“I took her and hid her there. I meant to come back for her, but I didn’t know if I could. Cara saved her.”
“Aye, she risked her own life for a dirty dog!”
“Nay. That child is more than that. She will prove to be very important. Ramsey wanted her too badly for her to mean nothing. Regardless, she is a bairn. She needs our protection.”
Liam shook his head and stalked into the castle.
Cara waited nervously for Liam to come to her. What would he do to her? The tiny bundle in her arms began to cry and Cara began to sing quietly to her.
That is how Liam found her. He watched as she rocked and crooned to the bairn. How could she care for a creature so unlike herself? Then he saw the pink foot sticking out of the blanket and realized the child wasn’t so very different. Cara looked up then and found Liam watching her. Liam saw the fear in her eyes before he smelled it and he was ashamed.
“Cara,” he spoke quietly,” are ye alright?”
She nodded keeping her big green eyes focused on him.
“Don’t fear me Cara. I’ll not hurt ye lass. Ye scared me to death, but I’d never hurt ye.”
“I won’t give her up. Please Liam, she needs me.”
“Aye lass, I can see it. Well, she needs protection and care until we know where she belongs.” He rubbed his forehead. “I fear it’ll hurt ye though when she goes.”
Cara nodded. “I ken it will be hard Liam, but I just couldn’t leave her there to die.”
“Cara,” he took a deep breath, “ye did what none of the rest of us had the courage to do. It was brave and right. I love ye for it. You saved the life of a wee lass that may be very important someday. I was angry with ye for riskin’ yer self, but yer right to have done it and I am ashamed that I did not.”
Cara ran to him. He pulled her close and kissed her upturned mouth. The little wolf growled and kicked and Liam chuckled as he rubbed her tiny head.
“She seems to be filled with s bit of courage of her own.”
“That should be her name. Courage.”
Liam nodded and kissed Cara’s head.
13
Three weeks later
James McKenzie entered the Hall of McNeal Castle. He was the first wolf to ever be welcomed here and he felt a stirring of pride and apprehension. McNeal Castle was finer than his own. It was clean and well kept too. His own home had been neglected for so long he feared it would take years to clean and repair it all. His admiration was cut short by a huge hand slapping his back.
Caught off guard James stumbled. He looked up expecting the men to jeer at him for being weak, but found only Liam’s repentant face.
“I’m sorry McKenzie. I didn’t mean to catch unaware. ‘Tis good to see ye. ‘Tis quite a stir yer visit is makin’ too.”
James smiled. “Thank ye for the invitation.”
Liam looked thoughtful for a moment. “I admit there is a reason for it. A few weeks ago Darren, with Cara’s help, rescued an infant. She is of your kind and we felt it would be best to return her to you. We named her Courage because she has been growling at me from the start, even when I’m my tiger. She has no fear and she needs more than we can give her. It will hurt Cara to give her up, but she can see that the lass needs to be with her own kind.”
James nodded, interested. He’d heard of several children being stolen lately and he knew Ramsey was behind it. They had hunted him, but could find no trace except the occasional dead body. He was like a ghost.
Cara entered then carrying the tiny child and James almost lost his breath. He felt his heart leap for joy as Cara neared and tears ran unchecked down his bronze cheeks.
Cara gasped at his reaction and Liam smiled broadly. “Darren said this lass would be of great importance, and now I see why.”
James reached out and touched the child’s downy head with one finger. Courage lifted her big brown eyes to his and smiled a wet smile.
James then met Liam’s eyes. “I believe she is to be my mate.”
Amusement filled Cara and she laughed. “Oh James! This is wonderful!”
“Aye James. This will surly bind us as family and end any resistance to our alliance. I am glad for ye James.”
James only nodded and stared at the beautiful creature in Cara’s arms. Cara gently place Courage in James’ arms and kissed his cheek.
“I think we have found her place Liam.” She smiled a tearful smile and looked to Liam. He smiled down at her and she saw that his eyes were unusually bright. She buried her face in his wide chest and allowed him to hold her. Then she let him lead her away.
James stared at the child, Courage, that had filled him with such joy. Ramsey had searched fro her to render him heirless, but she’d been saved. Darren had found her for him. Could he ever repay that debt even with the information that he had? He decided then and there to do all he could. He wouldn’t sit by and watch Darren struggle to free his mate, no he would help him personally. He sat and thought for a while until Courage fell asleep. Then a plan began to form in his mind. He smiled to himself. He would see to it that Darren gained entrance into Newberry’s keep, but it would be up to Darren to get himself and his mate out. James chuckled softly thinking of the feisty Lady Newberry and the thoughtful Darren. How could suck opposites make a good match? He looked up as Liam lead Cara into the Hall. He smiled again. Opposites again. Delicate Cara couldn’t be more different than burley Liam, but they were perfect for one another. He then returned his gaze to the bairn sleeping peacefully in his arms. He wondered what she would become and how she would look. He wondered if she would accept him easily as her mate or deny him for a time. Wolf mates were much the same as tiger mates. They craved one another. He had been restless lately and now he knew it was because his mate had been in danger. How quickly life had changed for him. In the blink of an eye his entire world changed direction. Now he would not only focus on rebuilding his clan, but now he would focus on nurturing and loving his mate. Life had a way of turning out for the good if a man tried hard enough. Now he had to assist Darren in finding his joy, because if any man needed joy in his life it was Darren.
Highland Tigress (Tiger Series) Page 10