“Four-year-old Lily, the youngest of the Connors, is missing since early morning,” Addie said clearly upset.
“I’ll help,” Alyce offered immediately.
Addie shook her head. “Cavan will send men to hunt for her.”
“I learned much about tracking from a friend. I could be of help,” Alyce insisted.
“I don’t think Lachlan would approve, and I don’t have time to argue with you,” Addie said and ran to the keep.
Alyce didn’t wait. She never had before, accustomed to taking matters into her own hands and dealing with them posthaste. A child needed to be found and she had the skills to find her.
Alyce quickly inquired as to where she could find the Connors farm and after saddling her horse, she hurried off to do one of the things she did best…deal with and settle problems.
Mary Connor was beside herself when Alyce arrived and quite upset that more help hadn’t arrived with her. Alyce calmly explained that more help was on the way, but that she was an excellent tracker and if Mary would show her where Lily was last seen, she would do her best to follow her tracks.
Mary insisted that her husband Jake and two sons, John and Peter, were already doing that. Alyce remained calm and suggested that another tracker could be beneficial.
Mary agreed and showed Alyce the edge of the woods where Lily had last been seen. There she found small footprints, giving her a place to start. Alyce wanted to begin before any of Cavan’s men arrived and disturbed the fresh tracks.
She patted her stomach that had been rounding nicely every week and with fatigue gone and feeling stronger then ever, she said, “Hold strong there, little one, while we go find this lass.”
While she disliked the reason that had her tracking in the woods, she felt elated with the task and so very confident that she would find the child. Unfortunately, hours later Lily still hadn’t been found and with Cavan’s warriors and others joining the search, any tracks that could have proved helpful were now destroyed.
“I’ve allowed you to help far too long, now go home,” Cavan ordered.
Alyce glared at him. “Why should I take orders from you?”
“I’m your laird.”
While she wanted badly to challenge him, she knew it wouldn’t be wise. Whether she liked it or not, he was laird and she had to obey him.
She held her tongue and turned to walk away but stopped and turned around. “I obey you, Cavan, out of respect for my husband, but don’t think to command too often, for you will find I don’t do well with orders.”
She marched off, a mumble of voices trailing after her and knowing full well she would be the village gossip by nightfall, which was when her husband was due home. She sighed, frustrated that with all Piper had taught her she had been unable to locate a track in the woods. She must not have been as apt a pupil as she had thought.
Alyce was about to mount her mare when she suddenly stopped and shook her head. Piper had taught her too well for her not to have been able to locate a track. If she hadn’t found one it could mean only one of two things, either someone had covered their tracks, or she was looking in the wrong place.
She glanced around then looked down at the ground scuffed with too many imprints to make sense of just one, and then it hit her. She recalled noticing one small, solid imprint made by Lily and at that moment it struck her. The young lass could have stopped abruptly and possibly changed direction.
With that knowledge to guide her, Alyce turned and went in the opposite direction.
Chapter 29
“What do you mean Alyce is missing?” Lachlan asked, having arrived home only minutes ago.
His whole family was in the great hall waiting and visibly upset. He shouldn’t be, but he was insanely jealous that Artair hugged Zia and that Cavan had his arm around Honora while his wife was…
“What the hell happened?” he demanded.
“The Connor lass went missing,” Cavan began. “Alyce was the first to join father and sons in search of the child.”
“Alyce would do well; she learned from the best,” Lachlan said.
“Not so this time. Lily couldn’t be found and with dusk not far off and your wife rounded with child, I thought it best she go home.”
Lachlan shook his head. “You didn’t order her home, did you?”
“Wouldn’t you have?” Artair asked surprised.
“No,” Lachlan snapped. “I would have known she was the best chance in finding the child and allowed her to lead the search.”
“That’s a moot point now,” Cavan said. “With dusk settling over the land and not a trace of the child, I called off the search until morning. I saw Alyce’s mare as soon as I left the woods, tethered to the same spot as before. I knew she hadn’t left and I thought perhaps she went to talk with Mary Connor.”
“But she hadn’t?” Lachlan asked, though he knew the answer. Alyce would never have given up so easily.
Cavan shook his head. “She was nowhere to be found.”
“She must have realized something and went in another direction to search,” Lachlan said.
“Without informing anyone?” Cavan asked.
“You forget that where she came from, she was the leader,” Lachlan reminded. “She asked no one’s permission.”
“Aren’t you concerned for her safety?” Artair asked.
“Of course I am,” Lachlan said annoyed. “But I also know that my wife is more than capable of taking care of herself.”
“What if she’s hurt?” Honora asked.
“You don’t understand Alyce,” Lachlan said, thinking that maybe he was truly just beginning to understand her himself. “She’s been schooled like a warrior and she added to that schooling while on her own. She will determine the situation and do what is best.”
“Then what you’re saying is that we just wait for her to return home?” Zia asked.
“For now, but if she hasn’t returned by morning, I will go search for her,” Lachlan said with a firm nod.
Lachlan with Princess at his side retired to his cottage right after supper, hoping his wife would show up sooner rather than later, but as the night wore on and the candles wore down, he began to worry. He repeatedly reminded himself of what he had told his family, that Alyce could take care of herself.
But he didn’t like not knowing where she was and if she was all right. Her being with child didn’t help the situation. Otherwise he knew her capable of the task and if he knew her as well as he’d like to believe, she was probably enjoying every minute of it.
With nothing left to him but to wait, he stretched out fully clothed on the bed. He intended to be ready at a moment’s notice if necessary. He refused to linger on thoughts of her alone in the dark woods. She was a warrior on a mission and she would succeed.
“I’m praying for your success and safe return, Alyce,” he whispered.
But isn’t that what he did for Ronan? Pray every night for his safe return? He couldn’t compare the two; he wouldn’t. Alyce would return to him safe and unharmed.
He fought sleep, twisting fretfully, but sleep finally won and he was soon snoring lightly and though hours passed and he slumbered deeply, Princess’s whimpers woke him.
The candles had burnt out, leaving the hearth flame the only light in the room. His eyes adjusted to the dimness and he saw that Princess lay in front of the hearth her head up, her eyes focused on…the door.
The latched lifted ever so slowly and the door creaked open.
His wife entered her steps silent, slow, and labored. When she suddenly stopped near the hearth and he saw her grimace, he jumped out of bed.
Lachlan slid his arm around her waist and held her firm as she sagged against him. “Are you all right?”
“A bit worse for the wear, but otherwise I’m fine,” she said with a light laugh.
He almost squashed her against him in relief, but refrained, not wanting to add to her discomfort. “What happened?”
“I will tell you it al
l, but first, I’m starving and I need salve for the many scratches my body has suffered.”
Lachlan grew alarmed. “An animal—”
“No,” Alyce was quick to assure him. “Bushes and tree branches.”
“We’ll go to the keep,” he said. “I’ll get you food and fetch Zia to tend your wounds.”
“It’s late, I don’t want to bother her.”
“Zia would be upset that you didn’t,” he said and he grabbed a wool cloak from the peg by the door and swung it around her shoulders. “Your arms are cold.”
Alyce wrapped her arms around Lachlan’s waist and snuggled against him as they left the cottage. “You will warm me, feed me, and take care of me and I will tell you how I found Lily.”
Servants were sent to look after the sleeping Sinclare babes as one by one the Sinclares joined Lachlan and Alyce in the great hall.
While Alyce hadn’t wanted to wake them all, she took a comfort in their presence and eagerness to hear how she had rescued Lily, and in their pride in her success. Though the telling was delayed as each Sinclare arrived and insisted she wait for the whole family.
Alyce munched on whatever food Lachlan placed in front of her and drank the brew Zia handed her. Tiredness crept over her, but a sense of exhilaration remained and she was eager to share her tale, and those surrounding her looked just as eager to hear it.
Honora was the last to arrive, having made certain the babes were settled and looked after.
“I have not received word about Lily,” Cavan said.
“I assured the Connors I would inform you,” Alyce said. “They were much too happy to think of anything else.”
“However did you find her in the dead of night?” Artair asked.
“I’d like to know that myself,” Zia inquired. “These scratches resemble someone who has climbed a tree or scuffled with a prickly bush.”
“I did both,” Alyce admitted.
“My, but you are courageous,” Addie said with pride.
“Or foolish,” Cavan said.
“My wife is courageous,” Lachlan said defensively. “She would never take a chance of harming our child and did what she did because she knew that she could do it successfully.”
Alyce winced—Zia cleansed a shoulder scratch deeper than the others—though it turned to a smile soon enough. Her husband believed in her and she loved him all the more for it.
Cavan didn’t argue. He seemed to take Lachlan’s words as fact for he gave a curt nod. “Tell me how and where you found the child?”
Alyce was only too pleased to do as the laird asked, for it had given her great pleasure to have found the lass and return her safely to her family. “Once I realized that the lone track told a different story, it was easy to find her.”
“Different story?” Cavan asked.
Alyce went on to explain. “The track was dug into the ground firm and I realized Lily had made the track by halting abruptly, which meant she had stopped and switched directions.”
“Why didn’t you see that on your first inspection?” Artair asked.
“I wasn’t paying close enough attention. I forgot the most important lesson my friend taught me about tracking. Take the obvious and look for a wrinkle in it. Once I found that wrinkle, the sudden stop, I was able to determine the right direction. Her small footprints weren’t easy to detect along the edge of the woods, but once I found them they were easy to follow until the tracks disappeared once more and the only place left to look was…”
All heads bent back as Alyce looked up to the ceiling.
“Lily was in a tree,” Addie said excited.
“She went after a kitten, didn’t she?” Honora asked.
Cavan sent her a how-did-you-know-that look.
“I’ve helped a few children retrieve their cats,” Honora said proudly.
“You climb trees?” Cavan asked incredulously.
“When necessary,” Honora admitted.
“I don’t need to ask you if you do,” Artair said to his wife with a grin. “You would do anything to help a child.”
“It is good you know me well,” Zia said.
“As should all your husbands,” Addie said as if she dared her sons to disagree. “Sinclare women are not timid. They are bold and courageous warriors.”
Alyce watched her husband smile at Cavan as if asking if he really wanted to spar with their mother.
Cavan turned to Alyce, a signal for her to continue.
“Lily had followed a favorite kitten of hers into the woods and climbed the tree to retrieve her. She hadn’t thought about how high she had climbed being eager to rescue her kitten. Once she had the kitten in her arms, she took a look down and was much too frightened to climb down. She sat huddled in the crook of the massive tree waiting for someone to find her.”
“However did you get her down, or yourself up for that matter?” Artair asked.
“Leave the practical question to my brother,” Lachlan teased.
Lachlan may be teasing his brother, but Alyce knew he appreciated Artair asking it, for she was certain he wanted to know the same.
“Piper taught me a quick way up and a quick way down,” Alyce said.
The men waited and the women smiled.
“I’m not sharing my secret,” Alyce informed them, then covered a yawn with her hand.
“You’re tired,” Lachlan said with concern.
“A sound sleep will do her good,” Zia said.
“True enough,” Alyce agreed, fatigue consuming every limb in her body.
“Stay here for the night,” Addie suggested.
Lachlan startled Alyce when he looked to her and said, “It’s your choice.”
That he allowed her that pleased her, and she nodded. “Here is fine.”
Cavan had a few more questions for her; Zia, instructions for the care of her minor wounds; Artair, a few practical tidbits in dealing with her husband, and Honora requested that Alyce teach her about tracking. And surprisingly Cavan thought it a splendid idea. He even bragged about how skillful Honora was with a bow.
Lachlan finally stood and announced, “Enough, my wife needs to sleep.”
Everyone agreed and Alyce was stunned by how fast everyone bid her good night and Lachlan had her out of the room and up the stairs to his old bedchamber. Though she couldn’t say she was displeased; she looked forward to crawling into bed.
Alyce didn’t wait. As soon as Lachlan closed the door she threw off her clothes and climbed into bed, uttering a most pleasurable sigh as she settled beneath the blanket naked.
“And I thought such passion was meant only for me,” Lachlan said as he disrobed and then joined her.
“Tonight it is the bed that satisfies me,” Alyce admitted with a quick smile.
“Don’t tempt me to challenge the bed, wife,” he teased.
“I already know the victor.” She yawned and turned to cuddle her back against him and took hold of his arm to wrap around her and place his hand on her rounded stomach. She took comfort in the way his hand would splay protectively over her belly.
“I would be the victor,” he whispered in her ear and kissed along her cheek to nip at her lips.
“You and only you,” she assured him.
“You are a wise woman.”
“I keep telling and showing you that, but you don’t listen,” she said, her eyes much too heavy to keep open.
“I do listen,” he whispered. “And hear much more than you think.”
A soft snore told Lachlan that his wife was sound asleep. He had expected as much; she looked exhausted. He was glad to have her finally home and safe in his arms. And while her ordeal had caused him concern, he saw that it had brought her satisfaction.
He could not deny her that, and he would not. He would find a way for her to flourish here and perhaps after time, she would accept Caithness as her home.
Chapter 30
Lachlan gave his wife a few days to recover before he even considered speaking with her about
the possibility of her involvement with mercenaries. He expected an argument from her, since she could be confrontational when it came to certain matters. While others might view it as shrewish, he now knew differently. It was Alyce defending her independence. She had fought hard to claim it, and she had no intentions of having it taken from her.
A chilled wind swept across the moors and around the keep. Lachlan took it as a sign that perhaps now was the time to let the sweeping wind blow away the last vestiges of concern between him and Alyce. He wanted nothing coming between them.
Strange, long before meeting Alyce he had not thought of loving the woman he would wed, but having fallen madly in love with Alyce, he couldn’t now imagine being wed without being in love. And oddly love wasn’t an issue between them. He believed they both always knew they loved each other from the very beginning; even when he had believed her a nun, he could not get her out of his mind. And when at last they could be together, she had not denied her attraction to him. She had made love with him freely and oh so willingly; and her sincere responses had made him love her all the more.
Love, he had been told by many including his family, could conquer anything. However, he had to question that since while he knew his wife loved him, she wasn’t as happy as he would have expected her to be. Therefore did love truly solve everything?
“You look deep in thought,” Artair said, joining his brother as Lachlan walked to his cottage. “It must concern your wife.”
“I can see by your grin that you are enjoying my marital woes.”
Artair gripped his brother’s shoulder. “You have to admit; you would do the same to me.”
“No, I wouldn’t and I didn’t,” Lachlan claimed. “I offered you advice.”
Artair nodded. “That you did and good advice at that.” He rubbed his chin. “What can I do to help? I may not have your charm, but sometimes sound reason works better.”
“My wife isn’t happy,” Lachlan admitted, though it hurt him to do so.
“Why did you decide to wed Alyce Bunnock?”
“I love her,” Lachlan answered as if the question was a foolish one.
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