Highland Brawn (The Band of Cousins Book 8)

by Keira Montclair

  Another loud bang rent the air and she bolted up again. Something wasn’t right.

  Someone was in her chamber.

  Hord.

  “I wondered how long you’d sleep through the storm. I grew weary of waiting for you. I’ve spent much time in the cellars of both abbeys, collecting my friends,” he said, holding up two bags containing his wicked creatures. “We had a wonderful time until the Grant fool came along, and you whored your way into his bed. Did you enjoy that little bit of fun last eve, Sela?”

  It took her a moment to find her voice, but once she did, she shouted, “Get out, you bastard. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Climbing out of bed, she raced toward the door, yelling for help, but the thunder drowned her out. Hord grabbed her by the arm, hard enough to leave bruises.

  “You’ll shut your whoring mouth, or I’ll take Claray instead of you. Make your choice.”

  “Nay, nay. What do you want?”

  His finger brushed her cheek. “Why you, my sweet. ’Tis all I’ve ever wanted. If you’d only accepted my proposal, you would have had a wonderful life. You are mine, and if I cannot have you, no one will. Do you understand?”

  She nodded, looking up into his crazed eyes. His brown hair was wet from the rain, hanging in strings around his face. The dirt under his fingernails made her wish to vomit. “Where are you taking me?”

  “Eventually, I’ll take you to our verra own home, but I do not wish to travel in the dark, so I have other plans for you this night. You need to learn to obey me.”

  Keeping hold of her arm, he dragged her down the stairs at the end of the passageway. She knew what awaited them—the dark cellars. He picked up two bags from the bottom of the steps and headed toward a door that led outside. “No one will see me. They haven’t noticed me all week, and I doubt they’re patrolling in the dark. But be forewarned, if you scream, I will let you go and head straight to the Cameron keep. I’ve already found my way into their cellars. It will be easy for me to find wee Claray in the middle of this storm.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sela did as Hord asked, following him quietly as he yanked her through the mud and the trees. The sheeting rain continued to pound down around them, drenching her thoroughly in the cold. He’d allowed her to get her mantle, but it did little good.

  She fell and screamed, hoping the sound would be heard, but the din of the storm was too loud. Even the openings in the stables had been bolted shut. The horses were all under cover and the area was empty.

  Hord dragged her to her feet and yanked on her arm. Tears threatened to drench her cheeks, but she refused to give into them, not wanting to let the bastard know she feared him. He finally stopped tugging on her when they reached a clearing in the woods. She didn’t like what she saw in front of her.

  Ropes tied to two trees.

  “What are you doing? Leave me be! Connor Grant will return and kill you.”

  Hord just laughed. “He left in a hurry. You think he cares for you? He comes to lie between your legs and you let him. He took what he wanted and left. He’ll not be back.”

  He pulled her to the trees.

  “Nay, you’ll not tie me up. Nay, you won’t.” She fought with all her might, but he was stronger. If only she had one of the sticks she’d collected, but she’d moved them back outside, thinking Hord’s return an illusion. A large stick sat a short distance away, so she kicked and fought her way to it. Grabbing it up, she swung it into his cheek with all her might. He roared, letting go of her.

  She took off back toward the abbey, but he followed and caught up with her, slapping her and throwing her to the ground. Before she could recover, he flipped her over and sat on top of her. All her squirming did naught to budge him.

  “You bitch. You will pay for that.”

  When he climbed off her, he grabbed her plait and yanked her behind him, her scalp screaming with pain. Back at the tree, he threw her to the ground and sat on her, tying her arms to the tree one at a time before he climbed off her.

  Sitting up, she yanked on both arms, but he’d tied her tightly. She couldn’t move them.

  He disappeared, to her surprise. She tried her best to slip her wrists out of their bindings, hoping the wetness from the rain would help her, but to no avail.

  She was bound and at his mercy.

  Hord returned with his two bags of spiders. “This time, there’ll be no killing my pets with your hands.”

  Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, giving enough light for her to see the crazed look in his eyes.

  He set the two bags inside a hollow log to protect them. “Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until the rain stops. I want to watch.” His evil grin scared her more than anything.

  She prayed and prayed and prayed that the rain wouldn’t stop, but of course it did. Hord reached into the log, pulling out the two spider bags and another sack. From that one, he drew out a dry tunic, which he used to replace his sodden one. “I plan to watch you for a long time. I have two lovely bags of my pets, and I’ll release them slowly. I wish to be quite comfortable.”

  She just couldn’t stop herself. She bellowed with everything she had, “Connor!”

  ***

  Connor was only a couple of hours from Cameron land when something caught him—Sela’s voice saying his name.

  “Connor!”

  It was impossible he’d heard her, and yet, he felt certain she needed him. That he should go back for her.

  He turned his horse around and said to his guards, “We’re going back.”

  “Why?” one asked.

  “I can’t explain it, but something is wrong.”

  The guard surprised him by saying, “Suits me. I could feel something wasn’t right there. As much as we searched, we turned up naught, but there was something in the air.”

  Had he not already decided to go back, the guard’s words would have decided the matter for him. If there was even the slightest chance Sela was in danger, he needed to see to her.

  They hadn’t traveled far when they reached a meadow. Heading across it, he was surprised to hear a whistle off from the side. Stopping his horse, he glanced back over his shoulder. A lone rider headed straight for them. Holding his hand up to his guards, he waited to see what the man would do.

  An ally would greet them.

  Hord would not.

  Rather than turn tail and run, the man headed straight for them. Connor couldn’t identify his plaid, so he didn’t ride forward to meet him, but turned his horse to face the man.

  Recognition dawned as the man came closer. He’d seen him in Inverness. And Berwick, too.

  “Connor Grant?” he called out.

  “Aye. Who’s asking?”

  The man stopped his horse directly in front of Midnight Moon. The beast looked lathered. Why had the man been pushing him so?

  “My name is Vern. I was Sela’s protector, of sorts. I worked with Guy and Dee before they started selling lasses and lads. They would have killed me if I’d left, and I didn’t want to abandon Sela and Claray. So I stayed even though I hated them and all they did. I’m grateful for you and yours.”

  He paused to catch his breath.

  Connor said nothing. While he recognized the man, he didn’t recall much about him other than the fact that he’d come up to Sela and asked her if she needed help.

  That memory was the only reason he allowed the man to speak.

  Vern took a deep breath and said, “Hord. He’s back. Found a different ship to drag him back to shore before he was too far out. He said he’s going after Sela to finish what he started. The man has always been daft for her.”

  “How long ago did he leave Berwick?”

  “He left a few days ago, after hearing she was with the Ramsays. I’ve been searching for you ever since. I’d heard talk Sela was in Lochluin Abbey, but I didn’t tell Hord. Whether he heard on his own, I don’t know. But she needs protection.”

  “Where are you headed now?”

  “I’m
returning to Inverness. ’Tis where I belong, but I’d hoped to catch up with you or one of your clan to help her. My injury will keep me from being of much help.”

  Connor noticed the blood-stained section of his trews. “My thanks to you and Godspeed.”

  He turned his horse around and retraced his path, heading straight back to the abbey. That convinced him. He’d had a strange inkling that Hord was there and Sela needed him, but Vern’s confirmation would have convinced even the strongest naysayer.

  They hadn’t traveled far when the sky opened up and dumped rain all over them. He couldn’t let it stop him, though it definitely slowed his travel.

  He had to get to her before Hord did.

  Lightning forked from the sky as they reached the abbey, lighting up the building in seconds’ long bursts. He paused his horse and scanned the area.

  The stables were all closed up due to the storm and no one was out.

  He had to get inside to see if Sela was there. To his advantage, the rain stopped as he rode toward the abbey. Dismounting his horse, he shook the wetness from his hair as best he could and made haste for the door. He entered the receiving room of the abbey, not surprised to see three guards waiting out the storm.

  “Grant, did you not just leave?”

  “Aye, but I heard someone was headed this way. Have you seen any strangers in the last few hours? Or the last two days?”

  “Nay. We searched with the Camerons’ guards after you left, but we found naught. We quit when the rain drenched us. Who the hell would go out in this storm? ’Tis brutal, though it seems to have let up. We’ll take up the patrol again.”

  “I’m going to check on Sela.”

  “We’ll wait for your instructions.”

  He moved as quietly as possible down the passageway, saying a quick prayer he’d find her sound asleep in her bed, but it didn’t surprise him when he found the chamber empty.

  She’d been right. The bastard had been here for two days, waiting for the best moment to attack. Hurrying back outside, he said to the guards, “She’s been stolen from her bed. I could use your help.”

  “The lass was daft last eve. Are you sure she didn’t just run off on her own?” one of the guards asked. He shifted in his chair, clearly reluctant to leave his comfortable surroundings.

  “If she is, I could use your help finding her, you arse.” He spun on his heel and returned to his horse to grab his sword and his bow. The perimeter was heavily wooded, so Midnight Moon would have to be left behind.

  Three other guards joined him, and he said, “Bring a torch. It could help us find tracks.”

  “The rain would have washed any tracks away,” the lazy one said.

  “Just bring a torch, if you please.” He was done listening to foolishness. He was about to turn in one direction, toward a clearing surrounded by trees, when he heard a scream from the opposite direction. Spinning on his heel, he raced off, doing his best to keep from falling on the slippery ground.

  Hellbent on following the sound he’d heard, he didn’t stop running until he was deep in the woods. He heard the men following him, and one had clearly brought a torch because he could see a brief distance ahead of him.

  He held his arm up halting the men behind them. He saw her. The bastard had tied Sela to a tree, but he was nowhere in sight.

  He turned to the man with the torch and said, “Stand next to me in the clearing. I’ll do all the talking. Don’t do anything unless I tell you to.”

  Connor charged into the clearing, allowing himself to lock gazes with Sela for a mere second, hoping it was enough to show her that he loved her.

  As soon as Hord saw him, he darted behind Sela and put his dagger at her throat.

  Connor assessed the situation, his peripheral vision taking in everything. Hord only had two weapons, the one he held and his spiders. Two bags much like Sela had described sat off to the side on top of a hollow log. He knew how much Hord loved his spiders.

  Sela was bound to the tree, so she’d be unable to move, which was not helpful. He didn’t even know if she could bend down to give him a clear shot.

  He pulled out his bow and his sword, but Hord yelled, “Drop the weapons to the ground. All of you.”

  Doing as instructed, he and the guards dropped their swords, the motion holding Hord’s attention enough for Connor to quietly reach for the special arrow Gregor had given him. In the span of a single second, he lifted the special arrow up to the torch and it caught the flame, just as Gregor had said it would.

  He nocked the arrow carefully and shot it straight at one of the bags full of spiders.

  Hord bellowed as he dropped his knife and ran to the bag, trying to smother the flames. “Nay, I need them. They were chosen especially for my wife, my Sela!”

  Connor set another arrow to the torch, and the moment Hord turned to face him, his eyes furious and his mouth open, he fired the second flaming arrow into his chest. His clothing caught fire, spreading slower than usual because they were damp.

  Connor raced over to Sela with his dagger, ready to throw it at the man if need be, but Hord ran to his other bag of spiders, grabbing it and clutching it to his chest as they all went up in flames, the bags sizzling oddly.

  Connor cut Sela’s bonds and tugged her behind him, worried the blackguard would still run at him. He had to admit he’d taken a chance. The flames might not have worked because of the rain.

  Hord fell to the ground, his clothing still burning, while the bags of spiders hissed with flames.

  Hord, the hoarder of spiders, was dead and would never bother Sela Seton again.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Sela held a death grip on Connor as Hord fell to the ground. An awful crackling sound echoed through the trees, but the guards seemed oblivious as they offered him their congratulations.

  “Took that bastard out, did you not?”

  “I can’t believe the flames got him in the rain.”

  His attention was only for Sela. He turned around, taking her hands, but she launched herself into his arms, burying her face in his neck and sobbing. He said to the men, “You take care of putting the flames out and handling the body. I’m taking her back inside.” He lifted her into his arms, tucking her against him, hoping that the death of the bastard would put an end to her nightmares and all her torture.

  Probably not completely, but…

  “Connor, how did you know to come back?” she asked as they cleared the woods.

  “I cannot explain it, but I had this feeling. You cried out to me and I heard you. ’Struth is I didn’t wish to leave because everything felt off, but I didn’t know what else to do because I had no proof that he was here. But I heard you when you called out to me.” He passed a bench and sat down, doing his best to push the wet strands of hair back from her face. “Thank the Lord for that. I also ran into a past acquaintance of yours after I turned around. You had a man who watched over you in Inverness.”

  “Aye, Vern. I’d so hoped he hadn’t died. I never saw him after Berwick so I guessed he’d stayed when the Dubh men moved.”

  “Apparently not. He was in Berwick when Hord returned. He came to warn me, said Hord had set out from Berwick a few days ago. You were right. He was here waiting for the right moment.”

  “I know. He told me he’d hidden in the cellars. He was angry you’d come to see me. I was so frightened. My thanks to you.” She kissed him, suckling on his lower lip for a moment.

  He forced himself to pull away. “I don’t expect this has changed your mind about marrying me, but I hope it will help you heal. He can never harm you or Claray again.”

  She rested her head back against his shoulder, wanting to relish these last few moments together. She would never tire of this man, but Hord was not the only reason she struggled so. “I know. For that I’m so grateful, I don’t know how to describe it. Connor, I wish I were ready, but I’m just so confused right now.”

  He stood up and set her feet down, wrapping his arms around her a
nd kissing her forehead. “I’m going to walk you inside. You need to get out of those clothes.”

  “Can’t you find a change of clothing before you go back?”

  “I have one in my saddlebag, but I can’t stay any longer.”

  “Why?” she asked, her voice hitching. “Cannot you wait a while?”

  “Because it hurts to be this close to you and know you’re not mine. I’m sorry, but I must leave.” He couldn’t explain it any other way. The longing he felt was so keen it hurt. All he wished to do was take her inside the chapel, marry her, and take her home.

  He walked her to the door and kissed her deeply. “Remember I will always love you.”

  With that, he walked away.

  ***

  Sela couldn’t put into words how she felt as she watched the man she loved walk away from her. But she knew, with all her heart, that she had to let him go.

  Would Hord’s death stop her nightmares?

  Had she atoned for all the pain she’d caused the lasses in the Channel?

  Would she ever be able to make amends for her sins?

  So many questions, so few answers. She needed to do better before she pledged her troth to him.

  She stood rooted to the ground, sobbing with all her might.

  A few moments later, Connor mounted his horse in his dry clothes, waved to her, then motioned to his guards to move out.

  She watched him go down the path away from her and her heart broke into so many pieces she couldn’t hold still. Even though nothing had changed, her feet raced after him, and she shouted his name over and over again.

  When he stopped and turned to face her, she said, “I love you with all my heart, Connor Grant.”

  He smiled that beautiful smile of his and then turned back again, pulling on the reins.

  She couldn’t let him go yet.

  “Connor, please!”

  He stopped again and she ran up to his horse, leaning against it, and said between her sobs, “Promise you’ll never stop loving me?”

  “Always and forever.”

  And Connor Grant rode out of her life again.