The Renegade's Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

relic, and I shall leave your brother and his
holding alone.”
    “You will leave now at any rate.”
    Murdoch smiled and she yearned to damage his
confidence.
    “I have nothing to tell you of my brother or
my family, and indeed, you go too far in expecting that I take any
such wager. I will not betray my own kin!”
    “Despite my brother’s loss?” He frowned and
she had the sense that he was driven by a need to correct a wrong.
“Despite your own curiosity?” He arched a brow and Isabella looked
away.
    “Nothing says my brother is responsible,” she
said, her words falling in haste. “You have no true evidence.”
    “Save the fact that the relic was discovered
to be missing immediately after Ross Lammergeier visited Seton
Manor.” Murdoch’s voice turned husky and his eyes were bright.
    And even though she could make no sense of
his assertion, Isabella knew Murdoch was utterly convinced of its
truth.
     
    * * *
     
    Chapter
Two
     
    “Ross? At your brother’s home?” Isabella
could make no sense of this. “But why?”
    “He was in the service of the Earl of Buchan
a year past, was he not?”
    Isabella caught her breath and looked
away.
    “How much do you know about your brother,
Ross, my lady — and his intent?”
    Isabella was seventh–born of her eight
siblings, while Ross was fifth. Both of her older brothers, Malcolm
and Ross, had left Kinfairlie after Alexander’s wedding. Ross had
been home at the Yule just recently passed. She knew he had argued
with Alexander and left quietly, but she did not know the source of
their argument.
    Was this it?
    She realized that Murdoch was watching her
avidly and tried to hide her suspicions, even guessing it was too
late. “Coincidence!” she protested. “You have no proof. The thief
could be anyone! Why suspect my kin?”
    A fleeting smile touched his firm lips and
Isabella could not help but watch. Murdoch counted off the reasons
on his fingers even as he strode around her. His voice was
beguiling in itself, deep and quiet, compelling in a way that made
Isabella’s mouth go dry. “Because it was bought from your uncle in
the first place. Because it would not be unlikely for any man to
regret the surrender of a successful venture, and later wish to
return to it. Because it disappeared at the same time your brother
Ross was in our hall.”
    Each step he took compelled Isabella to take
a quarter turn, in order to ensure that she could see his face. She
watched him keenly, waiting for some hint of doubt but there was
none. His brow was dark, his gaze intent. He was utterly convinced
that he was right.
    But was he?
    She knew that Alexander had lied.
    Why?
    Would it be so fearsome to make a wager with
this knight?
    It might, in fact, be right to do so.
    As she thought, he continued in that melodic
low tone. “Because the easiest place to find relics to sell would
be to collect them from one’s former clients. Because your kin have
long been said to be thieves, as well as merchants of religious
relics.”
    Murdoch stopped directly before her and
touched his thumb. “Because the relic at Seton Manor was secured in
a locked treasury with no less than three guards. Its disappearance
was nearly an impossible feat – for mere mortals. Who better to
spirit it away than the sorcerors the Lammergeier are reputed to
be?”
    Isabella shook her head. “Innuendo, not
fact.”
    “Fact will come.”
    “No.” Isabella frowned. “Alexander would not
do this thing.” She held up a finger when Murdoch might have
protested. “And Alexander would dispatch no other man to do it in
his stead. I know my brother.”
    “You know he lies, too.” Murdoch’s gaze never
swerved from her when she swallowed. Isabella nodded. “What about
Ross?”
    Isabella sighed and bit her lip. “I do not
know.”
    “Has he been home?”
    “He was here at the Yule.” She saw the gleam
of satisfaction in Murdoch’s eyes and hastened to defend her
brother. “I do not know where the relic