Winter Heat by Dawn Halliday

she thought dispassionately, staring at him through narrowed eyes as he leered back at her. Goose grease smeared his thick lips and dripped from his chin, and meat chunks were wedged between his yellowed teeth.
    From the beginning she’d known it was folly to place her life in the hands of men. Logan’s intentions had been honorable, but in her heart she’d known it wasn’t his responsibility to save her.
    It was up to her to free herself from Innes Munroe. But how? Hopelessness swelled in her chest.
    “I think you should stay, cousin,” Torean said pleasantly. “We’ve marvelous entertainments planned this night. My bard—”
    She grimaced at him. “No. I want to go home.”
    Torean’s gaze flitted from her to Innes and back. “Very well.”
    Innes smacked his hand down on the table. “What?” he roared. “You promised I could take ’er after the duel!”
    “Today?” Maggie croaked in panic. Torean had promised the brute he could marry her today ?
    Torean made a placating gesture with his hands and smiled at Innes. “My lady cousin is a touch upset and still exhausted from her ordeal in the mountains. Perhaps it would be best to give her a few days, allow her to prepare in both body and soul for her upcoming nuptials.”
    Maggie fought to keep herself from spitting at his feet, but the look she gave Torean made very clear her intentions when it came to marrying Innes Munroe.
    “And it’s for the best, don’t you see?” Torean continued on, his voice soothing. “Marry her in a week’s time, I say.”
    He lifted his glass of ale, took a long swallow, and then thumped it onto the table. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “We’ll have another celebration!” he exclaimed. “If you marry today, the merriment of the event will be overshadowed by Hogmanay.” He narrowed his eyes at Innes. “I’ll have my distillers bottle the new batch of whisky for the occasion.”
    Innes took a big bite of goose thigh, his pale eyes thoughtful. “Hmm . . .” he said through a full mouth. The offer of whisky had tempted him.
    Torean slid a glance from Maggie to Innes. “Come now, Innes. Give her a few days, eh? I’ll . . .” He paused to think; then he smiled. “You’ve been making eyes at Mary Steward. Why don’t you take her tonight?”
    Maggie bit back a gasp. Mary was one of the local loose women. To think Torean would offer her so blatantly, in Maggie’s presence, stole her voice. Torean intended to allow Innes the use of his whore a few days before he intended to marry Maggie to him? The gall!
    For the first time in her life, she hated her own cousin.
    But then, something in his eyes caught her attention. A subtle glint, as if he were plotting a scheme. Again his gaze flitted to her and then back to Innes.
    Perhaps . . .
    Innes’s eyebrows shot toward his hairline, and his eyes sparkled with interest. “Well, now, she’s a fair piece, isn’t she?”
    “Oh, aye. A fair piece indeed.” Torean turned fully to Maggie and offered her a gentle smile. “Godspeed, cousin. Go home and rest. In one week, your intended will come for you.”
    Perhaps he was buying her time.

    Shaking with a fierce kind of rage he’d only felt once before, in the throes of battle at Sheriffmuir, Logan strode out the door of the doctor’s cottage. His vision was clear and crisp now, almost back to normal except for the red fury swirling on its fringes. Whatever Munroe had thrown at him only had a temporary effect. Nor had the bastard cut him too deep. The scratches on his chest burned like fire, but they weren’t life-threatening—a small consolation for what had to be the most anger-i nducing day of Logan’s life. Since he’d left the arena, he had fought with every breath to school himself from violence. The only thoughts that kept him sane were of his family, his duties, and Maggie.
    He needed to get off MacDonald land. He was too angry to think rationally here. Too angry to think beyond the compulsion to