Capturing A Highland Knight (13 page)

             
“I will go fetch Annabelle,” he said turning toward the bush and then stopped in his tracks.

             
“Look what I found,” a male voice said as he and Annabelle walked from behind the bushes she was hiding behind.

             
Derek frowned.

             
“Let her go,” he said in a menacing voice.

             
“Now why would I be doing that, I wonder,” the man said, running his hand over her breast.

             
Derek growled and moved forward.

             
“I wouldnae do that if I were ye,” the man replied, pulling a knife from behind his back.

             
“Let her go,” Derek repeated.  Annabelle was staring at him, but her face was emotionless.  He could not tell if she was frightened or not.

             
“Weel, it seems like we have an even trade.  Ye killed two of my clansmen, so I figure I should keep yer woman,” he grinned and licked Annabelle on her cheek.   She grimaced, but that was the only emotion on her face.  She was too far away for Derek to read her eyes.

             
“I will do to ye what I have done to yer clansman if ye doona let her go this instant.”

             
The man laughed.  He continued to grope Annabelle through her gown.

             
Annabelle watched the storm clouds gather on Derek’s face.  She had watched the battle through the bushes.  She had been so engrossed in the battle that she had not heard the man come up behind her.  He grabbed her around her waist and put his other hand over her mouth.

             
“Doona give me any trouble or I will kill ye,” he hissed in her ear with his rancid breath.   Annabelle had recoiled.

             
“Let’s wait to see who comes out on top,” he said, keeping her behind the bushes and in the shadows.

             
She saw Derek barley deflect a blow, but he quickly recovered and finally felled his opponent.  Colm was fighting a bigger man, and he seemed to be holding his own.  He slashed the man across his thigh, and when the man went to his knees, he smashed him in the face twice until he fell to his face.  She wondered why he did not kill him.

             
After it was done, the man pushed her around the bushes.  She kept her features bland so that the man would not see her fear.  She had never actually fought in a battle and was not sure that she could do what needed to be done.  She kept her eyes on Derek so that she would not crumple in fear.

             
“I think I will take my prize and return home,” the man sneered as he began to turn toward the trees still holding the knife to her side.

             
“Ye willnae take my wife with ye anywhere,” Derek said and lifted his claymore.

             
Annabelle noticed the grimace on his face, although fleeting, when he raised the sword to a fighting position.  She narrowed her eyes at him and ran them up and down his body until she saw a darkening patch on his right side.  Her eyes widened as she realized he had been injured.

             
Not thinking, Annabelle pulled Derek’s dirk from a pocket in her gown and rammed it in the man’s throat.  He gave a surprised grunt.  Annabelle had reached Derek’s side before his body hit the ground.

             
“Ye are hurt!” she said when she reached him.

             
Derek and Colm looked at her with surprised shock as she fussed over his wound.

             
“Annabelle?” he called.

             
“Aye,” she replied distractedly as she unlatched his sword sheath and pulled his shirt over his head.

             
“Are ye alright?” he asked in amusement.  He sent a look at Colm who only shook his head.

             
“Aye,” she waved at him.  She ripped a piece off of his shirt and pushed it against his wound.  She noticed that it was not very deep, but she needed to stop the bleeding and clean it.

             
Donel began to stir at the moment, so Colm walked over and picked him up by his head.

             
“Had enough, lad?” he asked him.

             
“I will see ye in hell,” Donel rasped out, still groggy from the blows to his head.

             
“Aye, ye might.  But not today,” Colm replied and slit his throat with his dirk.

             
“Are ye injured too, Colm?” Annabelle asked.  She had gotten their wineskins from Derek’s horse and doused a clean piece of Derek’s shirt in water.  She gently cleaned Derek’s wound.  He hissed as she cleaned the wound.

             
“Nay, lass.”

             
She nodded and continued her ministrations.

             
“Ye were right about that ambush.  Luckily they had only three guards instead of an army.”

             
“Aye, but they usually only send out two or three warriors at a time,” he said through clenched teeth as Annabelle poured some ale on the wound.

             
Annabelle ripped more pieces from Derek’s ruined shirt and wrapped them around his waist.  She then tied it in place.

             
“That should hold ye until we get to Bondlach,” she said eyeing her handy work.

             
“That it will, lass,” he said.  He reached up and ran his knuckles over her cheek.

             
“Are ye sure ye are alright, Colm?” she turned to him then.

             
He just chuckled and nodded.  Annabelle sighed.  It was almost light and they would need to be going soon.

             
“What do we do with…” she stopped midsentence and her eyes began to widen.

             
“Annabelle?” Colm said concerned.

             
“What do we do with what?” Derek asked coming to stand beside her.

             
Annabelle’s eyes were fixed on the bushes she had hidden behind.  Derek frowned at her.

             
“Annabelle?”

             
“Derek,” she whispered.  “I killed a mon.”

             
Her eyes were huge when she looked up at him.  He could see that she was shaken.  She even began to tremble as the full revelation of what she had done became clear to her.

             
“I think I may be sick,” she said promptly turning and emptying her stomach.

             
Derek held her hair while she emptied herself.  When she recovered, there was a bright red blush on her face.

             
“No need to be ashamed, lass.  Many a brave warrior was sick after their first kill,” Colm said coming to stand beside them.

             
She gave him a tremulous smile.

             
“Aye, lass, and I have n’er seen a braver warrior than ye,” Derek said with sincerity in his eyes.

             
She was enveloped by the warmth in his gaze.  She gave him a shaky grin.

             
“Come.  We will go to the loch and freshen up,” he said taking her arm and leading her into the trees.  Colm followed.

             
They passed the body of the man she killed, and she could not help but shudder.  Derek’s arm came about her shoulder and he squeezed her against his side.  His strength calmed her.  She took a deep breath and stiffened her spine.  She had done what she had to do.

             
He reached down and pulled his dirk from the man’s neck.  Derek leaned down to whisper in her ear.

             
“By the way, lass, how did ye get my dirk?”

             
She looked at him and grinned.

Chapter 16

They reached Bondlach by midday.  They left the men where they lay, Derek stating that they would eventually be found when the watch changed.  The Bruces would not know that the men were killed by MacDougals.

Annabelle had eventually been able to come to grips with the fact that she killed another human being.  She had to admit that it felt good to be able to say that she was able to defend herself.  She watched as the landscape changed from dirt and trees to lush grasses and heather.  It was breathtaking.  She stared in awe as they grew closer to Bondlach.

“I used to come here every summer, and then I would visit when we were not obligated with a battle,” Derek said to her with a smile.

She smiled back at him.  She felt an urge to reach out and grab his hand.  She realized she was starved for his touch.  It surprised her.  She remembered the gentleness of his arms after they made love, and she wanted to feel that again.

“I stopped visiting when Tobias’ Da died and he became laird.  I wanted to give him a chance to adjust to his new position.  That was over a year ago.  This is the first time I have been back since his Da’s funeral,” Derek said quietly.

Annabelle could tell that Tobias’ father’s death had affected Derek too.

“Were ye close to the old laird?”

“Aye.  He was like a second Da.  I spent a lot of time here.”

Annabelle nodded.

“Did ye come here, too, Colm?” she turned to the other man.

“Aye, lass, but not as much as Derek.  I think me and his brothers were eventually banned because we teased them so mercilessly,” he smirked, winking at her.

She giggled.  She looked at Derek who only stared at Colm.  He turned his gaze to her.  The intensity she saw in them made her catch her breath.  He lips tilted into a promising smile.  She blushed.

They finally reached the outer gates of Bondlach.  The wall stretched at least two miles on each side.  The gate was over ten feet tall, with a steel fortified gate.  Annabelle could see the retainers patrolling the walls. 

“Will they allow us in?” she asked eyeing the men looking down on them.

“Aye, lass,” Derek said waving a hand at the guard.

The gate began to swing open.  They walked their horses in, the men yelling greetings to Derek and Colm.  Annabelle looked around as they rode through the village.  She noticed that the huts were well thatched and that the villagers seemed content.  She watched as children ran around in play and women stood around chatting to each other.  She could see the men in the field just beyond the village.

“Why, Derek MacDougal!  It has been a long while since we have seen ye,” an older woman said walking up to the horses.  An older man walked up with her.

The woman was regal in her plain brown gown.  Her black hair was outlined in touches of white, her skin was slightly wrinkled and tanned.  Her clear blue eyes looked at Derek with fondness.  Her husband stood beside her in his kilt and white shirt.  It was smeared with dirt, a testament to the work he had already done that day.  His rust colored hair was peppered with grays and his face was also tanned from a life outdoors.  He stood at six feet with broad shoulders.  He also looked at Derek with fondness through soft brown eyes.

Derek smiled down at the woman.

“Hello, Alba and Duff.  I hope we find ye well.”

“Aye.  I see ye brought Colm with ye.  Yer parents and brothers arrived days ago,” Duff said eyeing Colm, his eyes no longer soft.

Colm only inclined his head.  Annabelle wondered about that.

“And who
might this be, Derek?” Alba asked him looking curiously at Annabelle.

Derek smiled and turned to his wife.

“Alba and Duff, allow me to present my wife, Annabelle.”

They both gasped at the same time.

“Yer wife?” Alba said, exchanging a look with Duff.

Annabelle wondered at it.

“Aye,” Derek grinned, seeming not to notice the exchange.

Duff cleared his throat.

“Weel, I am sure yer clansmen are anxious to see ye.  They had assured us ye followed right behind them.”

“We were detained for a few days,” Colm supplied.  He stared at Duff, who stared back at him belligerently.

“Weel, ‘tis nice to meet ye, Annabelle,” Alba said, stepping up and grasping her hand.

“Nice to meet ye,” Annabelle returned.

“Ye best be off to set yer parents’ minds at ease.”

Derek nodded and nudged his horse forward.   Annabelle followed him, waving at the couple.  Colm came up the rear.  He never looked back.

“Nice couple,” she said.

Colm grunted.  Derek glanced toward him, but turned to Annabelle.

“Aye.  I always stopped by their hut on the way to the keep.  They used to have a daughter about two years younger than me,” he said, sliding another glance to Colm, who stared forward as if not listening to their conversation.

“Used to?  What happened to her?”

“She died,” was all he said.

Annabelle had a feeling he was not going to elaborate and she felt she should not pressure him with more questions.  They continued through the village, Derek and Colm greeting some more of the villagers.  Bondlach keep looked like a giant white tower that rose up into a parapet.  It sat on top of a hill like a beacon. They went through a smaller gate in a shorter wall that surrounded the keep.  Derek explained that, though shorter by two feet than the previous wall, this wall was six feet thick which would make it hard to penetrate.  When they finally reached the courtyard of Bondlach, they were met by a huge man with bright red hair and equally red beard.  He stood with an intimidating stare on his face.  He eyed them as they came to a stop in front of him.  Derek raised his eyebrow at the man.

“’Tis about time ye get here!” the man finally shouted in a booming voice, breaking into a grin.

Derek and Colm dismounted and walked up to him, each taking his arm in a hearty greeting.

“Where have ye been?  Laird Breac said that ye were right behind them.”

“We got delayed,” Derek returned, with a matching grin on his face.

“Delayed? Ye mean by the Bruces?” the man asked, frowning.

Derek shook his head.  He turned toward Annabelle as she slid down from her horse.

“Nay, although we did run into them.  This was our delay,” he said, smiling at her.

She gave him a sidelong glance and then walked to where they were.  Tobias looked toward where Derek indicated and his eyebrows shot up.  The woman was beautiful.  His eyes shown with appreciation.

“Weel, weel, and what a delay ‘tis,” he said and bowed to her.

“Annabelle, meet Tobias,” Derek said to her.

She glanced at him and turned back to the big man.

“Nice to meet ye, Tobias.  Derek and Colm have told me much about ye,” she smiled at him.

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“Doona believe everything ye hear,” he winked.

Annabelle giggled and turned back to Derek who was looking at the other man.

“Come inside!  Yer Da was about to send out a search party fer ye.  We were expecting ye long ago,” Tobias said, waving them before him into the keep.

“Ye must be tired, Annabelle.  There are refreshments laid out in the great hall, but I will have one of the servants show ye to yer chamber,” he continued, coming around them.

“Nay, but I thank ye.  I amnae so tired,” she replied, looking around her at the keep and all of the people milling about.

“Are ye sure?  I ken how tiring Derek can be,” he winked at her and she blushed.

“Really?  I havenae experienced that yet,” she said with mock sincerity.

Tobias stared at her and then burst into robust laughter.

“I like her, Derek!”

Derek smiled and looked at her.

“Aye, I think I will keep her,” he said quietly. 

Annabelle stared at him, but before she could say anything, Laird Breac came storming up.

“Where have ye been?  Yer mother
has been worried about ye!  Ye were supposed to have been here right behind us!  Colm, I sent ye to make sure he got here on time,” he said, rounding on Colm

“Aye, ye did.  And he is here on time,” Colm smiled.

Laird Breac scowled and then turned back to Derek.

“Come and give yer mother ease to ken that ye have arrived,” he grumbled and turned back toward the great hall.

Tobias chuckled and led them to where the others were gathered.  The hall was almost filled to bursting.  Everyone was laughing and having a good time.  Annabelle smiled as she followed Derek into the room.  She remembered when the MacAlpins would gather, it was much like this.  They would have gathered again at her wedding with Laird Harold McInnis, but that would not be anymore.  Her smile faltered.  She wondered if her Da would have sent a reply to Dunkirk when they returned.

They walked up to a group of men.  Annabelle immediately recognized Derek’s brothers.  They
had his same coloring and features.  One was a little stouter than the other two, but he was no less intimidating.

“Weel, Derek, I see ye decided to grace us with yer presence.  I am sure Eilidh is to blame fer yer delay,” the taller man said.

Derek chuckled.

“Nay, ‘twas nay Eilidh, although she was a distraction,” he replied, winking at his brother.

Annabelle scowled at him, but he did not seem to notice.  The other men laughed and nodded in agreement.  Laird Breac growled.

“Then what kept ye?” the shorter man asked.

Derek glanced over at Annabelle.  His eyebrow shot up at the look on her face.  She looked like she was ready to fight. 

“What ails ye, lass?” he asked her.

Annabelle just looked at him with murder in her eyes and did not respond.

“I asked ye a question,” he said to her, his eyes darkening.

Annabelle refused to answer.  She was not about to embarrass herself in front of these people she did not know because of jealousy.  And she admitted to herself, that’s what it was.  The way he talked of Eilidh as if he still wanted her.  And maybe he did, but it made her angry to think that he would so disrespect her to talk about his whore in her presence.  Did her feelings not matter to him?  She gave him another scathing look, and then turned on her heels and stormed away.  She did not know where she was going, but anywhere would be better than here.

“Annabelle!” Derek yelled behind her.

She kept walking toward the door they had entered the keep through.  Before she could reach it, she turned as she heard Derek’s name being called in a female voice.

“Derek!” a high pitched voice yelled from the doorway.

Everyone turned as a very buxom beauty came strolling into the room.  She was lithe with long golden hair and a slender figure.  She was neatly dressed in a golden arisaid that accentuated her generous bosom and slender waist. Annabelle turned and followed the woman as she slinked her way toward where Derek still stood.  Annabelle looked at Derek’s face and was not surprised to see the smirk on his lips.  She watched as his eyes roved over the woman with marked male appreciation.  She almost stopped in her tracks at the hurt that suddenly overwhelmed her.  Here was her husband openly admiring another woman.

When the woman reached him, she put her hands on his arms and pushed her generous bosom against his chest

“Derek, it has been way too long since ye’ve been here.  I’ve missed ye,” she said with a sexy pout and ran her hands up Derek’s arms to his chest.

“Have ye now?” Derek asked laughter in his eyes.

“Aye, ye have stayed away far too long.  I have been so lonely without ye,” she purred, looking at him from under her lashes and winding her arms around his neck.

“I doubt that, Maura,” he chuckled.

              “I have, Derek.  Let’s go make up for lost time,” she said planting an open mouthed kiss on his lips.

             
Annabelle gasped in surprise.  Then she got angry.

             
“Why, Derek, who is this?” she asked him sweetly.

             
Derek stiffened, breaking the kiss.  He had forgotten about Maura until she came into the room.  She still looked good enough to eat, and he had on many occasions.  He was amused by her display, and was surprised that he was not as aroused by her as he once was.  He knew that she was entertained by any number of other men when he was not around and did not believe her when she said that she had been lonely.  When she kissed him, he was curious as to why it did not move him like it once had.  In fact, he was mildly irritated at her boldness.