Sword Dance by Marie Laval Page B

away from me, turned her head and seduced her than threw her out of Wrath Lodge as if she was a dirty rag. Anyway, why should you care so much about him? He didn’t exactly treat you well, did he? He only wanted to trade you as a pawn - ’
    His eyebrows gathered in a frown and he let out a sneer.
    â€˜Oh I understand. You’ve fallen for the laird of Wrath Lodge, and now you’re hoping for some fairytale happy ending to your romance. Well that’s too bad, miss, because it ain’t going to end well for him. Or for you.’

Chapter Five
    McNeil hooked his lantern on a peg and pushed her against the wall.
    â€˜Stay here.’
    Rose glanced back at the narrow, slippery stone staircase they’d just climbed down, then at the solid door in front of her. She’d never been inside a prison before but this place definitely felt like one with its cavernous stone walls and the massive door with chunky chains and thick metal bars.
    â€˜Where are we? Why did you bring me here?’
    â€˜Be quiet.’
    While McNeil unlocked the door she glanced at the staircase again. Perhaps she could slip past him, run up the stairs, and…
    â€˜Don’t even think about it,’ he said as if reading her mind. ‘My men are up there. You wouldn’t stand a chance.’
    He unfastened the chains and slid the metal bars off. The door squeaked open onto a dark room.
    â€˜In you go.’
    He grabbed hold of her arm and pushed her in front of him, so hard she flew forward and stumbled to her knees. Her fingernails scraped the rough surface of a cold, wet stone floor as she pushed herself back to her feet. The frigid dampness of the room immediately seeped through her clothing. And the smell! A foul mixture of seaweed, brine and mould, it seemed to cling to her hair and skin. She wrinkled her nose and almost choked in disgust.
    She turned round and stared at McNeil’s bulky figure outlined in the doorway.
    â€˜What are you going to do with me?’
    â€˜You’ll find out in good time, miss.’
    â€˜Wait! Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone in here!’ She started towards the door.
    â€˜Who said you were?’ He laughed and slammed the door shut.
    The bars and chains slid back into place with loud clinking sounds. She heard the tapping of his footsteps as he climbed the stairs. Then there was silence, filled by the roaring of her blood, and there was darkness – a velvety darkness, so deep and smooth it appeared to be changing shape like a living, breathing thing.
    In fact she could swear she heard breathing inside the room right now, as if a djinoun was lying in wait in a corner of the room. She heaved a sob, then another. Panic made her heart jump wildly against her ribs.
    Calm down. McNeil lied to frighten you. Nobody’s here. It’s just the wind and the sea.
    She looked around, her eyes searching the darkness in vain. She knew she was somewhere on Westmore estate. She had caught glimpses of the manor house earlier as McNeil dragged her out of the carriage. She had also heard waves crashing against the rocks and breathed the scents of sea and seaweed in the cold wind. Perhaps this was the dungeon of the McRae family’s ancestral keep.
    She took a few tentative steps, her hands stretched out in front of her to feel for obstacles. Something – someone – shifted, slid and dropped onto the floor with a loud plopping sound and Rose stopped dead. Her heart bumped to a stop, her mouth dried up and spidery shivers crawled all over her skin. What if McNeil had told the truth and she wasn’t alone? What if some slimy creature slid its way towards her now? What if McNeil left her in here to rot and she never saw daylight again? She pressed her fist against her mouth to repress a scream.
    There was another dripping sound. ‘Who’s there?’ she called in a weak voice.
    There was no answer. Of course, there was no answer! It was