were riddled with fear.  “Is he alright?”

“He’s been
captured by the Camerons.  It was my fault.  I followed after the war party and
I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was, and Devon was captured because he tried to
save me,” Brennan confessed, eyes pleading with Kate.

“You did what?”
she exclaimed, anger heavy in her voice.  “With your injury, you did what?” she
yelled.

“Shhhh!  I know it
was stupid,” he admitted.  “But I think that we can get him back,” Brennan continued
hesitantly, eyes holding Kate’s.  “Cameron will release him for a price.”

“What price?  I’ll
talk to Collin immediately and see what we can come up with,” Kate said,
desperation in her voice.

“The price is you,
Kate.  Cameron wants you.” The words hung in the air, heavy and putrid between
them.

Chapter
Fourteen

“I’ve got a plan,
lass.  I canna promise ye that it will work, but at least I’ve got a plan,”
Nathan said gruffly against my ear, his bristly beard tickling my skin.  “It will
require a bit of work on yer part, but I think that ye can handle it.  I ken
that yer a braw, feisty lass and I have faith that ye can pull this off,” he
said encouragingly.

“Tell me.  I’m
ready,” I said, straightening my spine as I rested my back against Nathan.

“Poison,” he
whispered.  “This is our chance to rid ourselves of the Cameron bastard once
and for all,” he said confidently.

I was ready and
willing to do anything that would secure Devon’s release.  I was even ready to
kill a man.

“Tell me exactly
what I need to do,” I said, again feeling the sinking in my stomach.  I was
terrified of what I would need to do, but the prospect of losing Devon was
unimaginable.  I would do anything to get him back.

Nathan quickly
filled me in on the rough details of his rudimentary plan, then questioned me
relentlessly over each small detail.  His drilling committed the plan to my
memory, and provoked a shaking in my hands that no matter how hard I tried, I
could not quell.

  I turned
Nathan’s instructions over in my mind as we rode through the dark chilly night,
memorizing what I needed to do in order to free Devon. I resolved not to fail,
even if it meant that I was killed in the act of trying to secure Devon’s
freedom.

***

We arrived at the
Cameron keep in the early light of morning, my limbs were stiff as Nathan
settled me to the ground and then dismounted behind me, placing a protective
hand on my shoulder.  Brennan walked behind us.  He had spoken little on the
journey through the night, and was only given the details of Nathan’s plan that
were crucial.

I walked into the
Cameron keep with my head held high.  I hoped to see Devon and I prayed that I
could retain my composure.  I longed to see him and to ensure that he was still
alive.

            Cameron guards met me
at the entrance of the keep, and escorted me to the great hall.  The room was
massive, and cold, devoid of any décor.  At the head of the room, next to the
hearth was a massive chair reminiscent of a throne.  The man seated in the
chair rose and bowed slightly as I was led forward by the guards, knees
trembling, to approach the master of the keep.

            “Miss Berkshire,” he
greeted me with a low bow, eyes hungrily appraising me as he returned to his
full height. 

I knew at once
that he was the Cameron Laird, both from his seat on the throne and the
commanding presence that he emanated.  The laird was an older man with silver
hair.  His features were rounded by lack of exercise or overeating.  He was
repulsive.

  “Laird Cameron,”
I returned his greeting, trying my best to hide my immediate aversion to the
man.  I hated him and I worked hard to fight the urge to throw myself at him,
claw his eyes out and demand that he give me back my husband.

“And sae ye come,
milady.”  He said, appraising me.  “Do ye come in an effort tae save yer
husband, or do ye come to save yerself from the barbaric McClains?”

 He continued
before I could answer, “Or, better yet, have ye been sent by the McClains as a
sacrifice to save the second in line for their Lairdship?”

            “I come of my own free
will,” I said firmly, looking straight into the eyes of the vile Laird. 
Adrenaline thrummed through my veins, quickening my pulse as I implemented the
first stages of our plan.

“And why would ye
do this?” the Cameron questioned skeptically.

“I do this because
I wish to change the course of my life.  I have not been happy with the match
made by my father with the McClain Clan and I seek an alternative,” I lied
coolly.

Please let him
take the bait.  Let this work!

“And what exactly
were ye unsatisfied with during yer time with the McClains?” the Cameron
questioned, eyes piercing me like daggers as he regarded me skeptically.

“My husband was
unable to consummate our marriage,” I said matter-of-factly, feeling the rush
of blood that would color my face.  The lie was a bold one.  It was not that Devon
had been unable to consummate our marriage; the truth was that he had chosen
not to.  He had chosen not to consummate our marriage despite the fact that I
had nearly begged him to make love to me. 

“Sae yer marriage
could be annulled?” he asked, eyes driving to my very core.  “I will find ye to
be a virgin still?” he asked, eyes alight with excitement.

 “Yes,” I admitted
truthfully, shuddering about the idea of giving myself to this repulsive man.

“I’ll warn ye not
tae toy with me lass.  If I find ye damaged in anyway, rest assured that the
McClain will be killed immediately and consequences would befall ye as well,”
he hissed in response to my claim.

“I am untouched,” 
I volunteered the half-truth, knees quaking.

“Take the lass to
my chambers and have her prepared.  If I find her to my satisfaction, I shall
wed her at daybreak tomorrow.  Make the appropriate preparations for the
annulment,” he barked.  Servants immediately began to spring into action, and a
guard grabbed my elbow from behind.