Elspeth snickered as she placed a hand on Graeme’s shoulder. “Aye, my husband informed me the day we met that he was one tae gamble—that’s more or less how I ended up here in the first place. However, I’m afraid tonight ye’ll have tae play without me. I’m a wee bit tired and need tae go lay down.”
Graeme kissed her farewell and then slid into the chair beside them, asking, “Who’s the dealer?”
“I am,” Valan informed them, reaching out to grab the deck.
Bridget looked over to him in surprise. “Ye play as well?”
“Of course I dae, Graeme taught me everything he kens. Playing cards is something of a pastime.”
Graeme grinned at him from across the table. “’Twasn’t hard. Ye were an eager student.”
As he shuffled the cards, Valan glanced across the table at the bonnie lass with a dimpled smile.
Who are ye, Bridget? he wondered. And what is it about ye I find so intriguing?
V alan gazed over the cards in his hand to Bridget sitting across from him. A tendril of her hair curled down on the side of her face as she glanced up at him with warm, brown eyes framed with thick lashes.
They’d been playing cards for hours and she was completely absorbed in the game. Considering what she’d been through, Bridget had a lightness about her that he found refreshing.
Even though the men’s bawdy humor offended her at first, Bridget relaxed as the men were all kind and respectful to her. The edge of his lips curved up into a smile as he stared at her from across the table.
Just then, Bridget slapped her hand down and laughed. “I win!”
Her laughter was like music, cheerful and light as the others groaned. Normally, Valan would have been mildly upset by losing a game, but not this time. She looked so happy he couldn’t find it within himself to be upset. It brought him joy just to see the smile on her face.
“Well done,” Graeme complimented. “I would nae have guessed ye were such a skilled player.”
“Mayhap that’s Bridget’s secret,” Kent teased with a crooked smile. “The lass fools ye into believing that she’s innocent, so ye’ll nae expect it.”
Bridget gasped in mock offense and said, “How dare ye reveal my tricks! Now ye owe me another cup of ale.”
Kent balked at the suggestion and glanced over to Valan. “Ye heard the lass! Go and see tae Adrienne about getting us another drink.”
Bridget stopped him. “Mayhap next time. It’s getting late, and we should probably head back tae the cottage. Ailsa will be wondering where we are.”
He nodded in agreement, finishing the last of his ale, then standing up from the table.
“Thank ye fer the game, gentlemen. I had a lovely time. However, I’m afraid I must escort the lass back home.”
The men bade them farewell and Bridget walked to the door while putting on her shawl. Valan watched her with a grin. His eyes lingered on her briefly, the way her hair twisted back into chestnut braids and left a curl around her cheek, the way her smile dimpled at the edge of her lips—she was beautiful—and so refreshingly sweet. Valan was so entranced with watching her he didn’t notice Graeme stand up beside him.
“Ye’ve a charming woman,” Graeme mentioned quietly.
Valan’s eyes flickered in the direction of his friend and he nodded, saying, “Aye. She certainly is.”
“Ye’re a good lad fer saving her the way ye did. I cannae say all of us would have done the same.”
Valan raised an eyebrow curiously. “Would ye?”
Graeme exhaled. “I nae sure. Thankfully, I have ne’er been put in that position. I’d like tae think I would have. Regardless, I wanted tae say I’m proud of ye.”
“Thank ye, Graeme. That means a lot—especially from ye. Ye’re like a second brother tae me.”
His mentor clapped him on the shoulder with affection before heading back toward the stairs. Valan watched him leave then walked to the door where Bridget waited for him. “After ye.”
Together, they wandered down the path to the cottage. It led them all the way through the village, past the market and the docks all the way to the western hills.
Bridget walked beside him quietly, holding the shawl loosely with her fingers. “Thank ye fer taking me out tonight,” she told him. “I dinnae realize how much I needed it.”
He grinned. “Me, either.”
“It’s clear yer men trust in ye a great deal. It must be wonderful tae sail with them.”
“It is,” he agreed. “One thing I haven’t told ye is that I’m still fairly new tae the position. I was only named a captain a couple months ago. There is still quite a lot I have yet tae learn.”
Bridget nodded thoughtfully. “I ne’er would have guessed, ye seem born tae it.”
“That’s kind of ye tae say. Though, I’m nae sure it’s true.”
“Why dae ye say that?”
Valan shrugged. “It’s hard tae explain. I doubt myself.”
“We all doubt ourself at times, that dinnae make ye any less of a captain. And from what I’ve seen, ye have the loyalty and affection of yer crew. Everything else will come in time. I believe that.”
His heartbeat quickened and Valan looked over at her with a smile. “Ye’re a most remarkable woman, Bridget. I will strive tae be worthy of yer faith in me.”
She smiled back at him. “Ye already are.”
T hat night Bridget dreamt she was back on her father’s ship the day they were attacked. She remembered the band of pirates climbing over the railing of the ship and attacking them.
The thing she remembered most was screaming.
There was so much screaming it made her ears hurt.
Her heart raced frantically as she crouched behind the wooden crates and watched her father and the crew fight off the brutal seamen. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from making any noise and breathed out slowly through her nose. To her horror, the pirates quickly overtook their ship slaughtered the MacKays like cattle, leaving a pile of bodies in their wake.
Blood stained the wooden deck and her eyes grew wide with as they neared her hiding place. One of the attackers poked his head over the edge and found her, smiling down with a menacing grin. “Hello there, lass. Thought ye could hide there, did ye?”
Bridget opened her mouth to scream, but before a sound could escape her lips the man had gripped her by the hair and pulled her out onto the deck.
“Look what we have here, men. A bonnie lass, tae be sure. These men had the gall tae hide her from us.”
She cried as they threw her on the deck and laughed. One of the other pirates sneered, addressing the rest of her surviving kinsmen. “What dae ye think we should dae with her, lads?”
The other pirates laughed.
“Right. We’ll have some fun with this one then—”
Her eyes widened in terror as he raised a piece of wood above her and she reached up reflexively to protect herself. His arm came down powerfully, and there was a searing pain in the back of her head.
Then everything went dark.
She woke up gasping in the dead of night, tears streaming down her face, and a sheen of sweat across her forehead. It took her a moment to recover, and realize she was not at sea but on a mattress in the middle of Ailsa’s living room. As she panted to catch her breath, Valan rushed out of his room to see what was happening. “Bridget? What’s wrong?”
Bridget sobbed as her thoughts caught up with her, covering her face with her hands, and rolled over against the pillow.
’Twas all a dream, she told herself. Nothing but a dream.
Valan let out a tired sigh and ran his fingers through his hair while sitting down next to her on the floor. His hair was still mussed from sleeping and his eyes dark and tired. “Was it a dream again?”
She nodded, fighting back another sob. “Aye.”
He relaxed slightly and said, “I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could dae.”
“All is well,” she told him. “I’m sorry fer waking
ye.”
“Ye dinnae have tae apologize. I’m just glad yer safe.”
Valan reached out to take her by the hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Ye’re nae alone,” he promised. “Those men will ne’er hurt ye again.”
She nodded stiffly.
He stumbled across the room and lay down on the floor. Bridget rolled over against the pillow and breathed slowly through her nose. “What are ye doing?”
“I’m sleeping out here in case ye have another nightmare,” Valan informed her. “Go tae bed.”
Her chest and body shook, still reeling from the horror of her dream, as she closed her eyes. She heard Valan’s quiet breathing and it managed to calm her slightly.
All is well, she told herself. Ye’re safe.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Castle Strome, Coast of Loch Carron
L aird Rodrick MacDonnell had to conceal his pleasure as Harold and the other guard walked back into the castle. They carried behind them the bodies of two MacKay warriors, appearing to have been beaten to death outside the castle grounds. One of the bodies was easily recognized as Captain Matthew, the leader of their small battalion.
The villagers watched in horror as the men brought the bodies with them through the gate. The people whispered amongst themselves in shock and dismay at the turn of events and cleared a path for them inside. Laird MacDonnell made a show of marching out in front of the crowd, demanding, “What happened?”
Harold bowed, speaking loud enough so all could hear. “Brigands attacked us on the road. We were barely a day’s journey outside the village when they attacked us in the night. Our warriors tried tae fight them off, but these men were only trained as seamen—nae how tae wield a sword. They were ill-equipped fer battle.”
“This is terrible,” Rodrick responded. “Is anywhere safe outside our small community?”
Harold shook his head, resting his hand on the hilt of his blade. “I fear these are dangerous times, my laird. We should trust nae one. I’d recommend keeping tae the safety of the castle grounds or risk encountering another band of ruffians.”
He glanced at Laird MacDonnell with a subtle grin.
“Agreed. Until these bandits have been caught, I’m instating martial law. Nae one is tae leave the village without permission. Nae one comes in, and nae one goes out unless I ken about it.”
The villagers began talking all at once and Rodrick took advantage of the chaos to excuse himself. His cloak swished behind him as he started up the path to the castle gate. Harold caught up beside him and left the rest of the guard behind. Once they were out of earshot, Rodrick whispered, “Were there any problems?”
“Nae. It went exactly as planned.”
“And the gold?”
“Safely secured with the rest of the cargo.”
Rodrick exhaled a contented sigh as they entered the castle gate, saying, “Excellent. We’ll unload it into the coffers once they come inside. Young Fionn cannae fault me fer keeping the treasure now, especially after we made a public attempt tae return it.”
Harold grinned as they passed through the gate, telling him, “Of course. ’Twas circumstances beyond our control.”
“All that remains is fer me tae seek out another offer of marriage, With Bridget gone, the wedding contract is void. Now I can find a match with deeper pockets.”
“I’ll make a list of suitable matches right away.”
“Good, I expect them on my table by morning.”
T wo days later, Bridget walked with Valan to the village market. Ailsa sent them to get supplies, and Bridget was still nervous about venturing out into the village. However, having the escort with her did manage to alleviate most of Bridget’s fears.
She hadn’t been sleeping well. Anytime she closed her eyes, Bridget remembered being back on her father’s ship.
Valan was the only one who knew about her nightmares—they hadn’t talked about it since he woke up to the sound of her crying. In the short time they’d gotten to know each other, she and Valan learned a great deal about each other. She enjoyed his company, and even though Bridget didn’t want to admit it, she was becoming fond of the handsome captain. He was so refreshingly genuine that it quickly put her at her ease. Bridget didn’t have to put on airs or worry about social niceties, she could truly be herself.
Additionally, there was a measured thoughtfulness in the way Valan conducted himself which she found appealing. He was precise, and she could tell he thought through his decisions carefully.
She glanced at him as they entered the market and her lips curved up into a smile. The merchants bustled noisily around their stands as Valan led them past and brought them directly to the one they needed. Bridget glanced around nervously as he interacted with the seller and took in the dank and dirty market. Everywhere she looked, people glanced in their direction and whispered to each other.
Bridget felt their eyes on her as they collected the grain and other supplies, but kept as close to Valan as possible. As they were walking, Bridget noticed some commotion on the docks and turned to see what was happening. A horn blared from Kisimul, announcing the return of another ship.
Valan grinned as he handed some coin to the merchant and said, “It sounds like Alexander’s back. I wonder what took them so long.”
She raised an eyebrow curiously as the arriving crew began unloading and walking back up toward the village. Valan gently pulled her back to leave room for the men as they passed. Bridget swallowed hard, and shied behind him nervously.
Suddenly, he called out to one of them, saying, “Alexander!”
A man perked up at the sound of his voice and walked over to them somberly. “Hello, my friend. How are ye doing?”
“I’m doing well,” Valan responded. “I was actually going to inquire about yerself. Where are ye getting back from?”
Bridget glanced out from behind him and listened to them speak.
Alexander sighed. “We acquired some goods off the western shore, but on our way back we came across two men stranded on an island—some rich lord and his captain. I would have left them there, but the lord offered tae pay me as an escort.”
Valan chuckled, setting his hands upon his hips. “Imagine that.”
Alexander nodded. “Aye. Anyway, we took them up along the north coast and rested up a bit before returning.”
At the mention of the rescue, Bridget gasped. Valan and Alexander turned to look at her in surprise and she felt her cheeks grow flush.
“Oh…hello there, lass. I dinnae see ye.”
Valan stepped aside so he was no longer in between them and said, “Alexander, this is my house guest, Bridget.”
He bowed to her politely and she flushed.
“Bridget, Alexander is one of the other captains here in the Barra.”
She chuckled uncomfortably, saying, “’Tis a pleasure tae meet ye, captain. What were ye saying about the men ye rescued?”
“Oh, that. Laird MacNeil was nae too pleased about our detour, but changed his mind once he heard about the gold.”
Valan laughed. “I’m glad tae hear it. ‘Twas a noble thing ye did.”
The other captain nodded before excusing himself. “Forgive me, but I must be getting home tae see my wife. It was a pleasure meeting ye, lass.”
As he was walking away, Bridget felt her heart begin to race. Was it possible that her father could have survived? Could they have escaped somehow while she was unconscious?
Bridget shook her head, banishing the thought. No, her father wouldn’t have abandoned her like that. It must have been someone else they found—a Sinclair perhaps, or even a Mackenzie. No, her father must be dead. Otherwise he would have been with her when Valan found them.
Her mouth ran dry and Valan placed his hand against her shoulder. “Bridget? Are ye well?”
“Aye,” she responded in a rush. “I was just thinking…”
He nodded slowly. “Very well. I’m going to purchase a few more things and we’ll head back.
Can ye wait fer me here?”
Bridget nodded stiffly, casting her gaze towards the table so he wouldn’t see her eyes well up with tears. He left to go finish his transaction and she peeked around the merchant’s wares. While she got distracted by the trinkets and began wandering away from her protector, a man called out, “Hey there, lass. What’s a bonnie young thing like ye doing around these parts?”
Bridget froze, looking up at him in surprise. Her heart raced, but she knew as long as Valan stayed with her she’d be safe. When she glanced over to the last place she had seen him, Bridget was horrified to realize he wasn’t there. In mild panic, she told the man, “Excuse me, sir. I need tae find my escort.”
He smiled a yellow, toothy grin at her. “What’s the hurry?”
“I’m sorry, but I really need tae find--”
The man stepped out in front of her before she could finish backing away. “I could be yer escort. What will ye dae tae thank me?”
She blanched. “Get away from me.”
The man tried to grab her by the wrist and said, “Come on now, dinnae be like that. I was trying tae be hospitable.”
Another man, who appeared to be his friend came up beside them from the adjoining booth. “What have ye got here, John?”
“A bonnie wee lass, apparently without her escort,” he responded. “I kinda like her. She has a pretty eyes.”
Bridget ripped her arm away from him and screamed as loud as she could. “VALAN! Valan get over here!”
Both the men appeared startled by her reaction and the one who’d grabbed her backed away immediately.
“Did she say Valan?” the other hissed.
The next thing she knew Valan was at her side with his blade in hand. He glared at the two men furiously and put himself between them and Bridget. “What in blazes is going on here?”
Bridget shied behind him on the verge of tears, still clinging to her basket of groceries. Her hands trembled from the interaction and she breathed deeply through her nose. John held up his hands defensibly, saying, “Forgive me, Captain. I dinnae ken she was here with ye. I dinnae mean nae harm.”
Rescued by Valan (The Pirates of Barra: Highland Raiders) Page 9
