Highlander's Rebellious Love (37 page)

“We do not know who she is,” the warrior said.

Hunter came up behind his wife when he saw her body go limp from relief that it had not been her sister. He coiled his arm around her waist to support her and moved her forward so none could see that her limbs had gone weak.

“Let us see if we recognize her,” Hunter said, giving his wife enough time to regain her senses.

It was Hunter who took a sharp step back when he saw the bruised and bloodied face of Rona, Greer’s wife.

“Is that Rona?” Patience asked, taking a closer look and seeing the missing thatch of hair on the top of the woman’s head, confirming her suspicion.

“Aye, it is,” Hunter confirmed his stomach tightening.

Patience paled and ordered the body to be taken to the empty storehouse. She also ordered Bruce to make certain that the identity of the woman was kept secret for now.

He looked at her, knowing her well and whispered, “War brews, does it not?”

“Aye, it does,” she said and turned to her husband. “We need to speak with my father.”

By the time she and Hunter reached the keep, news had already spread that a body had been found, though no identity made and that led to speculation.

Patience had to reach her father before he worried that it was Heather who had been found beaten to death. She rushed up the stairs, Hunter close behind her and found Maura coming out of her father’s room.

“Tell me it is not Heather,” she said with tears in her eyes.

“It is not, and I must let my father know.” Patience entered to find her da fully dressed and looking as if he was ready to leave the room.

“Tell me,” he ordered.

Patience shook her head. “It is not Heather.”

Her father sat with a thud in the chair, his legs no longer able to support him. “Who?” he asked his breathing heavy.

Hunter stepped forward. “Greer’s wife, Rona. She was beaten badly, her face almost unrecognizable.”

“You are sure it is her?” Patience’s father asked.

Hunter nodded. “I am sure, and I am sure you realize why my brother had his wife beaten to death and left on Macinnes land.”

Donald Macinnes nodded. “He will claim a Macinnes killed her, giving him the perfect excuse to declare war on the Macinnes clan.”

Patience waited, hoping her father, in his infinite wisdom would find a way to avoid a war and as the minutes passed in silence she feared that war was inevitable.

Hunter broke the silence. “Rab will demand his wife’s return once he discovers she is here, claiming the Macinnes took her captive. And I would not be surprised if Saundra met the same fate as Rona with Rab also laying blame on the Macinnes and sealing the claim for war.”

“Is there not a way out of this, Da?” Patience asked her worry growing.

“I need to think,” her father said. “Leave me and we will talk later.” He shook his head. “I almost forgot. Emma and her husband are on their way here. I am sure Rogan has a strong enough force with him since I sent word of the situation to him. But send some warriors out to meet them. They should arrive by evening. Now go and enjoy what time you can together and send Maura to me.”

Patience did not have to go far to find the woman, she was pacing outside the door. “He wants you.”

She nodded and hurried into the room, closing the door behind her.

Patience did not like the sound of the latch being locked. It felt as if her father was keeping her at a distance while entrusting a stranger. She silently scolded herself for thoughts that had no place in her head. She and her sisters had been lucky to have Maura enter their lives. She had helped take much of the burden of caring for her father and running the keep off Heather’s already heavily weighted shoulders, allowing her some time to herself. And furthermore, she should be thrilled that she and Emma were finally going to be reunited.

“It will be good for you to see your sister,” Hunter said, taking her hand.

“Aye, I am pleased.”

“Yet you do not smile.”

“How do I smile when Heather is still missing and war looms large on the horizon?”

Chapter Thirty-four

Patience paced the steps of the keep. Word was received that Emma and her husband Rogan were only minutes away. Patience had a difficult time knowing that her sister was so close and yet protocol dictated that she wait patiently to receive her. She would much rather ride out and greet her. And where had her husband gone? He was there on the steps watching her pace only moments ago and now he was nowhere to be seen.

Her pacing increased, though when she turned for the umpteenth time and caught sight of her husband on his horse, her stallion following behind him, she grinned from ear to ear.

As soon as he stopped, she mounted her horse, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I do so love you.”

They took off together and as they rode out of the village and across the land memories flooded her mind and brought tears to her eyes. She and her sisters would run to greet their father when he returned home after a long journey and when they would see him reach the rise they would squeal with joy. As they got older Heather would admonish such unseemly actions, but Patience had always managed to talk her into running to greet him.

Now it was just her greeting her married sister, her father ill, and Heather still missing. A tear fell from her eye and she wiped it roughly away with the back of her hand. She did not want to cry, but she could feel the tears welling up in her and she knew there would be no stopping them.

When they finally spotted the troop, and she and Emma’s eyes met, they urged their horses into a gallop toward each other.

Hunter increased his pace, though kept a distance to give his wife time with her sister. He noticed that the man who followed after Emma, presumably her husband, did the same as he.

Once the sisters were near on top of each other they drew their mounts to a halt and dismounted, Patience quickly, Emma with a bit more caution. They ran straight at each other, embracing when they finally came together.

Tears spilled liberally down their cheeks and they hugged tight, each one talking over the other until they finally erupted into laughter and more tears.

Hunter dismounted a few feet from them and walked around them to introduce himself, to Emma’s husband, though he would leave it to his wife to let the couple know they were married.

“Hunter McLaud,” he said, offering his hand.

“Rogan MacClennan,” the man said and accepted Hunter’s hand, giving it a firm shake.

“You must meet my husband,” Emma said, wiping tears off her wet, flushed cheeks.

Patience followed Emma over to the two men and with one glance she could see why Rogan MacClennan had first wanted Heather as his wife. He was as handsome as Heather was beautiful, long dark hair, dark eyes, fine features and a tad taller than Hunter. He and Heather would have made a fine pair, yet seeing the way Rogan looked with such love at Emma made them truly a perfect match.

“Rogan my sister Patience,” Emma said proudly.

Rogan slipped his arm around his wife and bobbed his head at Patience. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Emma speaks highly of you and your skills as a warrior.”

“I can vouch for them,” Hunter said with a smile, slipping his arm around his wife’s waist.

Emma looked from Hunter to her sister.

Patience grinned. “My husband... Hunter McLaud.”

~~~

Patience and Emma chatted on their way to the keep, both filling in what had happened to each of them since Heather’s abduction and their separation.

Emma shocked Patience when she said, “Heather was so frightened when I saw her.”

“You saw our sister? Where? When?”

“I foolishly followed a ghost warrior, hoping he would lead me to Heather, until I realized it was what the warrior expected me to do. He wanted me to find their camp and see that Heather was there. I went to her and again foolishly believed I could help her escape.”

“Where was Rogan?”

“He arrived with his warriors, but as skilled as they are, they were no match for the ghost warriors. Besides, Heather and I were hugging each other tight. I was determined not to let go of her, but the ghost warriors ripped her from my arms so quickly that I could not believe she was gone.”

“It was not your fault,” Patience said, hearing the guilt in her sister’s voice.

A tear ran down Emma’s cheek. “And how would you have felt if she had been ripped out of your arms?” She shook her head. “Especially after seeing the intense fear in her eyes when she learned that it was the Dark Dragon who had her abducted.”

“Heather did not know?” Patience asked perplexed. “He had not made himself known to her?”

“She had seen no inkling of him. She told me that she had been moved around and believed her captors were waiting for a ransom to be paid.”

“Perhaps it was the fear of learning that the Dark Dragon was her captor that gave her the courage to escape him.”

Emma’s eyes turned wide. “Heather escaped?”

“All signs point to it being so,” Patience confirmed. “I thought you knew. Father said he sent a message apprizing you of the situation.”

“There was no mention of Heather at all, only that you had returned and that war with the McLaud clan was possible. He warned us to be cautious. He also said nothing of you being wed, though I suppose he felt it was your news to share. But if Heather escaped where is she?”

“Hopefully, she is making her way home. I intended to rest for one day and then search for her, but father forbid it.”

Emma’s brow scrunched. “Why? He must be worried about her.”

“More than anyone realizes, but with the McLaud’s hungry for war, he has even a bigger problem. Greer has men in the area, so our land is not as safe as it once was.”

“What of Heather? What if the McLauds find her?”

Patience explained how Greer hoped to have the Dark Dragon side with him.

Emma paled. “If that happened...” She shook her head. “We would be defeated.”

“So, you see how dire the situation all around.”

“Father will think of something,” Emma said hopeful.

The sisters turned quiet, both knowing that this was one time their father may not find a way to prevent the inevitable.

When they reached the steps of the keep both women hurried off their horses and up the steps, eager to speak with their da.

The men followed, joining them in the Great Hall.

The women stopped abruptly, their husbands doing the same behind them, when they saw their father standing in the middle of the Great Hall, looking fitter than he had in years. He threw his arms out wide and his daughters ran into them.

He hugged them to him, holding them tight. “Thank God, you are both safe and home.”

“You are out of bed, Da,” Emma asked, looking up at him. “You must feel better.”

“It is time I see to my duties and time to celebrate my daughters’ return home.”

“We cannot celebrate until Heather has returned home safely,” Emma said.

Donald hugged his daughters again. “Let us eat and drink and put a plan together to bring our Heather home.”

Instead of sitting at the dais, he took his daughters to the table in front of the large hearth and they smiled. There were many a day they had sat there with their da talking and laughing and feeling more loved than ever.

Their husbands joined them and soon Una and Saundra did as well. Ewan and his sons wandered in and Donald welcomed them. Rogan’s warriors wandered in after setting up camp and all the tables were soon occupied and piled high with food and drink.

Conversation flowed easily, missing blanks were filled in as the sisters shared their stories, and the skills of the ghost warriors were discussed.

“It is truly remarkable that you avoided being captured by the ghost warriors,” Emma said to Saundra.

“What was remarkable was watching them,” Saundra said. “They are precise and focused in their movements, almost as if every step is measured. And they are patient, sitting for hours in a tree simply waiting.”

“For what?” Ross asked.

Saundra shrugged. “I do not know.”

“You never saw the Dark Dragon?” Hunter asked.

Saundra shivered. “No, and I would not want to. Many speak of what a frightening sight it is to set eyes on him.”

“The sight of him can disturb, since he is covered almost entirely in black,” Patience said.

“You saw him?” her father asked surprised.

“I did, and I warned him that I would not leave his land until I spoke with Heather, which is what eventually led me to believe that he no longer had Heather.”

“We need to find her,” Donald Macinnes said firmly. “And we need to do it before the McLauds start a war.”

Rogan and Emma looked to Hunter, but it was Donald who explained the situation.

Rogan nodded at Hunter after Donald finished. “How do we know we can trust him?”

“Because I say we can,” Patience snapped.

Hunter rested his hand on his wife’s arm to calm her. “Rogan has a right to doubt a man he does not know and one whose family wishes to wage war against the Macinnes.”

“Hunter is not like his brothers,” Saundra said. “He is a good, honorable man and did what he thought was best to save his clan from war as did Patience.”

“She is right,” Una said. “Hunter is nothing like his two brothers, but be warned for Greer cares for nothing but himself and will kill anyone who stands in his way.”

Hunter thought of Rona’s beaten body in the storehouse. He had not informed his mum about her death, for though there was no love between Rona and his mum, it would upset her to know what the poor woman had suffered.

“Greer will play his hand when the time is right,” Una said. “He learned that from his father, though nothing more.”

Ross walked over to Saundra and placed a hand on her shoulder. “They will surely demand Saundra’s return.”

“Without a doubt,” Una said, patting the young woman’s trembling hand.

“Saundra must stay here under our protection,” Ross declared as if he decreed it.

“You cannot keep another man’s wife,” Ewan said what everyone feared. “It would give Greer the excuse he needed to start a war. And it will give Hew McDolan an even greater reason to join Greer in battle.”