The guard bowed to Byron while Goon Number One began babbling. ‘Integrity Taylor stands accused of theft. Chieftain MacBain’s necklace was stolen in the middle of the night while she slept. It’s worth thousands of pounds and…’

‘Enough.’

Taylor appeared, breathing heavily and with sweat on his brow. He caught sight of Brochan, still lying inert on the ground and ran over. ‘Is he…?’

‘He’s fine,’ Speck said, peering over Lexie’s shoulder. ‘Just a bit winded.’

Just as fucking well. I looked at Byron. ‘They have no evidence and no right to barge in to our room and rake through our stuff. We were all here all night. He,’ I jabbed my thumb in Goon Two’s direction, ‘assaulted a member of my entourage for no good reason. I demand reparation.’

Byron, his jaw set, gave me a grim look then strode past the guards and stared into the hut. Whoever was in there had stopped searching when they heard him arrive. ‘Out,’ he ordered.

He looked round for a long moment before turning back to us. ‘Who gave you this cabin?’

‘A servant brought us here,’ Speck said, loosening his grip on Lexie. She wrenched herself away with a glare that said he was in serious trouble later on and rubbed her wrists.

Byron looked even madder. ‘Does my father know this is where you are staying?’

That’s pretty much a given, I thought. ‘I have no idea,’ I said aloud. ‘Why? Is something wrong?’

Angry as he was, Byron still had time to look at me suspiciously. I tried to flutter my eyelashes but it probably looked like a fly had flown into my eyeballs. Thankfully, he switched his attention to the wankers who’d just left our cabin.

‘Did you find anything?’ he demanded. ‘Any necklace or stolen property?’

The guards wouldn’t meet his eyes. ‘Well, there’s a harp which looks pretty expensive.’

I balled up my fists. ‘If you’ve damaged it…’

Byron held up his index finger and I quietened. I’d made my point. ‘Anything else?’

‘No.’

I gave a silent sigh of relief. Was that because they’d not had time to find the necklace? It had to be planted somewhere.

‘Get out of here.’

I thought for a moment that Byron was referring to me but I relaxed when I realised he meant the Cruaich guards. ‘Yeah,’ I added. ‘And for your information it’s Integrity Taylor Adair. A. D. A. I. R. Adair. Got that?’

‘Integrity,’ Byron said.

‘Yep?’

‘You can shut up now.’

‘Everyone’s a hater,’ I mumbled. ‘Just because who Adairs wins.’

He didn’t smile. I rolled my eyes and stepped up beside him to peek inside. When I saw the harp uncovered but seemingly unharmed, I stood up straighter. Thank goodness for small mercies.

‘I apologise,’ Byron said stiffly, ‘that you were given accommodation like this. You should be in the village with everyone else. I’ll arrange for you to be moved there immediately.’

I looked quickly at the others, noting the glint in their eyes. ‘It’s not so bad here. The peace and quiet is nice and we like rustic living.’