A spark of curiosity crossed his eyes. “How will ye get there?” he asked. “Ye just told me that ye dinnae have money.”
“Well, I can find work here,” she looked around at the establishment. It was dirty, and the people made her shudder a little. “Or maybe I can find work elsewhere.”
“That’s a terrible plan,” Blane said dismissively. “I’m certain that nay one in their right mind would hire a naive lass like ye. From what I can see, ye probably have never worked in your life. I’ll bet that any physical labor will kill ye.”
“Physical labor willnae kill me,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’ll have ye ken that I’ve toiled alongside servants, and I understand how tae work hard.”
Blane was about to respond when the defiant expression on her face began to crumble. The hopelessness of her situation seemed to hit her, and she appeared dangerously close to losing control of her emotions.
The nursemaid placed an arm around her shoulders.
“Aiya, dinnae cry, lass,” Seamus said. He seemed to have a soft spot for women in distress, and he looked over at Blane. “Is there nothing we can do for them?”
At his suggestion, her pretty eyes swung to the lad. Her emotions were so transparent that Blane could almost read her mind. But then she seemed to remember that it was Blane who made the decisions. And she faced him again with a faint glow of hope reflecting in her eyes.
“Will ye help us?” she asked. “Please? My grandmother is ill, and I need tae see her before she departs from this world.”
He started to repeat again that he wasn’t interested in her plight. Except he loathed to crush her spirits.
“Sae, I assume that ye are a member of the MacNeadain clan?”
“How do ye ken this?” she asked, startled.
“Simple deduction,” Blane said. “Dunburn is part of that clan’s territory.”
“Aye, ye are right. My sire is the clan chief.”
Evidently, she was telling the truth. While Anabell spoke with a slight accent, she had a high command of the Scots language, and her breeding was evident. She even possessed the delicate features of a native lass. But why was the daughter of a chief stranded in Caleith, and away from the protection of her clansmen? He might have posed this question to her, however, he didn’t really want to know. Nor did he care why she was in the port town.
If Blane knew what was good for him, he needed to mind his own business. But at the same time, he recognized the opportunity here. The escort job wasn’t ideal, but perhaps Giles was right, and he needed to do something that didn’t require fighting.
“I can take ye tae Middun,” he said. “The town is halfway tae your destination and is a place where the MacNeadain clan often gather. From there, ye can find someone tae take ye tae your grandmother. If ‘tis true that ye are the MacNeadain’s daughter, then I’m certain they’ll help ye.”
Seamus let out a rush of relief. “It looks like we can assist ye after all,” he addressed the lass. “I’ll find a couple of volunteers tae help me escort ye.”
“Nay, I’ll accompany them,” Blane said. “Ye and the rest of the Company will stay here and wait for the details of the assignment. ’Tis nae worth it for all of us tae go.”
Chapter 5
True to his words, Blane gathered the supplies they needed for the journey. He had his own stallion and secured two extra mounts. In addition to that, he hired a packhorse to carry their belongings. As soon as they were on the move, the lass’s demeanor changed. She appeared more carefree and acted as if she was embarking on a great adventure.
The sun touched her face, and even though he didn’t want to acknowledge it, he was again amazed by her simple beauty. Blane quickly quashed the dangerous thoughts. Likely he was awestruck by the bonnie lass since he lacked the company of women for so long. It was natural for him to be drawn to her attractiveness.
But his admiration of her served no purpose, he decided. He had taken Giles’s advice to think about his future. Escorting these women seemed like a good idea at the time, but the peace he sought wasn’t to be had. And the longer he spent in the lass’s company, the less patient he became.
“I’m glad tae leave this town,” Maggie said.
“Aye,” Anabell agreed, although she appeared to only be half-listening to her nursemaid. Her gaze was focused on her surroundings. And there was much to see in Caleith. Ships arrived daily in the town’s harbor, and traders traveled by horse or on foot to buy or sell their goods.
An hour passed, and they traversed into the countryside where the landscape changed again. Instead of observing the chaotic activities in town, the lass preoccupied herself with gazing into the green hills, and the vast stretch of land before her.
“How long will it take for us tae reach the town of Middun?” she asked after a while.
“Nay more than two days,” he said.
“It sounds as though ye are familiar with this region.”
“I am,” he said. “I used tae live nearby.”
“Ye did?” She peered at him with her azure eyes. “Perhaps ye are acquainted with my father?”
“The chief of the MacNeadain clan? I might have seen him a few times,” he said, shrugging.
Anabell waited for him to expand further, but he said no more. Though he didn’t show it, it troubled him that she was a MacNeadain, a member of a clan that opposed his father’s people. But then Blane reminded himself that it didn’t matter who she was. Clan affairs no longer concerned him.
“Well, I havenae seen him in over ten years,” she said after she realized that he wasn’t going to reveal anything else. “I sometimes wonder whether he’ll remember me. I’d at least like tae think that I matured.” She turned to her companion. “Do ye think I have, Maggie?”
“Aye, ye have grown into a fine lass, that’s for sure,” she said, giving Anabell a faint smile.
“I’m afraid ye would say anything tae bolster my ego,” she told the nursemaid. “I hope one day the clan wars will end, and my family can reunite. We can then be happy again.”
“Aye,” the servant agreed.
After a while, the nursemaid became quiet. She let out an occasional cough and blew her nose on her kerchief, but she allowed her charge to do most of the talking. Blane barely paid attention to their conversation. Out of habit, he scanned the environment and took in the changing terrain. Although he hadn’t visited the region for many years, he could still recall the exact settlements that lay ahead.
“Ye said ye are familiar with these parts, Blane. Do ye have family here?” she asked, breaking into his thoughts.
“Nay, they’re dead,” he said shortly.
“I’m sorry tae hear this,” she said awkwardly.
She tried to start a conversation on another topic, but he only grunted in answer. Finally, she quit trying to engage with him and spoke with her servant. This arrangement suited him well since he didn’t know how much more he could handle her incessant questions.
When he agreed to help the women, he had no idea what was in store for him. At that reminder, his thoughts turned darker. He assumed that it would be easy to guide them to Middun, and then be done with them. What he didn’t anticipate was her excessive friendliness. As they proceeded along the dirt road, they encountered many travelers heading in the opposite direction. Without fail, Anabell greeted them as if they were long-lost family members. Didn’t she know that these people were hardened and difficult? Due to the harsh conditions they faced, and the many wars that came their way, they were suspicious and wary of all strangers. Yet somehow, despite their ingrained ways, the travelers responded well to her openness.
But even if nothing terrible had resulted from the interactions, her attempts to engage the travelers made him cringe every time. He saw her behavior as incredibly naive and dangerous. On the lonely road with dense trees on either side of them, her carefree manner exposed them to potential predators. He couldn’t believe she had already forgotten how she was robbed earlier. An
abell trusted too easily and made snap judgments about people. Blane had tolerated much in his years, but this slip of a lass was starting to infuriate him.
“Och, a wee bairn,” Anabell cried as a small family was about to pass by them.
“Leave them,” Blane said.
But Anabell ignored his command. She dismounted and approached the young couple while the nursemaid followed behind her.
The couple looked at Anabell in surprise. It was apparent that she was a noblewoman, and they studied her warily.
“He’s an adorable bairn,” she said as she turned to the mother who carried her child at her hip. Anabell made cooing noises, and the infant rewarded her with a toothless grin. “May I hold him?”
They had relaxed slightly when they heard her soft brogue. “Aye,” the young mother said.
Blane got off his horse and positioned himself behind Anabell. He crossed his arms over his chest. Without an escort, the women could easily be subdued. He noted the stocky build of the other man. The peasant seemed innocent enough, but that didn’t mean that Anabell and her companion were safe. Perhaps this particular person wouldn’t harm them. However, others in their path might not be as honorable, and would gladly strip them of their valuables and fine clothing. Of course, his charges were unaware of the risks they took.
The young father threw a nervous glance his way. But Blane stood his ground as Anabell and Maggie fawned over the babe.
“We need tae be on our way,” Blane said, interrupting the exchange.
The mother took back her child. “We should go too,” she said.
“Well, ‘twas lovely speaking with ye,” Anabell said, not making any attempt to hide her disappointment. “Perhaps we’ll meet again.”
Blane didn’t budge from his spot. Anabell waved to the family and then pivoted. Unaware that he stood directly behind her, she slammed into his chest. She let out a startled cry as she became unbalanced.
“Are ye all right?” he asked, catching her arm.
Her eyes swung to his face, and she seemed surprised that he showed concern for her welfare. Their gazes locked, and something passed between them, although he didn’t know what it was. Then an inexplicable idea crossed his mind. He wanted to pull the lass closer and kiss her. Kiss her! He barely knew the woman. The idea was pure madness.
But then just as quickly, the moment passed. Anabell shook out of his grasp and stepped back.
“Ye scared those country folk away,” she said, shooting him an unhappy look.
Blane helped the women back on their mares and then mounted his own steed. “If they dinnae do anything wrong, then they have nothing tae be scared about,” he said.
Anabell made disapproving noise, but he urged his horse forward, leaving her to follow after him.
***
“The horses will need some water,” Blane said three hours later. “We’ll stop by the burn over there.”
He led the group to a small stream to allow the horses to have their fill of water and to rest.
Anabell groaned as she dismounted from her horses. Blane started to climb down from his steed as well when she stopped him.
“I would like tae take a quick swim. Would it be all right?” she asked. “’Tis just that we’ve traveled for days, and I’m in a dreadful need of a bath.”
The heat from the sun was bearing down on them, and he saw no reason to refuse her request.
“All right,” he said. “Go behind the shrubbery over there, and call me if ye need help.”
He moved away and took the horses a little farther upstream and allowed the beasts to have their fill of water. Meanwhile, he cupped his hands and drank from the cool stream. When the horses were finished, he led them back to the grassy area by the trees. He secured the reins around a trunk and allowed them to feed on the vegetation. With his task finished, he found a rock to sit on.
Although he was eager to be on his way, he knew that he couldn’t push the women too far. They weren’t used to the long travel, and they likely would be hungry soon. Once they returned from their swim, he would offer them some food from the supplies. The provisions would give them enough strength to ride for a few more hours. After that, they would find a site to camp for the night.
Blane closed his eyes and tipped his face to the sun. He took in a deep breath and then let out a long exhale. He fought in many battles, and it wasn’t often that he could relax and do nothing. Unfortunately, his relaxation didn’t last long. The contentment he felt vanished when he noticed that the forest had become almost too quiet.
He looked uneasily in the direction where he had left the women. A bath didn’t take this long, did it? Shaking his head, he concluded that he was overreacting. Anabell and her companion would soon emerge from the other side of the bushes. But minutes passed, and the only things he heard were the rustling of the trees and the occasional twitter of birds in the branches above.
“Is everything all right over there?” he called out.
Silence.
Blane got up from his seat and called again. When there was still no answer, he knew he needed to act. His mind went over the various possibilities that could have occurred. They were far from civilization, and predators could be in the form of either man or wild beast. In either case, it didn’t bode well for the women.
He let out a soft curse. It was terrible luck that on the first day of their journey, the women were in trouble. He unsheathed his claymore and crept to the area where he had last seen them.
A red squirrel rushed past him and clambered up a tree, but he ignored it; his focus was set squarely on the rescue mission. Whatever danger the women were in, he would first need to know what he was up against. After he assessed the situation, he could then decide on the best course of action. Doing anything before that was foolhardy. Thus far, his philosophy had served him well. At the very least, it had kept him alive after all these years.
Blane spread the branches apart and frowned when he spotted two pairs of slippers resting on one of the boulders. His eyes searched the ground, and he saw no signs of struggle. From what he could recall, he didn’t hear any screams or shouts. But where would Anabell and Maggie have gone?
He emerged from the shrubbery and stood on the flat stone. With a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he slowly scanned the other side of the stream. A moment later, he detected movement several feet downstream. He found the lass and her servant. At first he felt relief, but then anger surged in his veins. He made his way quickly toward them.
“What the hell are ye two doing?” he demanded.
Anabell was crouched on the ground, her attention concentrated on something there. At his question, she looked up, startled.
“’Tis this wee frog,” she said. “I think perhaps ‘tis lost.” She cupped her hands and scooped up the creature. She walked carefully toward the flowing burn and released it in the water. “There ye go. Find your way home.” She stood up and watched the frog swim away.
“Are ye mad?” he burst out.
“Nay,” she said, frowning. “We saw a bonnie fawn and went tae take a closer look at it. It ran away, of course. We started tae turn back and retrieve our slippers when we came across that poor frog. ‘Twas moving in the wrong direction, and I thought I’d help it.” She paused and looked at him as if he were insane. “Why are ye angry?”
“I thought something terrible happened tae ye,” he growled. “There’s nay telling what’s lurking in these woods. If ye are attacked by either wild animals or outlaws, ye will never make it tae see your beloved grandmother.”
“Ye overstate yourself,” she said dismissively. “We’re far from civilization, and clearly, there’s nay danger here.”
“She insisted on seeing the fawn and then helping the wee creature,” the nursemaid added. The older woman gave a small cough and then shrugged as if this was a regular occurrence.
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. He had expected them to take a quick swim and then return. Instead, they we
re gallivanting in the woods with no regard for their safety. The nursemaid, at least, should have known better. But from her response and what he observed, the older woman had no control over her charge. As for Anabell, she was far removed from reality. And with her recklessness, he didn’t know how she still lived.
Blane sheathed his sword with more force than was necessary. “Next time, neither of ye will leave my sight. I dinnae want tae bury two dead women on this journey.” He paused and then narrowed his eyes at Anabell. “And I dinnae want ye tae speak tae any more travelers on the road.”
“As I said, there was nay danger.” She thrust her chin in the air in stubborn defiance.
He raised his eyes to the tree canopies and let out a long sigh. “I cannae argue with a deluded lass,” he muttered.
“What did ye say?” she demanded.
“Nothing,” he said. “We have a few more hours of daylight and should continue our trek.” If they continued to converse with every person they met or interacted with every creature they came across, it would take weeks to reach their destination. Of course, he couldn’t tell her this. Such logic would defy her.
Chapter 6
The sky was overcast, and thunder rumbled ominously for the past hour. Since the last time Anabell asked the Highlander, they still had miles to go until they reached Middun. She decided not to ask him anything else since her questions seemed to annoy him. But the clouds overhead concerned her, and she couldn’t stay silent.
“We should find a place tae stop,” she said loudly.
Blane shook his head impatiently and forged onward, making no effort to find shelter.
With no other choice, she and Maggie urged their mounts to keep pace with the Highlander. When Anabell felt a fat droplet of rain on her hand, she pulled her hood over her head, bracing herself for the onslaught. Just as she imagined it, the sky opened up moments later. It began to pour for a couple of minutes before it changed into a steady drizzle.
Highland Engagement Page 4
