“I was hired to retrieve a red-haired lass and bring her to Edinburgh. ’Tis all I know. I bring you there and collect my coin. Where you go after that, I have no idea.” He spun on his heel and strode away without giving her even a hint of what the truth could be.
Unless he’d just told her the truth.
Chapter Twenty-One
God’s bones, but he had to stop looking into his bluebell’s mesmerizing eyes. He’d missed her terribly—he hadn’t realized how much until he actually had her in his arms again.
Now he just had to convince his feisty lass to trust him. He would get her away from Lamont and all the others. Then he’d propose to her. She’d see how powerful he was with his new arm.
She’d know he had the strength to protect her.
He waited until she returned from the bushes, then ushered her over to his horse.
One of Lamont’s guards said, “Give her to me. Then I’ll not worry that you’ll take off with her.”
“She rides with me.” Daniel didn’t even look at the arse. As if he would allow anyone else to touch his sweet bluebell.
“Nay. I want her. ’Tis the best way. How do I know you’ll not just run away with her to collect the money yourself?” the guard persisted, his eyes narrowing at him.
Daniel returned the narrowed gaze. Try touching her and see how fast you die.
“Lamont put me in charge, so she stays with me. Unless you care to fight me for the honor.” He grabbed Constance by the waist and hoisted her up onto his horse. To his surprise, she almost flew off the other side. Hell, but she’d be blistering his ear later. His muscle mass must have grown from all the fighting. He hadn’t intended to be so forceful.
To his surprise, the other guard dismounted and came toward him, brandishing his sword. Daniel pulled his own weapon out of its sheath and defended himself against the attack, knocking the blade out of his hand with ease. He stared at the lout, but the big brute didn’t back down. Daniel sighed, wishing it hadn’t come to this. After all the fighting he’d done, he’d make short work of this fool.
Daniel dropped his weapon to the ground. “We don’t have time for this. I’ll give you one chance to back down.” When the fool swaggered forward instead, Daniel reached for his collar, tugged him closer to strike him in the jaw, and then threw three quick punches to his belly. While the guard leaned forward, moaning, he lifted the man over his head and tossed him into the bushes.
“Now can we take our leave?” he asked, as he moved over to pick up his sword. No one responded, so he mounted behind Constance. Terric prepared to leave, a wide grin on his face, and the rest of the men followed suit. Daniel gave the fool who was still flat on his back a few minutes to get up, then flicked the reins of his horse and led the way back toward Edinburgh.
They’d only been gone about an hour when the sound of approaching riders reached their ears. He motioned for his men to move off the main path, with the idea of allowing the group to move past them, but unfortunately, it was not to be.
One man set his gaze on Constance and bellowed, “There she is! He has the red-haired lass. Get her!”
Chaos ensued as the men did battle. Daniel found a copse of trees to set Constance down safely, then returned to the fray. His group of six, including Terric, was up against a dozen men. He fought for a short while, then realized he should take advantage of this situation.
True, he’d felled three men on his own, but two of Lamont’s men had also gone down, so he knew he needed to make a decision quickly. He said to Terric, “Remember what I told you. Find Connor.”
Terric didn’t hesitate—he took off while Daniel reached down for Constance and tossed her up in front of him. He then pulled on the reins to send his horse off into the woods on a gallop.
“Duck,” he said to her. Branches were flying by faster than he’d like, but with no alternative, he just had to protect both their faces.
“Daniel, where are you taking me?”
“Hush. There are still at least eight men bent on chasing us with only two Lamont guards left, so ’twas time to take our leave. I’ll answer all your questions as soon as we get away.”
Constance squealed as she ducked from another branch that still managed to hit her in the back of her head. He found a different path and set his horse into a heavy gallop once they found a meadow.
His horse was far more powerful that any beast the reivers would have, so he hoped to outrun them. He pushed Constance forward and leaned over her in an effort to protect her from whatever might come their way. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was efficient.
Six men chased them for a few hours, but none of their mounts were a match for his destrier. They dropped off one at a time over the next hour until he saw no one behind them. Their brisk pace kept them from chattering much, though he was able to squeeze her waist a couple of times. Once they reached smoother ground, he whispered, “I missed you, lass.”
She spun around to stare at him. “Daniel, my thanks for coming for me. Where were they taking me?”
“Lass, I’d love to explain all, but there are three groups after you, so we must make haste.” He kissed her temple and she turned back around, clutching his forearm as they continued through the forest at an exhausting pace.
They encountered another group of men on horseback, who set after them as soon as they caught sight of Constance, and all he could do was curse and growl. “Is the entire Highlands after you, bluebell?”
He didn’t dare slow down until it was nearly nightfall and they were halfway to Drummond land. They hadn’t run into another horseman for a few hours, and he knew there was a cave up ahead, although his horse wouldn’t fit. If the weather turned bad, he could protect her from freezing until he got her to Castle Drummond for safety.
He’d hoped to catch sight of Connor or Terric, or mayhap even his other cousins, but every person they’d encountered thus far had been an enemy. The cave was situated behind a small waterfall. He dismounted, leaving his panting horse by the water for a drink, and helped her down.
“Sorry, Constance. I know ’twas a rough ride, but I had to get you away quickly.”
She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. “My thanks for getting me away from them. Why were they taking me to Edinburgh? What is going on? Why do they all want me?” Tears slid down her cheeks. He took her hand gently and guided her behind the waterfall, removing his tunic and her mantle so they could wash.
“Here, throw some cool water on your face. You’re as covered with dirt as I am.”
She allowed him to wash her face and her neck, wiping the tears and the grime away, before she repeated her question. “Why, Daniel? Why is this happening?”
“I believe ’tis the gemstone. Everyone wants it. My guess is your sire has put out a bounty for someone to find you and the stone. The reivers have also caught wind of it, likely because someone saw it at the abbey and tongues started wagging. They have no guilt. They’ll do anything to get that stone, so when I heard about it in Edinburgh, I had to step in.”
“Why were you in Edinburgh? Were you not with your cousins?”
“Aye, we were searching for information about the underground, hoping it would lead us to the Channel of Dubh, and it did. But the red-haired lass consumed everyone’s attention. When I heard about you, we sent Gavin and Gregor back to get help. Connor should be behind me by a couple of hours.” He reached over and tucked a mass of stray curls back behind her ear. The ride had made a mess of her plaited hair, though she’d never looked more beautiful to him. “Everyone wants you, my sweet bluebell, so why are you not safely in the abbey?”
She tipped her head over and drank from the waterfall, then plopped down on a stone at the mouth of the cave. Her tears had finally stopped.
She took a big, shuddering breath and said, “I left the abbey because my presence there was putting them at risk. Two different groups came looking for me. I’m quite sure one of the groups was sent by my sire. The oth
er men were ruthless, and one even slapped the mother abbess. The nuns had just moved a group of wee lassies to the abbey, all under ten summers, and I was afraid the men would hurt them.”
“So how did you end up with those two fools?” He replaced his tunic, then moved over to sit beside her, settling her mantle over her shoulders to ensure she was warm.
“I set out at night, hoping to make it to Muir Castle before dawn. From there, I hoped one of your cousins would help me get to Grant Castle to see Rose. But those two daft men caught me an hour from the castle. So what now?”
“Now, we rest. I expect Connor will be here shortly. And please don’t call me Daniel. We have to keep the ruse up if they return, and ’twill be easier if we practice.”
“Who is Damien? Why are you all bruised?”
“Because I’ve been fighting for coin, and I’ve won a lot of bouts.”
“Why?”
He plunked down next to her and leaned back on his elbows. “’Tis a long story and I’m tired. Can we not rest before I tell you?” He reached out to pluck a few weeds and leaves from her clothing. She looked as though she’d been through hell, and he knew he fared no better. “I need a couple of hours of sleep, and I suspect you have not slept well of late either. Connor should be here by then and the rest of my cousins fast behind him. Then we’ll take you to Drummond land and decide what to do next.”
“How will Connor know we’re here?”
“We discussed it beforehand. This is where Finlay took his sister when she was near death. He knows it well. We all do. If we move back inside, we can sleep and my horse will awaken me when someone arrives.”
“But ’tis cold in here.”
“I’d be happy to be of service.” He waggled his brow at her.
“You will not touch me,” she said, words burbling out of her like water in a spring. “Not out here. Not where you can run away and leave me. Not where…”
The hurt in her words told her there was a story there, but he’d not press her for it now. Daniel put his finger to her lips to silence her, then stood and held his hand out to her. “I’ll not defile you, I promise. In fact, I’m sneaking out to bathe under the waterfall quickly or you’ll never kiss me again.”
He left, giving her some time alone while he doused himself under the waterfall. A bit of cold would help keep his desire for his sweet lass in check, or so he hoped.
Once he finished, he came back inside the cave, surprised to see her sitting with her back against the stone wall, nearly asleep. She heard his footsteps and jumped up, her eyes wide. The poor lass must be exhausted. He found a place where he could put his extra plaid down for her, though she insisted on being at least an arm’s length from him. She finally curled up in a spot facing away from him. Though he intended to leave her alone, he soon heard her tossing to get comfortable. He rolled over with a growl, lifting her and tucking her in close, then gave her his upper arm to sleep on.
She sighed and fell asleep in an instant.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Constance woke up in the dark, alarmed because she felt something tickling her cheek. Her hand moved up to her face. There was naught there, but then she swore there was a creature at her neck. A mouse? A rat? What the hell could it be?
Suddenly, it dawned on her where she was and what was bothering her. Grabbing the dagger out of her boot, she sat up and spun around on her arse. Then, leaning down over Daniel, she placed her knife at his throat. She’d had all she could take, and she would fix this now.
Daniel’s eyes flew open. “Hellfire! Do you always threaten the man who loves you by holding a dagger at his throat?” His gaze was wide-eyed, but he didn’t move a muscle.
“Stay just like that and I won’t hurt you.” She took hold of one side of his beard and sliced a huge piece of it off with her dagger.
“What the hell are you doing?” His hand flew up to protect his face.
“I’ve had enough. I don’t like your beard,” She hissed as she reached for the other side and managed to cut a hunk of it off before he moved back.
“Leave me be, woman. I like my beard.” He scuttled away from her, but she wouldn’t stop. He was nearly out of the cave, but she followed him.
“I don’t like that long, itchy thing. I thought I had a mouse at the back of my neck. And I don’t like that mess on your head either. I’ll comb it before some critter starts to live in it.” She reached for a hunk of his hair, but he bolted to his feet, backing away from her.
“What has happened to you?” He stared at her, wide-eyed, his hands protecting his face.
“Naught has happened to me. What has happened to you? I don’t like your beard and I don’t like your unkempt hair.” She stowed her dagger away and crossed her arms as she stared at him.
He said, “I’ll shave when I get back home, but this is part of my new image. Leave it for now.”
“Well, I don’t like your new image. It doesn’t suit you. It makes you look like one of them.” She reached for his arm and tugged at the loop around his shoulder. “I don’t like this thing either. Give it to me.”
He tried to hang on to the contraption, but she managed to tug it away. After giving it a brief glance, she threw it behind her. Her Daniel’s scars were part of him, and she’d just as soon see them.
“Constance, God’s bones, would you leave me be? What’s gotten into you?” He stepped back until he was nearly under the waterfall.
“What’s gotten into me? You. Your hair is a mess, your beard is disgusting, you have some strange device attached to your arm. Your face is all bruised and you have a black eye. Your clothes are filthy. I barely recognized you. I understand that you went to Edinburgh to help find the Channel of Dubh, but why have you changed everything about you?” She kept moving closer, and her tone dropped so low she could barely get her words out. “What have you done with my sweet, loving Daniel Drummond, Damien? I prefer you the way you were.”
“Don’t throw my new hand away.” He made his way around her to retrieve it. “My cousin worked verra hard on that, and I just fashioned it the way I liked it.” He grabbed it, then stood with his legs braced and his arms crossed in front of him. “I like it. It makes me different.”
“I don’t like you different. And I don’t like your new name either. Or the way you growl like a wild animal. What is that?” She pushed her finger at his chest. “I loved my Daniel exactly as he was. Hair and dirt and wild sounds and strange names and…what else don’t I know?”
His eyes glittered, and she frowned, realizing she’d just admitted her love for him, but then it registered that he had admitted his love for her first. “Wait. You said, ‘the man who loves you.’”
“Nay, I said, ‘the man you love.’”
“Nay, you did not. I recall it distinctly. You said, ‘the man who loves you.’”
He growled, a low growl that she suspected he’d done just for effect. “Fine. I love you, or I did. But mayhap not anymore. You’ve turned daft.”
“You’ve made me daft. How long have you known you love me?”
He barked out a laugh, though it sounded a wee bit bitter. “I don’t know. Mayhap sometime back in the abbey? Probably started when you first asked me about my arm. I pretended I hadn’t noticed it was gone, and you laughed instead of looking shocked and embarrassed. You didn’t pity me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you didn’t want me. I couldn’t protect you, and you knew it. I let you fall down the stairs because I only had one hand. Well, I can protect you now. I have a reputation as one of the fiercest fighters in Edinburgh, and they call me Devil’s Hand. I’m keeping the hand.”
“Oh, Daniel.” Stunned by this admission, she was suddenly speechless. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, forcing him to drop his still crossed arms. “It wasn’t because of you that I left. That had naught to do with it.”
He remained stiff for a moment, but then he settled his chin on the top of her head an
d held her close. “Then why did you leave? I thought we had something, and all of a sudden, you couldn’t get away from me fast enough. You ran back to the abbey and hardly spoke to me. Why?”
“Those men were after me, Daniel. I couldn’t put your clan at risk. I knew my sire wouldn’t stop searching for me. I knew he intended to make me pay for my transgression, and then I’d have to leave you. Besides, you didn’t know the truth…”
“Then tell me the truth now.” He loosened his grip and lifted her chin.
She stepped back and moved toward the front of the cave, staring out at the waterfall, its sound mesmerizing her. There was no sense in trying to keep her secret any longer. Hugging herself against the chill in the air, she decided it was time to be honest.
“My sire is Baron Douglas Lockhart of Lee in Lanarkshire. I stole my mother’s gemstone because I loved her so much, I wanted a memory of her. I don’t plan to ever return.”
Daniel came up behind her and leaned his chin on her shoulder. “I take it you weren’t sent away because your seven siblings were starving?”
She glanced down at him and gave him a wry smile. “Nay. We are far from starving, but I do have seven siblings. I ran away because I made a big mistake and my sire was furious, so furious that he promised to put me on an island alone for the rest of my life, among other things. And that is the reason I left you.” She stepped away from him so she could face him. It was time for her to tell him everything. “I knew you wouldn’t be allowed to marry me, even if I were lucky enough for you to ask. I love being with you—no one has ever made me laugh the way you do—but when the men came to Muir Castle, I knew my sire wouldn’t give up. He’d make me pay, and he’d sooner drag me away from you than risk revealing my secret. I…I cannot marry.” She stared at him, hoping he would guess the reason a lass of noble blood would be taken out of the marriage mart, so to speak.
But Daniel still looked confused. “There is naught you could tell me that would change my mind.” He reached for her cheek, touching his finger to the tear that had just slid down her cheek and lifting it to his tongue, tasting it. “I love you, Constance Lockhart of Lee, Lanarkshire, even the salt of your tears. Naught you could tell me would make me change my mind.”
Highland Fortitude (The Band of Cousins Book 5) Page 14