Highlander's Rebellious Love

by Donna Fletcher

  Before Hunter took off, Ewan took him aside. “No ghost warriors followed you?”

  “They did, though they suddenly disappeared. It was one time I wished they had stayed.”

  “That is odd.”

  “Patience and I thought the same. They have trailed us for almost the entire journey and they knew we had been in danger. So, why did they leave us so abruptly?”

  “A question we need answered,” Ewan said. “Now hurry and be on your way.”

  Hunter nodded and joined Ross and Noble to lead the way.

  It took more time then Hunter cared for to finally pick up Patience’s trail and not long after that to discover she was skilled at misleading which both annoyed and pleased him. If he was having difficulty finding her, then so would Greer’s men.

  “I am eager to meet this woman who has the talent to avoid her husband,” Noble said.

  Ross’ thoughts more mirrored Hunter’s. “And avoid those who chase after her.”

  “I see that your brother is still the most intelligent of the lot of you,” Hunter said with a look to Noble.

  “And not an ounce of humor,” Noble said as if it was the gravest affliction of all.

  “Quiet and concentrate before we miss her tracks,” Ross ordered, his glance fixed on the ground.

  “Patience would commend your vigilance,” Hunter said.

  “Good, then perhaps she will let me join her elite warriors so I do not have to put up with the likes of him.” Ross gave a nod to his brother.

  “Go on and give him more reason to think more highly of himself,” Noble teased.

  “Not think—know,” Ross said with an increasing smile.

  Hunter listened to the brothers’ banter as Ross kept his attention focused on the ground and Noble on their surroundings. The two may sound like they argued, but it was nothing more than brotherly banter. Hunter wished that he had had the solid and caring camaraderie the two had with his brothers. Unfortunately, any and all banter with his brothers had always ended in a fight, particularly with Greer. Hunter often thought that Greer must have been born angry, for it was his constant nature. When a wedding contract had been announced, Hunter had felt pity for the poor woman forced to wed Greer, then he met Rona. They made a perfect match, for she was just as angry as Greer and the both were also selfish. They both felt that whatever they wanted should be theirs. And Rona had gotten it in her head that she wanted Hunter to please her in bed since her husband had failed to do so.

  Hunter wanted no part of her and besides, knowing how his brother thought, he probably suggested it to his wife so that he would have a good excuse to see Hunter dead for such a betrayal.

  “A clear track,” Ross said, bending down to examine it more closely. He turned his head as if following it and said, “That way.”

  An hour or so later, the three men were exasperated.

  “I cannot believe we lost her tracks,” Ross said, slamming a stick he carried down on the ground.

  “At least we have seen no other tracks,” Noble said.

  “We keep looking,” Hunter ordered frustrated that he could not find his wife.

  “Of course,” both men said in unison and the three continued searching.

  Hours later Ross spoke up. “We have barely an hour’s worth of daylight left. We should head to the abbey. I would not be surprised if your wife is there waiting for you.”

  Noble agreed. “Aye, Ross is right. It will do no good searching in the dark, and since your wife has avoided us so easily, I would daresay she avoided Greer’s men as well.”

  Hunter hated to admit that it was a strong possibility that Patience was already at the abbey. But his fear was that she might not be there, and then what?

  He knew what he had to do. What Patience expected him to do. “The abbey it is,” he said with more confidence than he felt.

  Dusk was fading into night when they reached the walled abbey. Monks greeted them and took their horses while a sole monk led them to the communal room.

  Hunter’s eyes immediately searched the room. Every one of Patience’s warriors occupied two of the trestle tables and benches as well as Ewan and his mum, though Beast was nowhere to be seen. They all looked at Hunter, and then glanced expectantly past him. He knew then that they were waiting for Patience to appear.

  His wife was not there.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  The six of them would be on her soon enough and Patience made the only decision she could. She leaned down and whispered in her horse’s ear, instructing the stallion to race to the abbey. She had taught him the names of many places they had been, so that if a situation like this one should arrive he would go where she directed.

  “Do not let them catch you,” she commanded and flung herself from the horse. She took a good hit to her side and allowed herself to roll a few feet before she got up, and scurried behind a thick set of bushes, scrunching low to the ground.

  It was only a matter of minutes until she heard the thunder of horses’ hooves. She stilled her breath and waited, praying for them to pass. After a several minutes of silence, she sighed quietly and slowly. Now it was just a matter of avoiding them until she reached the abbey, which would be well after nightfall.

  She pulled her dirk from its sheath at her waist, adjusted her sword strapped to her back, and cautiously proceeded to get herself safely to the abbey.

  Patience did not know how long she had walked, having stopped a few times when she thought she heard horses or footfalls. It was almost dusk and soon it would be harder to see where she was going in the dense forest. Even if she came across a much traveled path, she could not take it for fear of running into Greer’s men. It would be an arduous journey and one she was hoping would soon come to an end.

  She walked for several more hours, her steps cautious and her ears alert. The sound came suddenly and she was grateful she had kept her dirk in her hand. She swung with full force as she turned and caught her assailant across the stomach. He yelled out in pain and, pressing his hand to his gut, collapsed to the ground.

  Two more warriors were upon her in no time. She slashed out and caught one on the face, her blade tearing at his cheek clear down to his chin. He stumbled back, screaming out in fury. The other one swung at her and she dodged his fist, though not completely. The end of it caught her chin and sent her stumbling. It was all the time he needed to grab her with a force that sent both of them reeling to the ground.

  He landed on top of her, the sword sheathed to her back slamming hard against her. She fought to catch her breath while fighting to get him off her.

  “Hold her good,” the warrior she had scarred ordered as he came to stand over them. His hand was plastered against his face, blood spilling from between his fingers. “I am going to give her a scar prettier than the one she gave me.”

  “Not before I have some fun with her first,” the one on top warned, grabbing her shirt and ripping it, then catching her hands in one of his big meaty ones.

  Her one breast lay partially exposed, the leather straps that crisscrossed her chest holding the torn material in place. She felt her strength wane, not only from fighting him, but the weight of him on her growing ever heavier.

  “Get them damn straps out of the way so I can give her some pretty scars,” the wounded one ordered.

  “Greer will not like that. It will make it seem that Hunter went at her good and she had to defend herself,” the one on top said and with his free hand used his dagger to cut the leather straps.

  Patience was actually glad he did. It meant if she could somehow dislodge him, she could go for her sword and have a fighting chance against them.

  The scarred one moved to stand just past the top of her head and grabbed for her arms. “I’ll keep good hold of her while you give her a hard poke.”

  Patience could not let him get a hold of her. If she did, she was finished. They would have their way with her and she could not let that happen. She struggled against the two large men and when the
one slapped her hard across the face, leaving her flesh stinging and blood seeping into her mouth, she lost control.

  She let out a furious roar, bucked against him and yanked the scarred one’s hand down to give it a hard bite. He howled and raised his hand, tightening it into a fist that he swung at her face with such force that she knew it would knock her out.

  Out of nowhere Beast appeared, clamping down on the man’s fist.

  Patience took advantage of the moment and gave a hard twist to her body, sending her assailant flying off her. She got to her feet as fast as possible and pulled her sword from its sheath. She turned just in time to slice it across the warrior’s gut. He went down hard and she turned and saw that the scarred warrior was laying on the ground dead, Beast having torn at his throat.

  She dropped to the ground exhausted and relieved and hugged Beast to her when he came over and began licking her face. “I owe you, my friend.”

  Beast wagged his tail and continued licking her.

  “We need to get out of here fast. There may be more of them.” She stood still for a moment, feeling herself sway. This was no time for weakness. She had to get to the abbey. “Stay with me, Beast.” And the dog stood at her side. “Good boy, now we go join Hunter.” Silently, she prayed that he had made it to the abbey and she kept praying as she set a quick pace for herself.

  ~~~

  Hunter stood, his arms braced on the top of the stone wall that surrounded the abbey, staring out into the night. He had been overjoyed when he had caught a glance of Patience’s horse coming out of the forest until he had seen she was not on it. He wanted to mount his horse and go search for her, but everyone had stopped him.

  It was a moonless night and barely a hand could be seen in front of him. It would have been foolish to try, and Edward had insisted that Patience probably sent the horse ahead to draw the enemy away from her. He had also insisted that she would arrive at the abbey sometime tonight.

  Hunter had not been so confident.

  “We leave at first light,” Edward said, approaching him. “Those are her orders and I will follow them.”

  “Go if you must, but I intend to find my wife,” Hunter said his heart heavy, feeling as if the life was being squeezed from it, so worried was he for what might have happened to her.

  “Patience would want you safe,” Edward reminded.

  “And I want the same for her.”

  “Patience is a determined and skilled woman. I am sure she will make it to the abbey,” Una said as she approached the two men.

  “That she is,” Edward agreed. “She will arrive here soon enough.”

  “I hope that Beast does as well. Why he never returned after wandering into the woods, I do not know. Saundra will be so upset if something has happened to him.”

  “How odd of him to do that,” Hunter said. “He is a devoted dog and it makes no sense that he would leave your side, Mum.”

  “I thought the same,” Ewan said, joining them.

  “Did you hear that?” Edward said and turned to look out over the wall.

  They all quieted and the sound came again.

  “Is that a bark?” Ewan asked and turned silent to listen.

  The bark grew louder and more frantic.

  “Beast returns” Una said joyfully and with relief.

  His barking continued until Edward called out, “There he is.”

  They all looked and saw two bright eyes glowing in the dark.

  “What is he doing?” Hunter said and strained to see, the heavy darkness making it difficult. “He comes no further.”

  “He turns and runs back,” Ewan said, squinting as he tried to see the animal better.

  “Oh my God,” Una cried, her small height barely allowing her to see over the wall. “He looks as if he is dragging something.”

  Hunter ran to the gate, throwing it open. His heart pounded against his chest as he ran toward Beast, hoping against hope that the animal had found his wife—alive. He flew across the field and his heart stopped when he reached Beast and looked to see his wife lying face down on the ground. He hunched down and reached out to turn her over gently, dread filling him and silent prays on his lips.

  Patience felt someone turn her and, though her body ached terribly, she reacted instinctively. She swung her arm around, her hand fisted, ready to land a solid punch, only to have it caught in a strong grip.

  “It is me, mo chridhe,” Hunter said.

  “Hunter,” she cried and opened her hand to grasp his.

  He had her up in his arms in seconds, tucking her close against his chest, swearing silently that never—never—would he let her out of his sight again.

  “Beast?” she questioned.

  “He is here. He dragged you out of the forest,” Hunter said, hurrying her inside the abbey walls.

  “I love that dog,” she whispered against his chest.

  He was thinking the same himself, but had no time to agree with her. He looked to Edward. “Post more warriors at the wall.”

  “Has she been wounded?” Edward asked anxiously.

  “I do not know. I will inform you of her condition as soon as I find out,” Hunter said, praying she suffered no irreparable harm. He turned to his mum as Edward hurried off.

  “Bring her to my room,” Una urged and Hunter followed his mum, prayers remaining on his lips as they walked along the narrow stone corridors of the abbey.

  Hunter entered the small, stark room that contained a bed and a small table with one chair. A single candle barely cast any light in the room and there was no hearth to chase away the chill and dampness of the stone walls.

  He laid her gently on the bed.

  “We need more candles, a bucket of water, and cloths,” his mum said.

  “I will not leave her,” Hunter said firmly. “I will not leave her ever again.”

  Una patted her son’s shoulder. “I will have someone help me get them.”

  “I will help you,” Ewan said from the open doorway.

  Hunter left his wife’s side a moment to fetch the lone candle and bring it closer to the bed so that he could see her better and when he caught sight of her bruised and bloodied face and her torn shirt, his fury soared.

  He placed the candle holder on the chest next to the bed and fisted his hands to try and stop them from shaking, he was so angry.

  “Patience,” he said more calmly than he thought possible, “have you been wounded?”

  “Aye,” she said and turned a smile on him that soon changed to a wince of pain, “my pride has suffered greatly.”

  That she could find humor in her horrific ordeal brought a smile to his face and eased his anger as well, though only a little.

  His mum returned carrying a basket filled with the needed items, and she was followed in the room by Ewan who toted two buckets of water.

  Patience pulled her torn shirt together, covering her breasts. Though appreciative of the pair’s help, she was accustomed to tending to herself. Not realizing it, she reached out and laid her hand on Hunter’s arm, squeezing it.

  Hunter saw the unease in his wife’s eyes and felt it in the way she gripped his arm. While she had responded humorously to his question, it did not mean she was not upset. Besides, he wanted to talk with her alone. There were questions he wanted to ask her that no one else needed to hear.

  “I will tend to her, Mum,” Hunter said, turning to his mother.

  Una handed him a candle. “I had no doubt you would. There are more candles in the basket along with the other items you will need. I will go see about getting Patience some food.” She looked to Patience. “If you need anything, my dear, I am here for you.” She laid a gentle hand on her son’s shoulder. “You are in good hands.”

  “Glad you made it here,” Ewan said as he followed Una out the door.

  “Ewan,” Patience said and he stopped just outside the door and turned and poked his head in. “Find out why the ghost warriors left us.”

  He gave a nod and shut the door beh
ind him.

  The more candles Hunter lit, the angrier he grew, seeing the extent of her injures. Once finished, he said, “Tell me what happened while I get you out of these garments.”

  “I can do it myself,” she said, though she felt so battered, she wondered if she truly could.

  He leaned over her, brushing stray hairs gently off her face. “I know you can, mo chridhe, but this time I am going to do it, and you are going to tell me everything that happened to you.”

  Patience did not object or grant her consent, she simply lay silent as her husband began to remove her garments. And at that moment she was relieved to be here with him.

  Hunter eased her out of her clothes, carefully examining every inch of her. He winced when he saw the dark bruise on her back and surmised it was from her sword that she always wore strapped to it, which would mean that she took a hard fall on her back. Her wrists were bruised, as if someone held them in a tight grip and her hands were smeared with blood, but he was thankful to find no serious wounds on her body.

  He covered her to her waist with a soft wool blanket and rinsed a cloth to begin wiping her hands clean of the blood.

  A shiver racked her body, and she said, “I killed two of the three men who came upon me. Beast killed the other one. I heard them approach too late. I do not know why I did not hear them.” She shook her head. “They were large men, I should have heard them.”

  Hunter listened quietly, a hundred questions hanging on his lips, but letting none fall. He wanted to hear it all, whether he liked what he heard or not.

  “I dispatched the first one fast, but the other was upon me before I knew it and,” —she shut her eyes for a moment, the memory not an easy one, then she continued— “I cut the one on his face good, and he promised to do the same to me, though not just to my face.”

  Hunter’s anger mounted with every word she spoke, hating what she had gone through and hating that he had asked her to relive the nightmare.

  She seemed to drift off a moment, her eyes on him, though not truly looking at him.

  He dropped the wet, dirty cloth in the one bucket, laid a tender hand over her clean hands that rested on her stomach, and waited impatiently.