She dropped to her hands and knees and wedged herself in between the large roots. Her chest heaved as she tried to contain her breath. Except her heart was beating so loudly that she was afraid that the noise would give her away. She knew that at any moment now, her pursuers would arrive. And for this reason, she needed to be as quiet as possible. She took a deep breath and released it in tiny bursts while she tried to ignore the damp smell of dirt and decomposing leaves.
A few seconds later, the sound of running feet rushed past her hiding place. She held her breath. Once again, she was glad that her outfit was plain and blended with the earthy colors of the forest floor.
“She’s gone,” one of the men shouted. Even though she knew he was far from her hideout, his voice carried enough to sound close.
“I fear that she’s a wily one. Tam Roy willnae be happy tae hear that we let her escape without questioning her.”
“Let her go. I still think she’s harmless,” one of the robbers said, his tone dismissive. “With a lass like that, what harm can she do tae Tam?”
Hearing Tam Roy’s name caused her body to tense. She had given up on finding the outlaw and was even starting to berate herself for trusting the local gossip. When the men surrounded her, she assumed that they were common criminals. After all, they demanded that she surrender her valuables. But now she knew the truth, and these robbers who pursued her were connected to the notorious redheaded outlaw. Elspeth debated whether she would give herself up, but since she ran away from them, she would make herself appear as if she was guilty of something. And that action would only lead them to mistrust her even more.
Elspeth wished Angus was by her side since he always knew the best course of action. But then she remembered him flirting with the young lass from town. He was clearly interested in other things, and in all respects, Elspeth was on her own. This knowledge didn’t bring her any comfort, but it was a difficult truth nevertheless.
But she couldn’t help thinking about the Highlander. What would he do if he were here? She presumed that Angus wouldn’t have gone back to town. Instead, he would have followed the men to their hideaway. And if the opportunity arose, he would act.
When the forest became quiet, Elspeth crawled out of her shelter and looked for signs that the men had left behind. She had watched Angus teach the lads about tracking. And although she wasn’t particularly interested in the topic, she was still attentive to the lessons. Now she was glad that she listened.
She paid close attention to the breaks in the shrubs, and the upturned leaves and rocks. The men weren’t aware that she followed them, and they were careless in leaving the small clues behind. Slowly and methodically, she followed their trail. And it was an hour later when she heard murmuring voices and the distinct noise of cooking.
Elspeth found a stone near her foot and picked it up. Perhaps all she needed to do was to approach Tam Roy alone and knock him out with a blow to his head. She could then bind his hands, and when he became conscious again, she would drag him back to the Earl and claim her reward.
She crouched so she was not visible among the bushes. And then she crawled as close to the camp as she dared.
When she was within sight of the gathering, she immediately caught sight of a man’s vivid red hair. Her heart began to race. It had to be Tam Roy.
The man sat on a log near the firepit, and on his lap was a comely lass several years older than herself. Half a dozen men also sat around the fire, and she recognized four of them. An older woman was hunched over a pot that was suspended over the cooking fire, tending to its contents.
But Elspeth’s attention returned to the ginger-haired outlaw. Somehow his bearing seemed almost regal, which separated him from the rest of his companions. He wasn’t as large as some of the other bandits, but there was an air about him that indicated that he was the one in charge.
She dropped the rock. Suddenly, the idea of knocking Tam Roy unconscious seemed ridiculous. How was she going to get past his protectors and capture him? The scheme seemed feasible at first, but when she saw what she was up against, doubt flooded her mind. So what was she going to do now?
***
Angus and Alec retrieved their horses and made their way quickly past the communal well. From what Angus could see, a new group of women gathered there to draw water. Other folk engaged in various tasks around the busy square. All around, it was a peaceful scene that could have been replicated in other towns across Scotland. But past the borders of this town, a sinister outlaw made his home.
“What if we cannae find them?” Alec asked, his voice wavering slightly as he tried to match Angus’s pace.
The lad’s fears were well-founded. Beyond the town was the vast forest, and the duo was either lost or in danger.
“Dinnae worry. We’ll find them,” Angus said.
His thoughts turned to the lass. His annoyance had dwindled slightly. As he analyzed the situation in his mind, he couldn’t understand why she had become so reckless. All previous interactions he had with her led him to think she was level-headed and responsible. But then when they briefly parted ways, she decided to track down Tam Roy on her own? What possessed her to venture out like this?
Just before they reached the forest, Angus saw a farmer stopped at the side of the road. The man was perhaps thirty years old. His clothes were dirty, and his sleeves were fraying at the cuffs. At the moment, he was busy untying a rope around a goat’s neck. The goat seemed unbothered by the man’s actions and continued to graze on the nearby shrubs.
Since the farmer was the first person Angus encountered outside of the town, he figured that there was a good chance the man might have seen his companions.
“Guidman, I’m looking for my friends — a curly, red-haired lass and a young lad,” he said as he approached the other man. “I believe they were heading in the woods, and they likely passed this way. Did ye see them?”
“I havenae seen anyone,” he said, frowning as he stood up to face them. “The woods isnae a place for gallivanting about.”
Something in his voice made Angus pause. The man appeared to know more than he was letting on. “Why would ye say this?” he asked, wanting to know if the farmer would reveal anything useful. “Is it because Tam Roy is hiding there?”
The farmer narrowed his eyes and studied him for a moment before he nodded. “Aye, I heard that he’s there, but I dinnae ken anything else about him.”
Angus nodded and started to move away from him. He had no time for idle chatter.
“Wait, I might be able tae help ye.”
He looked at the man.
“Of course, my services willnae be free,” the farmer continued when he noticed Angus’s hesitation. He retied his goat to a tree. “I ken this area well, and can help ye search for your friends.”
Angus immediately saw the benefit of the offer. With a local guide, he might locate Elspeth and Jon much quicker.
“Fine,” he said. “Lead the way.”
Chapter 20
As soon as Angus hired the farmer, the man relaxed. He became chatty and spoke about topics that weren’t particularly interesting. They traveled for another twenty minutes when a rider appeared in front of them. He sat well on the horse and moved at a leisurely pace.
“I wonder where he’s coming from,” Angus said almost to himself. As they got closer, he noted that the stranger was dressed in a similar fashion as the farmer. But it puzzled him that the man rode a steed that no ordinary peasant could afford.
As the stranger started to pass them, he looked over at the farmer and nodded. The rider then slid his gaze to Angus, assessing him. When Angus narrowed his eyes in return, the traveler increased his pace and quickly rode by.
The farmer pretended not to notice the exchange. He continued to guide them farther into the thicket and led them past a fallen tree that was covered with moss. When Angus questioned the guide about the terrain, it became apparent that he didn’t know much. Instead, when pressed, he provided answers that sounded
pointless. Though Angus didn’t want to admit it, he was having doubts about hiring the escort.
Angus had recruited the local man because he thought it would save them time. And with the sun setting in a few hours, he didn’t want them to get lost. But apparently, he had overestimated the guide’s abilities. The man knew less about the area than he did.
After a while, they reached a fork in the path, and the farmer directed them down an undisturbed route. They followed the trail for another hour when his thoughts took a different turn.
“Are ye certain ye ken where ye are going?” he asked, frowning. “We’ve passed this fallen log three times already.”
“That’s ridiculous,” the farmer said, letting out a nervous laugh. “Ye are probably tired and imagining things.” He looked around him and pointed. “We should stop in that clearing tae rest. Meanwhile, I’ll go hunt and bring back something for us tae eat.”
“Why do we have this fool with us?” Alec asked, his voice low as the man walked away from them. “I’m nae sure he’s even familiar with the forest.”
“I’m inclined tae believe this as well,” he said. “Nay matter what he says, I think we’re going around in circles.”
But the farmer was gone before he could be questioned about the route. Angus was tempted to gather their belongings and leave the useless man behind. But the mention of food made his stomach growl, reminding him of his hunger. Perhaps stopping to rest was a wise idea.
“How is he going tae hunt?” Alec said, as the farmer disappeared from sight. “I dinnae think he took a weapon with him.”
“I’m sure he’ll find a way,” Angus said. “If he lives around here, I assume he kens how tae set a trap.” He pointed to the twigs on the ground. “Gather some sticks for the fire.”
A few minutes later, Angus had the fire started. It took some effort to shift through the leaves on the ground to find a suitable rock surface for cooking. But once he found what he needed, he heated it in the firepit. Fortunately, he always carried a small sack of oats and water in his supplies, and he mixed the ingredients to form a paste.
Alec watched him as he prepared the flatbread over the coals. “Can I have one?” he asked.
“Take more than one,” he said. “There’s nay point in waiting until they’re cold.”
Angus helped himself to an oatcake as well and found that he was hungrier than he thought. Between them, they quickly finished the flatbread. Afterward, he felt a little guilty that there was none left for their guide. But his guilt faded when they saw no sign of the farmer.
“Do ye think he got lost?” Alec asked.
“It disnae matter whether he is,” he said. “We cannae wait any longer. Let’s get our horses and go.”
They had tied their mounts in a grassy area, but when they returned to the site, the horses were gone.
“I think the farmer took our rides,” Alec said, the frustration evident in his voice. “We shouldnae have trusted him.”
“There’s nothing we can do about that now,” Angus said grimly.
He studied the ground and frowned. The farmer had left enough clues for them to follow. However, it would be dark soon, and if they backtracked, they would waste valuable time.
They went in the opposite direction of the tracks, although Angus wasn’t sure how long they traveled. And just when he was starting to doubt his decision to move forward, he heard the faint rumble of voices.
Alec heard it too. His eyes wide, he turned to Angus. “That might be them,” he whispered.
With her eyes on her target, Elspeth crawled right to the edge of the camp. It was fortunate that the area surrounding her was covered with thick bracken. The season had turned the ferns mostly brown, but there were still a few blotches of green in the mix. Once again, she was grateful that the dull colors of the season easily concealed her.
She breathed in the damp, earthy smell of leaves and soil. The occasional sound of red squirrels and other small creatures scampered across the forest floor; however, the dense undergrowth made it impossible to isolate where the sounds originated.
Elspeth was too far away to hear any conversation. But that was the least of her troubles. She still had no plan going forward. All she could only hope was that by watching the outlaws’ movements, an opportunity to act might somehow present itself.
Still, it felt as if hours had passed, and she found that the day’s events were catching up to her. She laid her head to rest on her forearms. At the same time, her mind began to wander, and she thought about Angus again. Her heart ached when she considered the braw Highlander. She had never thought she would meet someone like him. Admittedly, it felt good whenever he was near.
Elspeth touched her lips as she remembered how his masculine lips felt against hers. And her skin tingled as she recalled how their bodies touched. Their time together was unforgettable, and if she closed her eyes, she could call to mind his unique male scent. And she would never forget those mysterious eyes peering down at her. Then it hit her that without realizing it, she had somehow fallen in love with him. And it was love because she had never felt this way about anyone before.
But then as she contemplated her dilemma, a new, sobering idea popped into her head. This moment of clarity clouded her discovery. Perhaps for a short while, she had amused him, but in the end, she meant nothing to him...
A sudden shout rang in the clearing, and her head snapped up. Her senses immediately sharpened, and she stared intently into the camp.
Three men had arrived and marched over to the redheaded outlaw. When they reached him, they threw down a smaller man. She gasped when she recognized the lad sprawled on the ground. Her fists clenched. Because of her, Jon became entangled in this mess. If she didn’t help him, she knew that his life would be in danger.
The men dragged Jon and tied him to a tree near where the horses were kept. The light began to fade, and the women at the camp had finished preparing the meals and were serving the food. Since everyone was distracted by their supper, Elspeth decided to make her move.
She crawled slowly through the bracken, hoping to reach the youth without being detected. The poor lad was miserable and scared, and she felt terrible for him. She saw the dark bruise on his face, and her urgency to free him increased. Elspeth had almost reached the tree when Jon happened to look in her direction. When he saw her, the fearful misery slid from his face.
“Elspeth,” he said, his voice low. “I thought they killed ye.”
“Nay, I’m verra much alive,” she said, crouching close to the tree.
Jon was secured tightly to the trunk. Alarm and helplessness streaked through her body when she realized that she had nothing sharp to cut the rope. She looked around, and fortune was on her side as her gaze fell to the base of the tree. There, she noticed a jagged rock partially buried in the dirt. It was the perfect shape and size to use as a makeshift cutting tool. Digging out the rock, she used it to frantically saw through the cord. Elspeth barely made a dent in the thick rope when it abruptly gave way. She could only stare in confusion as the pieces slithered to the ground.
“Get up, Jon,” a young voice hissed.
“Alec?” she asked as her confusion quickly changed to surprise.
She turned around, and her gaze immediately fell on Angus. The shock at seeing his handsome face froze her to her spot. At the same time, a rush of feeling came to the fore. And before she realized it, she threw herself at him. His strong, protective arms automatically wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against his hard frame. He looked down at her, his expression filled with concern and something else too. Suddenly, she felt safe and that everything would be all right.
“How did ye get here?” she asked.
“We can talk —”
But Angus’s answer was interrupted when someone hollered behind them. He let out a loud curse.
“Intruders!” the guard yelled, alerting everyone in the camp.
The warning caused a frenzy of movement at the firepit. At t
hat same moment, another group of men emerged from the forest. Elspeth was hit with a second surprise when she recognized the Earl of Freemond. What was he doing here? But even as she posed this question, the Earl’s men had already surrounded Tam and his followers.
“Come on!” Angus said.
He grabbed her wrist and started to run. But they didn’t get far before they faced an additional obstacle. Angus cursed again and thrust her behind him, using his massive body to shield her from the four men.
He drew his claymore. “Let us pass,” he said with a menacing edge to his voice.
A guard who looked like a farmer stepped forward. In his hand was a claymore, and it appeared as if he knew how to wield it. “We cannae do that,” he said. “The Earl has ordered us tae arrest ye.”
“Jon,” Angus said, addressing him without taking his eyes off his opponents. “Take Elspeth and Alec and leave this place.”
Before she could protest, Jon hastily dragged them away. And as they made their escape, Angus launched his attack on the guards. He was fearless, commanding, and almost feral in his movements. His opponents seemed taken aback by his aggressiveness. But when their reinforcements arrived, their bravado returned, and they resumed their charge.
“Look out!” Elspeth shouted.
Unfortunately, the warning came too late. A thickset warrior had come from behind and swung at him with his sword. Angus contorted his body to avoid the blow, but the position threw him off balance. His opponent quickly saw the opening, and lifted his foot, shoving Angus. The unexpected force thrust the Highlander hard against the tree trunk. In the next moment, his body slammed into the solid oak, knocking him unconscious.
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