Highland Stone

by Sloan McBride

  Jamie had not appeared in the hall this morning which was a good thing, since Alaxandar was unsure of whether he could keep his anger in check and not snap Jamie's neck like a twig. Kara didn't say much but ate more heartily than he'd observed her do since she'd been here. Mayhap her anger had not chilled after last night and it drove her actions. He had already requested a private audience with his father to discuss Jamie. Before the day's duties began, he would tell the chief what had transpired. It would be the chief's decision whether punishment was due and if so, what it would be.

  Leelah, Eleyne and Kara left together from the hall. Alaxandar followed his father into the room they used for talks and decisions.

  "What be on your mind?" his father asked.

  "Judgment needs be made against a clansman."

  His father leaned his backside against the wooden table and waited for the charges, but Alaxandar hesitated. It hurt him to have to do this.

  "Spit it out, lad. We have much to do this day."

  "Last night I caught Jamie attacking a female."

  His father sighed. "Alaxandar, it be not the first time young Jamie has taken a woman. The wenches fight for the sport in it."

  "She wasna willing."

  "I canna give judgment on this. I be surprised ye would ask it."

  "'Twas Kara." Alaxandar's anger bubbled to the surface. "He forced her against the castle wall and if I hadna come by, he would have taken her."

  His father came to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Are ye sure the gel wasna willing?"

  Alaxandar stormed across the room. "'Twas no sport, Chief. She cried out." Turning to face his father and chief, he narrowed his eyes. "She be mine. He knew this." The grinding teeth cracked from the tenseness in his jaw. "I bring this to the chief of our clan. 'Tis your duty to rule on Jamie's misdeed."

  Drummond raised to his full height and stalked to his son. "I full well know me duty. I canna believe ye would bring this afore me, choosing this wench over Jamie."

  "Ye will decide or I will challenge him to swords."

  Weary looking and a little sad, his father sat down. "We canna lose more of the clan, Alaxandar. Until we find this ruthless enemy, we need every man. We must stay strong to face this unseen threat." He looked at Alaxandar. "When we have defeated our enemy, I will rule to banish Jamie from the keep, but I willna order him to death. Will that appease ye?"

  Alaxandar nodded his agreement. He clenched his jaws so tightly he thought they would shatter. It would have to be enough for now. He had no other choice because his father was right. Until they unmasked and took down their enemy, all the seasoned warriors were needed and Jamie had fought by his side in many battles.

  * * * *

  After a stroll in the garden, the women decided it would be a nice day for a ride. Kara actually looked forward to another ride. The countryside was magnificent and maybe she could take a better look at the soil in the fields. That could be the next thing she discussed with Katherine. Her fingers itched to be in the earth, though it was hardened. Of course, her fingers had toyed with other landscape. Warm, solid, bronzed.

  At the stables, Cullum, the young lad mucking the stalls refused them horses. "Sorry, Miss," Cullum stuttered. "But the chief says no one out o' the gates lessen they have men with 'em."

  Leelah arched her brow. "He dinna mean me, Cullum. I ride MacLeod lands to deliver herbs and foodstuffs to the village."

  "Aye, Miss, but he says no one leaves."

  Eleyne kicked the dirt up outside the stable door. "I canna stand being tucked away whilst the men ready for battle."

  "It be the way of it," Leelah replied.

  The youngest sister spun around. "Ye dunna hold true to that thinking."

  "Nay, but we canna defy the chief. There be great risk to the clan."

  "Aye, there be that."

  Kara kept silent even though she was as disappointed as Leelah and Eleyne. Being cloistered away inside the keep wouldn't help her find what she sought. Hopefully, this all would be resolved soon.

  The evening meal passed much the same as usual except most of the men were elsewhere. Some were guards and worked inside the gates readying the keep for the battle to come. Alaxandar and his brothers were out scouring MacLeod lands for information regarding the interlopers and preparing the rest of the clan for the long days ahead. There had been no sign of Jamie. She wondered if that had been by his choice or by order of the chief. She suspected Alaxandar had told his father after breakfast, but she hadn't had a chance to speak with him before he left.

  Kara sewed a little, hummed a little, watched the scuffles out in the yard, but grew bored quite easily. She passed the time doing anything and nothing, which she didn't think was possible. With a shawl around her shoulders, she walked the bailey past the garden and out to the stables to check on the mare she had ridden the day she and Alaxandar had taken their ride. She'd snuck an apple out of the kitchen earlier and now pulled it from her pocket to feed it to the mare. The animal's coat shined and the stable was warm, for which she was thankful. It got cold in the Highlands at night.

  It grew late so she meandered back to her room. Kara caught sight of Eleyne sneaking about. Curious, she followed Eleyne to the south side of the castle and a hole in the wall, so slight and behind a bush that it went unnoticed. After Eleyne slipped through, Kara followed.

  "Eleyne."

  A hand clamped over her mouth. "Quiet, ye nit. Do ye want the guards to hear?"

  "What are you doing out here?"

  "I couldna take another day closed in the keep. I be going to have a swim. Ye kin come, if ye kin be quiet."

  "Do you think we should, though? With all the trouble that's been going on?"

  "We willna be gone long."

  Kara was apprehensive but knew Eleyne would go anyway, so she decided to tag along.

  They followed the shoreline for a short distance until it widened. The loch lay beyond. Eleyne removed her clothes and waded into the water.

  "Will ye swim, Kara?"

  "No. I'll sit here and enjoy the lovely night sky." Breathing deeply, Kara lay back in the sweet-smelling grass, gazing at the stars through rolling clouds, trying to identify familiar constellations.

  A short time later, Eleyne stepped out of the water and began to dress. "That felt wonderful. Thank ye for keeping me secret."

  "To be honest," Kara said. "I was getting tired of being closed in too."

  "Mayhap we kin do this again," Eleyne said with a smile.

  "Yes, I think I would like that. And next time I'll swim."

  Kara saw a shadow move and bolted to her feet, closing the distance between her and Eleyne. Five men appeared out of the darkness and surrounded them. The leader stood slightly taller than the rest. He had a large nose, thick lips, and fat jowls. His stringy hair hung down to his shoulders and the bulk at his waist strained against his belt.

  "What have we here? Two lasses who have strayed. Mayhap ye need a man to take care of ye."

  "We need no man what smells like a goat," Eleyne spat.

  "The wee one has a tongue on her, Alastair. Mayhap she needs to learn what a woman 'tis good for."

  "Aye, Duncan, mayhap."

  As Alastair swaggered toward the women, Kara whispered, "I'll distract them while you run toward the keep. Scream loud to get the guards' attention."

  "I'll not leave ye here alone." Eleyne stepped forward with an outstretched arm and said in a superior manner, "Move aside and let us pass. I be Eleyne MacLeod and me da will slice ye open if ye touch me."

  Alastair stopped cold. Duncan cleared his throat. "Alastair?"

  "Aye, Duncan. This be a good night. We will be taking the gel with us."

  "What aboot the other 'un?"

  "Leave her. She kin tell the MacLeod."

  "Aye," Duncan snickered.

  The sliver of moon peeked out from the cloud cover as the men closed in trying to grab Eleyne. Kara picked up a stick in one hand and a rock in the other. She threw the rock and h
it one man in the head. As he staggered, she used both hands on the stick like a bat, and started swinging, hitting whomever came near. "Run, Eleyne, run!" she ordered.

  Screaming loudly, Eleyne ran through the first opening in the wall of men. Kara stayed behind, distracting the attackers as best she could with the stick. Duncan started after Eleyne, as Alastair coordinated efforts against her. Both she and Eleyne were screaming at the top of their lungs. Duncan grabbed Eleyne by the hair. She turned on him, pounding her fists into his chest and kicking his shin, which caused no great harm, for he was a good-sized man. He simply picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and hurried back to the others. Alastair and one other man merged on Kara and wrestled her to the ground. With outrage in his eyes, Alastair straddled her as Duncan rushed up.

  "We better go. The guards 'er coming."

  "I weel be taking this one. She has fire and I wanna taste o' her."

  They hauled the women to the horses, which were hidden in the copse of trees. After throwing them onto the animals, like sacks of grain, they mounted and raced away.

  * * * *

  One MacLeod man rushed in to report the kidnapping. Jamie immediately took three men on horseback and began tracking the group. "I will send word when we find 'em."

  "What the bloody hell were they doing outside the gates by themselves this time o' night?" Alaxandar roared. "I told her to stay by the castle."

  "Aye," said Iain. "The guards dinna see them leave."

  "Eleyne knows ways out o' the walls, have no doubt," offered Cuilén.

  "That gel will be the death o' me," the MacLeod Chief yelled. "She may have cost us all." His Scottish burr became thicker with his rage.

  "Jamie has gone tracking."

  Alaxandar paced the hall like a caged animal. Thoughts were jumbled in his head. Kara and Eleyne taken in the middle of the night by an unknown enemy. His stomach churned. This was his fault. He should have found the enemy by now, but he let himself be distracted.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  The kidnappers rode hard in their escape. Kara's insides felt like they would explode. Her head hurt from the jarring. She wasn't able to see Eleyne, but assumed she was in the same condition.

  Eventually, the horses slowed and Kara's captor pulled her upright. His body odor made her ill. She attempted to spot something familiar in the scenery. The first streams of sunlight were emerging through the trees.

  Fear clawed its way up her throat. She wished she could see Eleyne to know she was all right.

  The horses broke through a clearing and slowed to enter the gates of an ominous-looking black stone castle with two turrets. Large and small stones littered the ground as they trotted by. She could hear crumbling with the wind, over the sound of the horses. It was like something straight out of an old scary movie. Kara expected a ghost to appear any minute. She shuddered, wondering if the plan was to throw her in the dungeon.

  At the front doors, her captor stopped and dropped her to the ground. At last she got a glimpse of Eleyne before the man with yellow teeth and a grimy face, who smelled like a dead dog, pulled her hands behind her back to tie them with a leather strip. She and Eleyne were hauled into the castle.

  Alastair disappeared for several minutes. Kara surveyed her surroundings. She needed to keep her mind working on possible escape routes. At least that would keep the fear suppressed for a time.

  She hoped.

  Alastair returned. "Lock 'em up for now, Duncan. They will be dealt with when the chief be ready." He snickered as he walked away.

  Relief washed through Kara. A small reprieve.

  She and Eleyne were shoved into a small dark room in the tower. The heavy bolt slid into place. Kara rubbed her wrists where they had been bound, to relieve some of the soreness, and moved closer to Eleyne. "Are you all right?"

  "Aye," Eleyne spat.

  "Did you recognize any of those men?"

  "Nay. I couldna see much. The bastard had his arms tight around me."

  "Let's get some rest while we can. Who knows what will happen later."

  "Aye," Eleyne whispered. "I be certain we willna like what comes next."

  Kara felt the same. With their backs against the wall, they huddled for warmth. Sleeping was definitely out of the question.

  * * * *

  Alaxandar paced the great hall until he couldn't stand it any longer. He headed to the stables.

  "Where be ye going?" Iain asked.

  "Tracking," Alaxandar growled.

  Iain put a hand on his shoulder. "Jamie willna return until he finds them."

  "And if he doesna find them?"

  Iain shook his head. "They were close. He willna let them get away."

  Alaxandar rested his forearms on the stallion's flank. "Aye." The battle-ready part of him toyed with the idea that Jamie could be the spy, but that made no sense. He was a MacLeod. He would not harm Eleyne. Jealousy roared, suspecting Jamie because he wanted Kara. There again, with Eleyne involved, it didn't sit right.

  Not many slept at Dunvegan.

  Drummond stood quiet, staring into the flames in the hearth. Although she didn't let on, Alaxandar knew his mother was screaming inside. He saw pain and fear in her eyes when she gazed upon her husband.

  Guilt rose in him like a sickness. 'Twas no secret what happened to women who were abducted. They would be lucky to get them back alive and who knew what shape they'd be in. "I canna stand still and do naught but wait," Alaxandar said.

  "Jamie will send word," his father said.

  "Till then I be getting ready. Murdo!"

  "Aye," the other man responded.

  "Have the men meet in the yard with weapons and ready the mounts."

  Murdo raced out of the room. Alaxandar bowed to his mother and left. He couldn't stand to see her stoic silence much longer. His brothers followed.

  The smithy sharpened swords while the men readied the horses. Alaxandar wandered the castle grounds like a cat on the prowl. He was furious with Kara for being outside the safety of the walls and opening herself to the danger. He was angry with himself for ever allowing her out of his sight.

  * * * *

  While dawn streaked the sky with pink and purple coloring, Eleyne slept uncomfortably on the floor, shivering. Kara envisioned the flames of a fire to help keep warm. She hadn't slept. The small slit window didn't offer much light in the cramped tower room, but it cast enough for Kara to get a look at the place. Her mind worked on different plans for fruitless escapes, discarding each for one reason or another. Let's face it. I don't know enough about this land or these people to make a concrete plan for anything, let alone get out alive. "Where's a cop when you need one?"

  Eleyne stirred.

  "How do you feel, Eleyne?"

  "Like a horse kicked me in the head."

  "The way we were carried across the horses and this icy stone floor are probably the cause. Hopefully, it will go away soon."

  Eleyne wiped sleep from her bright eyes then stretched. Slivers of sunlight shone into the room, bringing much needed warmth. Kara heard someone shuffling outside the door, but no one entered. The day wore on, and Kara and Eleyne moved around frequently. An occasional shout and horse whinny were the only sounds they heard.

  It became apparent to Kara by the afternoon that they had either been forgotten or were going to be starved to death. To pass the time, she and Eleyne discussed life in the Highlands. She questioned Eleyne about the clan feuds and who might be ruthless enough to take this approach, but it helped little in the grand scheme of things.

  Darkness descended.

  The women picked a spot away from the window to bed down, keeping close for the body heat. Jingling keys and the turning of a lock got Kara's attention before the door burst open.

  "Well, well. If it isn't the stooges," Kara sniped.

  "Duncan, the tart be ill-tempered," Alastair said. He slid the torch he held into a sconce on the wall.

  "Aye. What should we do aboot that?"

  "I kin t
hink o' a few things." Alastair moved toward the women.

  Kara pushed Eleyne behind her, but the young woman came around and stood alongside her. She should have known Eleyne would not take this sitting down or cowering behind another.

  Alastair jumped forward and grabbed Kara's arm. She kicked him and scratched the right side of his face. He yowled and slapped her hard. She fell to the floor. Eleyne screamed and launched herself onto Alastair's back, kicking, biting, and scratching.

  "Ahh. Get the wee wench off me, Duncan," Alastair yelled.

  Kara shook her head to make the ringing stop. Duncan yanked Eleyne's hair but Kara lunged at Duncan, grabbing his legs. He stumbled forward and fell face first, knocking the wind out of him as he hit the floor. She jumped on his back and slapped him in the head.

  Just above the screaming, flailing and cursing, they heard a chilling voice. "What the devil be going on here, Alastair?"

  Kara had been so involved in the fight that she'd failed to notice the other man who'd silently entered the room. The tall figure all but dwarfed the doorway. His shoulders were broad and his legs long and muscular. His deep green eyes surveyed the scene.

  "Nothing. Nothing," Alastair stuttered as he got hastily to his feet.

  "It be something and the ladies had the upper hand." A flicker of smile graced his mouth.

  "They took us by surprise 'tis all. We had control."

  "Hmm. You two saps are even stupider than you look," Kara murmured.

  The corners of the stranger's mouth curved. Kara took that as a good sign.

  "Alastair, you and Duncan remove yourselves. Send maids with food and wine for our guests."

  The two men grumbled as they left.

  "Are we to know why we're here and how long we'll be kept? Or do you think to starve us into submission?" Kara asked the stranger who'd yet to introduce himself.

  "'Tis sorry I be for the rough treatment. I was just made aware of your presence. Ye will be moved to nicer quarters and all your comforts seen to."

  Kara watched him warily. Eleyne hadn't spoken a word since the young man entered. Wide-eyed and silent were not synonymous with the youngest MacLeod.