“Don’t be disrespectful.” She grinned. “MacDuff would be upset. I’ve told you the whole story about Fiona, and MacDuff’s belief that someday he’ll find some kind of proof that I’m one of his kin.” She took the book and leafed through it. “Or at least find that Fiona wasn’t thrown down a deep well by Papa dearest.”

“The MacDuffs don’t appear to be kind to their women. I don’t blame you for not wanting to claim them. You’re much better off sticking with me.”

“You can hardly blame MacDuff for my being a prisoner here. He’s doing everything he can to help keep me safe.”

“Well, I refuse to blame Seth Caleb,” he said dryly. “It’s not nearly as safe.”

“Then blame me. I’ve always been the captain of my fate. I make my own choices.” She shrugged. “Or stay out of it. It’s none of your business anyway.”

“But it is, since I agreed to go along with you into the great beyond.” He angled his head. “And I think I like you. Ordinarily I wouldn’t tolerate any form of blackmail, and you came close.” His eyes were gleaming slyly. “But I might forgive you if you tell me where the hell we’re going.”

“So you can decide whether you should change your mind?”

“No, I’ve already given my word. But I’d like to know if I need to make preparations. Particularly since MacDuff might decide I took a bribe from Bohdan and intend to kidnap you. Is that too much to ask?”

She slowly shook her head. “But I told you Bohdan has nothing to do with this.” She hesitated and then said, “I want you to take me to Kilgoray, a small village about ten miles down the coast from here. There’s something I want to do there, and it shouldn’t take more than an hour. Then we’ll be back on our way to MacDuff’s Run.” She added mockingly, “No villains waiting in the shadows. Just farmers and merchants and a friendly pub where I can park you while I go about my business.”

“You never mentioned going off and leaving me. We should talk about that.”

“I’ll be within view the entire time,” Jane said. “For heaven’s sake, I told you, it’s a small village. I’ve no intention of letting anything happen to me. If I thought there was any danger, I’d find another way to do this. You were only a convenience.”

“And what does Kilgoray have that the village here at MacDuff’s Run doesn’t have?”

“Privacy.” She raised her brows. “Satisfied?”

“Not at all. But I believe you’re satisfied you’re telling me the truth. That’s enough for me until we get to this Kilgoray, and I can look it over myself. That pub doesn’t sound too bad.”