Highland Angels

by Ceci Giltenan

  Anna understood why in an instant. Two men, swords drawn, stood in front of them. Hearing a noise, Anna spun, shoving Mairi and Bridget between her and Barclay just as a big bearded man moved into position behind them. They were surrounded.

  “Mairi, Bridget, run!” yelled Anna, as Barclay engaged the men in front of him.

  The girls did run, but the big bearded man grabbed Anna, jerked one arm up behind her back and held his dirk to her throat, its point drawing blood. “Don’t take another step lassies, or I’ll kill Lady Anna.” As Barclay continued to battle the other two men, the bearded man yelled, “That goes for ye too, man. If ye value yer lady’s life, drop yer sword.”

  Barclay spared the slightest glance towards her and failed to fend off a blow from one of his opponents in time. He parried at the last moment, but couldn’t prevent the other man’s sword from slicing into his right thigh. He stumbled forward and one of the men raised his sword with both hands, slamming the hilt into the back of Barclay’s head. Barclay crumbled to the ground.

  Mairi screamed and rushed towards him, only to be grabbed by one of the men, who clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “Get the other one and follow me,” said the bearded man holding Anna.

  Bridget stood trembling, too terrified to move. A hulking man threw her over a shoulder and followed.

  When they reached the glen, Tasgall had felled one opponent and continued to battle another, keeping him away from Molly, who was still bound to the tree.

  The man holding her made the same threat he had to Barclay. “If ye value yer lady’s life, drop yer sword.”

  Tasgall looked at her, his eyes full of anguish.

  “Do it!” the man commanded, pushing the point of his knife a little deeper into her flesh.

  “Don’t hurt her,” Tasgall said, stepping back and dropping his sword.

  “Is Kenneth dead, Steenie?” The bearded man asked.

  “Aye, Laird.”

  “Then run the MacLeod through.”

  “Nay!” Screeched Anna. “He’s my brother, not a MacLeod. He’ll bring a huge ransom.”

  “Hold. If he is one of Laird MacKay’s brothers, he will bring a tidy sum. Besides, once he finds out what we’re about, he may be pleased to help us. And it was just Kenneth, after all. Bind him.” To the other men he said, “Tie the lassies to the tree with the other one. We don’t need them slowing us down.”

  As Tasgall’s opponent shoved him to his knees and bound his hands behind him, Tasgall tried to reason with them. “Let Anna go and I promise my brother will pay three times the ransom as thanks for yer mercy.”

  The man laughed. “I’m not ransoming her, lad. I’m marrying her.” He laughed harder at their shocked expressions.”

  “Ye can’t marry her, she’s marrying my brother,” said Mairi.

  Anna cringed and Tasgall groaned. It had looked as if they were planning to leave Mairi behind until that moment.

  “Marrying yer brother ye say? That must make ye Mairi MacLeod. Change of plans, lads, just leave the wee ones; we’ll take her with us.”

  The bearded man holding Anna, bound and gagged her as well. Before they dragged their captives away he crouched down before the terrorized lassies bound to the tree. “Wheesht now, ye have no reason to cry. I promised I would give ye back yer sister and yer puppy if ye did as I asked. And ye were a good lass, Bridget. So, the puppy is tethered to a tree not far from here. He’s a very nice dog. Be sure ye take good care of him. I gave him a bit of dried meat to chew on while he waits. When the MacLeods find ye, which I’m sure will be soon, ye can fetch him home.”

  Chapter 22

  Darach was beside himself. First Fearchar had refused to announce their presence on MacLeod land, assuring him they would as soon as he returned from a walk, of all things. Then four of his brother’s men disappeared. Darach decided to go on to Curacridhe on his own, but the men his brother’d left behind stopped him.

  “Darach, the laird said to wait for him, and we will.”

  “The MacLeods are allies and this is my home, Athol. I don’t feel right, hiding in the woods.”

  “We aren’t hiding. We’ll ride to Curacridhe as soon as Fearchar returns.”

  Some form of this argument continued off and on until well after midday. Finally, Darach simply walked over to where to the horses were tethered and began to saddle his mount.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” said Wallace. “We’ll saddle up the mounts and be ready to ride the moment Fearchar gets back.

  Darach had no intention of waiting longer than it took to ready the horses. Fearchar could follow with his men when he returned. But just as he was about to swing up onto his horse, the sounds of men moving quickly through the trees reached them.

  Moments later Fearchar and three of his men emerged from the forest with three captives—Lady Anna, Mairi and a man who Darach didn’t know, but assumed to be one of Anna’s brothers. He turned on his own brother, prepared to demand that he release them immediately, but the mad gleam in Fearchar’s eyes stilled his protests. He might be able to get them out of this, but not by confronting Fearchar at this moment.

  “Brother, we have my betrothed now. Mount up and we’ll take her home.”

  “How did ye find her so quickly?” He glanced at Mairi; not only was she was bound, gagged and terrified, but she stared at him in shocked disbelief.

  Fearchar grinned. “God is on my side. He put two wee lassies in my path who led Anna to me.”

  “But she doesn’t look happy to be with ye.”

  “She doesn’t know I’m rescuing her and I don’t have time to explain. When we’re away it will all be made clear.”

  “But if ye’re rescuing Anna, ye don’t need the others.” Darach wasn’t sure if his brother knew that the other lass he held was Mairi MacLeod. Maybe if he didn’t, Darach could convince him to leave Mairi behind.

  “Nay we do, brother. The MacLeods might attack when they find I’ve rescued Anna. Having Dougal’s wee Mairi is leverage to prevent that. I’ll give her to ye. Maybe if ye have a sweet plaything of yer own on Lewis ye’ll be happy enough to come home where ye belong. Aye, that’s just the thing.”

  Plaything? Darach could scarcely contain his shock and revulsion. Mairi was like a sister. But he had to keep his head about him. “And the man?”

  “Tasgall MacKay. He killed Kenneth. But once he understands what I’m doing, he’ll thank me. Enough talking. Mount up.”

  Fearchar put Tasgall on Kenneth’s horse, giving the reins to his man Iagan, then handed Mairi up to Wallace before lifting Anna onto his own horse and mounting behind her.

  Darach’s mind spun. He had to save them but he wasn’t certain how. Surely someone would miss them and follow. As long as his brother didn’t suspect anything, when the rescuers caught up to the Morrisons, Darach might be able to ensure Mairi and Anna weren’t harmed.

  They traveled as fast as the horses could carry them for perhaps half an hour. When it became clear no one was following them closely, Darach began to worry more. They needed to slow down, so the MacLeods would have a chance of catching them. “Fearchar, the horses are becoming winded. They’ll drop if ye run them this hard for long.”

  “Aye. We don’t want that.” Fearchar slowed their pace significantly.

  Before long, much to Darach’s confusion, they turned westward. “This isn’t the way to Durness.”

  “We aren’t going to Durness.”

  “But that’s the port we sailed into and where ye must return the hired the horses.”

  “I don’t care about returning hired horses.”

  “Then what port are we going to?”

  “We’re not going to any port. We’re going to a deep inlet on the west coast. Sandy has the ship anchored at the mouth of it. The MacLeod’s will expect us to go to Durness. We’ll be away before they realize their error.”

  Dear God. Fearchar’d this all planned before they left Lewis. How was Darach going to get them out of it?

>   In a little while, they stopped to rest and water the horses.

  His brother seemed a bit calmer. Maybe Darach could try reasoning with him. “Fearchar, I don’t think ye want to do this.”

  “Of course I want to do this, little brother. I’m saving my betrothed. ”

  “I know ye believe that, but Fearchar, she’s bound and gagged. If she wants to be saved, surely ye could let her be free.”

  Fearchar seemed to consider. He pulled the gag from Anna’s mouth but left her hands bound. Her eyes were wide with fear.

  “Let me give her something to drink.”

  Fearchar nodded.

  Darach helped her take a drink of water from his costrel. He wanted to tell her that he feared Fearchar was losing his mind, but his brother was too close.

  “Can I give the others a drink too? There’s no one to hear them now.”

  “Go ahead,” said Fearchar absently.

  Darach untied Mairi’s gag, first whispering, “Please stay quiet.” After giving her a drink, he did the same for Tasgall. When he turned to Fearchar, his brother stood in front of Anna, stroking her hair.

  “When Da offered for ye, I didn’t know ye had red hair. I’ve always been fond of women with red hair and fair skin.”

  Anna stood rigidly as if fearing to anger him by pulling away.

  “That’s a good lass,” Fearchar said, taking her bound hands in his. He untied the ropes, rubbing her chafed wrists. “Now ye understand, don’t ye? I’m rescuing ye. The MacLeods had no right to hold ye captive. Da offered for ye. Ye’re mine.”

  “I-I know he did, Laird Morrison, b-but that betrothal was never signed,” said Anna.

  “That is an insignificant detail. It was just a matter of time.”

  “P-perhaps it might have been. But my brother did sign the betrothal agreements with Laird MacLeod. The MacLeods are yer allies.”

  “The MacLeods stopped being an ally the day they kidnapped my bride, forcing me to save her.”

  “If ye are truly saving me, allow me to return to my home with my brothers.”

  “Ye have one brother with ye. That’ll have to be enough.”

  Darach tried again. “Fearchar, ye must know that Laird MacLeod will declare war on the Morrisons for this.”

  “He won’t, because ye’ll be married to his daughter.”

  “Fearchar, she’s already betrothed to Tasgall.”

  “It was forced. Just like Anna’s. The MacKays will thank us. Ye’ll marry little Mairi and then ye’ll be happy to stay on Lewis.”

  “Nay,” gasped Mairi.

  Darach shook his head. “Fearchar, I cannot marry Mairi. She’s like a sister to me. I will not marry her.”

  “Ye will if I say ye will. I’m yer laird.”

  “Fearchar, please, let’s try to stop a clan war. Da would never have wanted ye to do this. Ye and yer men can go on and meet Sandy. Let me take these three back to Curacridhe and smooth things over with Laird MacLeod.”

  As the conversation became more heated, one by one, the Morrison men began to stop what they were doing and gather around.

  “Ye don’t want that, do ye Anna? To go back to Curacridhe?”

  “I-I do.”

  “What is this? Ye should be thanking me for saving ye.”

  “I know ye thought I needed to be saved, but I don’t. I’m betrothed to Andrew MacLeod and I’m happy.”

  “Ye’re mine!” roared Fearchar, raising his hand to strike her.

  Darach grabbed Fearchar’s arm holding him off her. He knew no one else would intervene. Fearchar ruled by fear and these men were loyal. They would stand by and watch, even if their Laird was beating Anna to death. In his short time on Lewis he had heard a few whispers of Fearchar’s brutality.

  Fearchar turned on him, a look of realization dawning in his eyes before they grew black with fury.

  “Now I understand. It isn’t MacLeod she wants. It’s ye. That’s why ye don’t want the other one. Ye want my woman.”

  Without warning, Fearchar picked Darach up and threw him backwards to the ground, knocking the breath out of him. Fearchar was on top of him in an instant. Lifting him by the shoulders, Fearchar slammed Darach’s head repeatedly on the ground. Darach heard screaming, then the blackness closed in.

  ~ * ~

  Anna screamed and grabbed one of Fearchar’s arms. He flung her off easily.

  Tasgall lunged toward them, even with his wrists bound, but two of Fearchar’s men grabbed him, holding him back.

  Mairi screamed until Darach lost consciousness, then she began sobbing.

  Fearchar dropped his brother’s limp body to the ground. He stood and unsheathed his sword, looking from Anna to Darach. “I’ll send ye both to the devil today.”

  “Nay!” Tasgall bellowed, trying to break free from the men who held him.

  Fearchar raised the sword over Darach but one of his men, Iagan, drew his own and stepped between them. “Laird, stop. He’s yer brother.”

  “He tried to steal my woman.”

  “Nay, he didn’t,” said Anna. “I am not yer woman and I’m not in love with yer brother. I am betrothed to Andrew MacLeod and I love him. Yer brother just wants to take me back home.”

  Fearchar turned to face her. “Ye dirty whore. Ye could have been Lady Morrison.”

  “Laird,” Iagan touched his shoulder. “Let’s be away. The tide’s going out and in order to reach the mouth of the inlet tonight, we have to make it past the cliff face before the tide turns and comes back in and the sea cuts us off.”

  The rage that had come over Fearchar receded. “Aye. We have to make haste. Bind her and put her on your horse, Athol. I don’t want to touch her filth.”

  The man called Athol bound Anna’s hands again, and threw her up on his saddle. Mairi was lifted, still sobbing, onto Wallace’s horse. Tasgall was forced onto Kenneth’s horse again and one of the Morrisons threw Darach face down across his saddle.

  “Iagan,” Fearchar called, “come here.”

  “Aye, Laird.”

  “Iagan, I should probably thank ye for not letting me kill my brother.”

  “’Tisn’t necessary, Laird.”

  “Ye’re right. It isn’t.” Fearchar stabbed him with his dirk. “I won’t tolerate interference.”

  Anna was too shocked to scream.

  Iagan clutched at the wound in his side, falling to his knees.

  Fearchar looked around at his men. “I won’t tolerate it from any of ye. Do ye understand?”

  “Aye, Laird,” they all murmured.

  “Darach would have had a nice, quick death if it weren’t for Iagan’s interference. Now he must suffer and it is all Iagan’s fault.”

  With that, they rode off, leaving Iagan to die, his horse still tethered to a tree.

  They made their way down to the inlet, and around the north side of it. Rocky cliffs dotted with caves rose from the narrow strip of sand. Fearchar grinned malevolently. “I don’t think I want this MacKay garbage anymore, and I’m certain I don’t want that MacLeod wench screeching the whole way. And as ye’re already aware, I don’t want a brother who betrays me. I think we’ll leave them in these sea caves.”

  Practically paralyzed with fear, Anna couldn’t believe he meant it until he had his men put Darach in the first one they passed.

  “Tie him to something upright. As the tide comes in, maybe it will wake him from his stupor, so he’ll know he’s dying and who killed him. No one crosses me and lives. Not even my brother.”

  Not a single one of his men offered any argument. Anna supposed Darach might have a better chance of surviving and escaping if the cold water did wake him. At least that was her prayer.

  They passed several more cave openings before Fearchar instructed the men to put Tasgall and Mairi in one together. “She chose this worthless MacKay over my brother. We’ll let her see what a mistake that was. Tie her so her head is on the ground and make sure he is tied where he can watch her drown.”

  “Nay, please,
Laird Morrison. Please, I’ll do whatever ye wish. Please don’t do this. She’s only a lass,” Anna begged.

  “Shut up, whore!” yelled Fearchar.

  Mairi screamed and fought for all she was worth but it was to no avail.

  Tasgall too fought, taking blow after blow, until they dragged him out of sight.

  When his men emerged from the cave, Fearchar grinned at her. “Don’t worry. We’ll find a cozy place for ye too.”

  As they rode away, Anna fought despair. She couldn’t bear the thought of Mairi and Tasgall dying. He was so strong, it had taken three men to subdue him. With that thought a glimmer of hope rose in her. Tasgall was strong. He would not give up. Anna knew with certainty that he would do whatever it took to save Mairi. That thought kept her calm.

  They rode for perhaps another half hour before Fearchar stopped and stared at the rock face ahead. “Manus,” he called.

  “Aye, Laird.” The man who answered was wiry and very small of stature.

  “Do ye see that crack in the rock?”

  “Aye, Laird.”

  “I know there is one other cave farther along that I could put the whore in but I’m wondering if that is a cave too. I know of others—on the islands—with openings like that. Go see.”

  “Aye, Laird.” Manus dismounted and went to inspect the fissure, reaching his arm into it. “It does go deep into the rock. I’ll try to squeeze in.” Although he was a small man, and it took a good deal of maneuvering, eventually Manus disappeared into the cleft. A minute or so later he reemerged looking triumphant. “Aye, Laird, it is a cave—quite a large one.”

  Fearchar’s mouth curved into an evil smile. “Perfect. Crawl back in there, then we’ll shove her in after ye. Tie her well with her head as high up as ye can. If Andrew does manage to find her, they’ll hear her screams. No normal-sized man will be able to get into the cave to save her. Imagine the torture that will be. It almost makes me want to stay and watch. This wee whore screaming on the inside as she is about to drown and her big strong husband screaming on the outside because he can’t save her.”

  Anna vowed she would not break down. She had begged the madman on behalf of Mairi and Tasgall, but she wouldn’t do it again. Athol lifted her off the horse and waited by the cave entrance while Manus worked his way in.