for...how long?”
“Did I say ‘torture’? Nay, ye will nae torture him in the literal sense.”
Frustrated, he snarled, “If nae ‘torture’...then what must I do?”
Iona turned innocent blue eyes up at him.
“Why…ye are going ta steal his daughter… wed her...and bed her!”
Chapter Two
“Ye want me ta do what?” It was bad enough the McEwen Keep was being haunted! But now he found that the spirit was insane, as well! “Why should I wed this lass? Can I nae just ruin her and be done with it?”
Iona’s smile turned into an icy glare. Conan shivered as the temperature plummeted around him.
“Ye will wed her! Otherwise it is all for naught!” she replied through clenched teeth. “Your way does naught but punish the lass...nae the faither! He would simply retrieve her and carry on with his wicked ways. By wedding her, ye deny him of his heart’s desire! Only then will he suffer.” Her body shook with vehemence.
Conan was no fool. He knew there was more to this than the wraith was telling. It was too important to her. Why was she so adamant about keeping the lass from her father? Revenge? That did not add up. No...there was more to this story. A crafty look flitted across his face.
“Mayhap, I could wed her and bed her...and then return her to her faither.”
“Nay!” she screeched. “Ye must keep her with ye!”
He arched a brow. “Why?” Crossing his arms, he awaited her reply in silent scrutiny.
Damn him! Why will he nae simply heed me? Mayhap I have underestimated Conan McEwen. A slow smile crept across her lips. Or mayhap, he be just what I need ta match wits with Clyde Ramsey. It will nae hurt ta tell him some of it. Stubborn man! She sighed in resignation.
“I was wed ta the man once and grew quite attached ta his daughter. She is sweet and kind beyond measure. If she has a flaw, twould be her naiveté! ”
“I am listening.” She must be hard on the eyes if this spirit refers ta her personality ta describe her instead of her looks! Wonderful!
A wicked smile crossed Iona’s face. Conan did not realize that she could hear his thoughts.
“Anyway...one day, as the lass matured, I noticed her faither giving her unnatural looks. I confronted him about it and he broke me neck for me trouble!”
He snapped to attention at her declaration.
“She is in danger?”
“Aye. He has done naught yet, but he grows bolder each day. Now do ye understand?”
A rescue mission! That he could do!
“I still do nae ken why I must wed the lass.”
Peering at him steadily, she shook her blond curls. “Your head must be made of stone! If ye do nae wed her, he will simply take her away from ye and ye will have nae legal ground ta stand on.”
“I see. I will need some time ta consider your words, wraith...and sleep. I will need a clear head ta do such a deed.”
Iona grew frustrated. Time was of the essence.
“If ye do nae do this by tomorrow eve...twill be too late. He means ta fulfill his dream in two days’ time when she turns ten and eight.”
“How do ye ken this?”
She smiled as she began to fade away. “Did I nae tell ye that I can hear thoughts?”
Startled, his eyes widened as he watched her body become more transparent.
“Wait! Whose daughter do we speak of? I must ken if I am ta plan anything.”
“Clyde Ramsey.” Her voice echoed off the walls of his dream as she vanished.
Ramsey? The man lives in a virtual fortress! Nae one has ever broken through his walls! We would need ta leave at first light ta get there by mid eve...and our mounts will be spent. I suppose we will need ta do some horse trading once there. He smiled as a plan took shape while he slept the night through, uninterrupted for the first time in many moons.
Blast the man! He is shrewder than I thought. I had hoped ta keep that information ta me self...at least for a time! He must take Kyla away from that monster though, and if that is the payment then, so be it! I would have told him eventually
“Did I say ‘torture’? Nay, ye will nae torture him in the literal sense.”
Frustrated, he snarled, “If nae ‘torture’...then what must I do?”
Iona turned innocent blue eyes up at him.
“Why…ye are going ta steal his daughter… wed her...and bed her!”
Chapter Two
“Ye want me ta do what?” It was bad enough the McEwen Keep was being haunted! But now he found that the spirit was insane, as well! “Why should I wed this lass? Can I nae just ruin her and be done with it?”
Iona’s smile turned into an icy glare. Conan shivered as the temperature plummeted around him.
“Ye will wed her! Otherwise it is all for naught!” she replied through clenched teeth. “Your way does naught but punish the lass...nae the faither! He would simply retrieve her and carry on with his wicked ways. By wedding her, ye deny him of his heart’s desire! Only then will he suffer.” Her body shook with vehemence.
Conan was no fool. He knew there was more to this than the wraith was telling. It was too important to her. Why was she so adamant about keeping the lass from her father? Revenge? That did not add up. No...there was more to this story. A crafty look flitted across his face.
“Mayhap, I could wed her and bed her...and then return her to her faither.”
“Nay!” she screeched. “Ye must keep her with ye!”
He arched a brow. “Why?” Crossing his arms, he awaited her reply in silent scrutiny.
Damn him! Why will he nae simply heed me? Mayhap I have underestimated Conan McEwen. A slow smile crept across her lips. Or mayhap, he be just what I need ta match wits with Clyde Ramsey. It will nae hurt ta tell him some of it. Stubborn man! She sighed in resignation.
“I was wed ta the man once and grew quite attached ta his daughter. She is sweet and kind beyond measure. If she has a flaw, twould be her naiveté! ”
“I am listening.” She must be hard on the eyes if this spirit refers ta her personality ta describe her instead of her looks! Wonderful!
A wicked smile crossed Iona’s face. Conan did not realize that she could hear his thoughts.
“Anyway...one day, as the lass matured, I noticed her faither giving her unnatural looks. I confronted him about it and he broke me neck for me trouble!”
He snapped to attention at her declaration.
“She is in danger?”
“Aye. He has done naught yet, but he grows bolder each day. Now do ye understand?”
A rescue mission! That he could do!
“I still do nae ken why I must wed the lass.”
Peering at him steadily, she shook her blond curls. “Your head must be made of stone! If ye do nae wed her, he will simply take her away from ye and ye will have nae legal ground ta stand on.”
“I see. I will need some time ta consider your words, wraith...and sleep. I will need a clear head ta do such a deed.”
Iona grew frustrated. Time was of the essence.
“If ye do nae do this by tomorrow eve...twill be too late. He means ta fulfill his dream in two days’ time when she turns ten and eight.”
“How do ye ken this?”
She smiled as she began to fade away. “Did I nae tell ye that I can hear thoughts?”
Startled, his eyes widened as he watched her body become more transparent.
“Wait! Whose daughter do we speak of? I must ken if I am ta plan anything.”
“Clyde Ramsey.” Her voice echoed off the walls of his dream as she vanished.
Ramsey? The man lives in a virtual fortress! Nae one has ever broken through his walls! We would need ta leave at first light ta get there by mid eve...and our mounts will be spent. I suppose we will need ta do some horse trading once there. He smiled as a plan took shape while he slept the night through, uninterrupted for the first time in many moons.
Blast the man! He is shrewder than I thought. I had hoped ta keep that information ta me self...at least for a time! He must take Kyla away from that monster though, and if that is the payment then, so be it! I would have told him eventually
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