Wee William's Woman, Book Three of the Clan MacDougall Series (53 page)

Horace pulled her in to his side as if they were long lost friends. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Nora, we’ll be leaving this place now. I advise you to remain quiet if you wish no harm to come to those brats of yours.”

Nora could only allow him to lead her away on shaky legs. With each step she took away from the keep, she became more fearful What if she could not get her dagger out of her pocket in time? What if the first thrust did not harm him enough to allow her to run away? What if no one noticed her missing until it was too late?

She began to wish she had begged Wee William to stay with her, to work things out. But she had been far too angry with him for lying. She still was not convinced that her marriage to Horace had been properly annulled. What if what Father Michael had done was not enough in the eyes of God or the law? What if she really were married to two men at once?

As they walked away from the keep, her mind raced in far too many directions at once. She worried over the safety of John and Elise as well as Aishlinn and her babe. What if Horace killed her and returned to kill Aishlinn? She could not risk trying to escape just yet. She had to get Horace and his brothers away from the keep, away from those that she loved before she could take the chance to kill him.

She was furious with Wee William for not being honest. She knew he had meant well, but had he been honest, then mayhap she could have prevented this. How, she could not think at the moment, but certainly she could have been better prepared.

Soon, they were walking through the gate. Her mind was a blur of thoughts and worries, her heart heavy with fear and a longing for Wee William. Mayhap he would return soon and realize what had happened.
 
Nora knew without question that her husband would come for her. Her only worry was that he’d not find her in time.

David felt an overwhelming sense of anger and dread when he finally caught a glimpse of Nora. He had been looking out the window from the second floor of the keep when he saw her pass through the gate.

By the time he made it down the stairs and out of doors she was gone.

He found Daniel just outside the keep.

“Horace has her,” David said to his brother as he ran inside the stables. “I saw one only of the brothers with them.” David went to a stall at the far end of the stable and led his horse, a beautiful bay gelding out of his stall.

“The third could still be here or mayhap he awaits with horses beyond the keep.” Daniel offered as he watched his brother hastily saddle his horse.

“Ye try to find the other brother. Check on Aishlinn and the children and double their guards. No strangers are to enter Isobel’s rooms,” he said, checking the straps of his saddle.

“Send someone to find Phillip, Garret, and anyone else ye can find to help. I’m going after Nora.” David led the horse out of the stables as he gave more directions.

Daniel wasted no time with questions as David mounted his horse and fled on a search for Nora.

Daniel grabbed any able-bodied man he could find as he hurried back to the keep. He gave orders as he made his way inside and up to Isobel’s rooms. Though he was relieved to see that two MacDougall men stood outside the room where Aishlinn and the children had been secured, he’d not breathe a sigh of relief until he saw them with his own eyes.

Without knocking, he flung open the door.

“Thanks be to God!” he whispered as his eyes landed on Isobel. She was sitting at one of the long tables with John and Elise. Aishlinn sat near the window feeding the babe.

Overcome with relief, he let loose a breath and ran a hand across his face. He would have to explain the situation to Isobel and Aishlinn and he did not relish the thought. Isobel would be furious, but not nearly as furious as Wee William was going to be.

“M’lady,” Daniel said before clearing his throat. “We need to talk.”

The search party from Castle Gregor had no difficulty following the tracks left behind by Gillon Randolph and his men. That fact bothered Nial. If
he
had taken Bree he would have made sure no one could have followed them. Either Gillon Randolph was stupid or he
wanted
to be followed.

When they had left the keep a few short hours ago, James Randolph had insisted on riding with them. He swore he had no idea what either his son or Bree were up to, but admitted to Angus that he was worried. Gillon had left with Bree along with fifteen Randolph men. Whatever they were up to, James swore he had no part in it. Much to Nial’s dismay, Angus apparently believed him.

Nial felt more comfortable knowing they had seventy-five men to Gillon’s small band of sixteen. The lad would realize, albeit a bit too late, that he had made several errors in judgment. The first one being the tenacity and ferocity of Clan MacDougall men, especially as it pertained to protecting Clan MacDougall women. He would also learn that Angus McKenna was a force of nature in his own right.

The sun was beginning to set and night would soon be upon them. Since learning of Bree’s disappearance, Nial’s heart had been pounding with dread and worry. He had been cursing, sometimes silently, sometimes openly, since learning she was with Gillon. He swore that when he got his hands on Gillon, he’d slice the bastard’s throat.

Doubt lingered as to whether or not Bree left willingly or if she was taken. If she had left of her own accord, what on earth had been her reasons? He could not imagine her doing this, not after what happened last summer with Aishlinn. Nay, Nial could not believe she’d gone willingly.

As they rode east, following those all too-easy-to-follow tracks, Nial allowed his mind to wander to the different methods of torture he would inflict on Gillon.
 
The thought of feeding the little bastard’s lower intestines to the wolves -- while he still lived and was forced to watch -- was rather appealing.

That method of torture had been Caelen’s idea. Nial was glad to have Caelen as an ally. Knowing what he did about Caelen, to have him as an enemy was not something he wanted to experience. Nay, ’twas definitely in his favor to have the man as his friend.

Nial finally realized they were heading south. Randolph lands lay to the east of MacDougall lands.

“Where do ye suppose the little shite’s headed?” Wee William asked as he rode alongside Nial and Caelen.

“Who knows, Wee William,” Caelen answered. “But the lad’s a fool if he thinks he can lose us.”

Nial knew he’d go to the ends of the earth if he had to in order to find Bree. Gillon Randolph could try whatever tactic he desired. Nial would not be stopped.

Before long, night had descended across the lands and it made following Gillon’s tracks next to impossible. They led through a very thick and dense forest. With night upon them they could no longer follow them.

“When I get me hands on this little bastard,” Wee William groused as he dismounted, “I’ll kill him!” He wanted to get back to his wife and to killing Horace Crawford once and for all.

“Ye can have what’s left of him when I’m finished,” Nial said from beside his own horse. At the moment, he was far too angry to eat. Instead, he pulled a flask of whiskey from his saddle and took a long, hard drink.

“I think the line should form behind Angus,” Caelen offered as he motioned toward their chief with a nod of his head.

Angus was standing in a small clearing with James Randolph, Rowan, and Andrew Graham. None of the men was happy, but Angus was nearly beside himself with anger.

Wee William, Caelen and Nial unsaddled their horses and tied them to a rope draped between the trees. Anger, resentment, and fury hung in the air as thick as smoke. The only things that tempered any of them were the thoughts of what they would do to Gillon Randolph when they finally got their hands on him.

Angus sent ten men to scout ahead and around the forest. If they were able to pick up Gillon’s trail, they would return immediately and pick up where they left off.

Wee William was too furious to sit and far too worried about his wife to rest. He worried that Nora would never forgive him and worried that Horace would not be found. The happy family life he had begun to cherish was being torn apart. His heart heavy with guilt and dread he paced around the small clearing.

“Yer worried about yer wife,” Duncan said as he joined Wee William. “I worry over Aishlinn and our babe too. But I trust in those we left behind that no harm will come to either of them.”

Wee William knew that Duncan meant to help assuage his fears but it did not help. “What if Nora canna forgive me fer lyin’?” he asked.

Duncan took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky while he thought on the question for a few moments. “Nora loves ye, Wee William. There is no doubt of that. It may take some time, but she’ll forgive ye.”

Wee William could only pray that Duncan was correct. He felt sick with worry that the trust he’d been able to gain from Nora, the love that they had shared these past months, would never be rekindled. He had lied, but he had damned good reasons for doing so. Or so he told himself. He hadn’t done it for selfish reasons. He’d done it for her, to keep her from ever being afraid again. The lies he had told, he told because he loved her and wanted to protect her.

Though his reasons were noble, he doubted Nora would see it that way. A lie was a lie, plain and simple.

If he had to spend a lifetime to gain her forgiveness or regain her love and trust, he would. Living a life without her in it was too difficult to imagine.

Apparently, Gillon Randolph was unaccustomed to women who armed themselves. For had he been accustomed to such things he would have searched Bree thoroughly before taking her away from Castle Gregor.

His imprudence and arrogance would lead to his downfall, Bree thought quietly, if not his death.

They had ridden east for several hours before turning south. Over hills, through valleys, and dense forests, they travelled without stopping, even long after the sun had set.

Early on, Bree had taken note that neither Gillon nor his men made any attempt at covering their tracks. It wasn’t until they had spilled out of the forest that Bree learned why they were not being more careful at not being found. Leaving good clear tracks for the MacDougall men to follow was all a part of Gillon’s plan. In two days time, they would be safely ensconced on Bowie lands. And as soon as the MacDougall men crossed onto those lands, they would be ambushed by at least one hundred Bowie men.