A Fire Within (These Highland Hills, Book 3) by Kathleen Morgan Page A

there already a plan afoot to seize our lands
and make them part of Clan Campbell's?"
    "Mayhap by the Earl ofArgyll, but not by Niall and our family.
My brother isn't the sort to covet the ancestral lands of another
clan. He believes in the commandment not to steal or covet one's
neighbor's goods."
    "A good Christian, is he?"
    "Aye, that he is," she snapped, an edge of defensiveness in her
voice. "Still, even a good Christian is permitted to bring evildoers to justice."
    "Evildoers such as my brother?"
    "Aye, and ye as well, now that ye've gone and taken me away!"
She flounced back around to gaze down the road. "Though I
imagine he might go a bit kinder with ye, as long as ye return
me unharmed, than he will with yer brother. Athe MacNaghten,
after all, was as actively involved in the MacNabs' slaughter as
was yer father. Indeed, rumor has it that it was yer brother who
instigated that horrific plan and all over some perceived affront
by a MacNab."
    Caitlin shook her head in revulsion. "Attacking and murdering
over a third of a clan who has offered ye the hospitality of their
home. And at a feast, no less. For shame!"

    Aye, there was indeed shame-deep and abiding shame-in
such a dastardly deed. Outlaw though he had already been a year
and a half ago, and far away when the act had been perpetrated,
Dar still burned with humiliation every time someone made
mention of the massacre.
    It had been hard enough to hear of it the first time from Kenneth. Kenneth, as the clan bard, had been an unwitting participant. Unarmed and not well versed in battle techniques at any
rate, his cousin had barely escaped with his life.
    "Aye, shameful it was," Dar replied, glancing down. "That's
one crime, however, ye can't lay at my feet. A broken man doesn't
get much opportunity to visit his family, much less join them for
meals with other clans."
    "I know that." She sighed. "So why risk yet life for someone
who doesn't care a whit for ye or what happens to ye anymore?
As if banishment from a proscribed clan wasn't bad enough, now
ye've gone and directed even more attention on yerself, as well as
the ire of the entire Clan Campbell. Darach MacFarlane might
have been able to live out his life in some peace and safety. But
not Darach MacNaghten. Now"-she shook her head-"now
the pursuit and intent to capture and kill ye will never let up."
    "Wouldn't ye do everything ye could to try and save yer clan?
Even at the verra risk of yer life?"
    Caitlin sighed again. "Aye, I would. But leastwise my clan
would love me for it. I'm not so certain ye've aught to gain in
what ye're attempting to do."
    How swiftly she cut to the heart of the matter, Dar thought.
And if only she knew how many times he had questioned his
sanity in attempting to carry out such a plan.
    Dar released a long, slow breath. "It doesn't matter. As hard as
it may be for ye to believe, the MacNaghtens are still my family,
and I love them. Love them and will do aught it takes to save
them."

    "Against a royal decree to the contrary? Against insurmountable odds?"
    A deep, heavy sadness welled up and engulfed him. How could
he make Caitlin understand? The task ahead did indeed seem
impossible, but what choice was left one, when one loved like
he did? No choice whatsoever.
    "Aye," Dar replied, his voice husky with emotion. "Against a
royal decree to the contrary and insurmountable odds. Until the
fire of retribution burns itself out or it finally consumes me."

    With a sinking heart, two hours later Caitlin watched Kenneth
head directly south while they headed out on a more circuitous
southeasterly fashion. What she had dreaded most of all since
they had begun this journey had finally come about. She was
alone, once again, with Darach MacNaghten.
    No matter how hard she tried, no matter her intentions to the
contrary, it seemed fate conspired against her. She wasn't meant,
it seemed, to flee her unsettled feelings for the big Highlander.
Whether