One of the older girls came over. “Where are they taking us?”
Hilda sighed. “I really do not know. We take you to the loch and put you on a boat that travels down to the firth. This is the first time we’ve had such wee ones. I don’t like it. They told me they’ll sell you to women who don’t have bairns of their own. If it were the truth, I could be happy for you, but when I look at the men you’ll travel with?” She never finished her sentence, instead shaking her head and dotting her eyes with a linen square to soak up her tears. “This is out of my control, but I must do something. I cannot help them any longer.”
“Then take us out of here.” Steenie tugged on her skirts while he pleaded. “Please.”
“Careful, lad. ‘Tis not that easy.” She sighed and dried her tears. “Give me a moment to think.” After a few seconds of silence, she turned to Kenzie. “What clan do you belong to?”
“Clan Grant.”
She let out a low whistle. “Then perhaps we have a chance.”
Steenie tugged on Hilda’s hand. “Aye, the Grants are the biggest and strongest ever. They’ll save us. Do you not agree, Kenzie?”
“Aye, my papa will come. These men can’t get away with this.”
“The Grants must hurry.” Steenie hopped from one foot to the other while they waited. Kenzie kept signaling for him to relax, but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t be able to relax until he got away. Until they all did.
“Here’s what I think,” Hilda said. “We’re not to the loch yet. When we get there, there are two buildings in a clearing. One building is near the end of the loch and the other is tucked in behind it. I’ve slept there before. Mayhap I can sneak some of you away into the back building and they’ll not notice. Keep you hidden and not put you on the boat.”
“Who would you choose?” Kenzie asked.
The eldest lass said, “The bairns shouldn’t be forced to go. What if they…?”
“What if they what?” Steenie asked.
“Never mind, Steenie, but she’s right,” Hilda said. “I must save the wee lassies first, and then you’ll be next.”
“But if Loki Grant comes, he’ll save us all,” Steenie pointed out.
“Aye,” Kenzie said. “If he can find us, he’ll save us all. But what if they don’t find us?”
Steenie tugged on Kenzie’s plaid, staring up at his new friend. “You must leave, Kenzie. ‘Tis all my fault you’re here.”
“I’ve been saved once, so I know how it feels.” Kenzie patted his shoulder. “And I’m older. She’s right. The youngest must be saved first. Papa would say to save the lassies. We’re lads, Steenie. We must go last.”
“Aye,” Steenie said, with a wee bit of a pout. “Save the lassies first. I’ll stay with Kenzie so Hilda can go with them.” He pointed to the bigger lass next to him. “Otherwise, where will they go alone? They’ll need someone to look after them.”
“Are you sure, Steenie?” Hilda asked.
“Aye, ‘tis what a Grant warrior would do. And if I’m ever freed, I’ll come back to be a Grant warrior, the fiercest of them all!”
Chapter Seventeen
Braden mounted and had Will lift Cairstine up in front of him. Once he had her settled, Braden said, “My thanks, Will. You were right. I needed to close my eyes for a moment. I believe I slept for ten minutes while you were inside, and I feel much better. I’m ready now.”
“Good. Let’s get away to the loch to meet Loki and save the bairns.”
“I hope we don’t find Blair there,” Cairstine said.
“Blair Lamont will likely disappear for some time now, especially once he finds out his brother is dead. He’s lost too many men to defend the Muir Castle. If you want to take Muir Castle back, talk to Uncle Alex, Braden. I don’t think you’ll have any difficulty.”
“How long will it take to get to the loch, Will?” Cairstine asked.
“Probably two hours. ‘Tis not far, but the path will be treacherous at times because of the mountains.” Will patted the horse and headed toward his own.
As soon as Will mounted, Braden fell in behind him. They were to ride in the middle of the group in case Braden took sick along the way. The path would be narrow at times, but not to begin with.
He hadn’t even thought about Muir Castle, but now that the idea had been mentioned, he tried to imagine what it would be like to live there with Cairstine and the lad, so close to his family.
Once they were on their way, Cairstine turned toward him. “Braden, may I ask you something?”
“Of course.” He had no idea what she wished to discuss, but they had a long trip ahead of them. Talking was probably what they needed to do most. His feelings were in such a jumble at the moment.
“I know we’ve only just met, but you kissed me and it was the first kiss I’ve ever received from a man that made me feel special,” she paused as if considering her words carefully. “I’m naïve about lads and love. But I wonder if that kiss also meant something to you?”
“Of course, it did. I would not have kissed you had I not been interested in you. Your strength, your resilience, both impress me and you’re a beautiful woman. I’d hoped mayhap we’d get to know each other better once this is over. That is, if ‘tis what you want, too. You’ll never be forced into another man’s company again, Cairstine—not by me or anyone else—from now on.”
She spun around to look at him, gazing into his eyes. “Aye. I would like that verra much. In fact, I feel ‘tis important for me to warn you of something. I fear I may tell you I’m in love with you before you are ready to hear it. Just understand what my life has been.”
He started to speak, but she stopped him, and a part of him was glad because he wasn’t ready to tell her he loved her, simply because he was unsure. Now that she was close to him, he had his arm around her waist, and it pleased him to hold her close. But he didn’t know her well enough to talk about love.
Or did he? She’d affected him more than any other lass. That had to mean something. He couldn’t deny that when Cairstine had spit on him, it had felt like he’d been bludgeoned—straight to the middle of his chest. He couldn’t explain it exactly, but seeing her strength, her comportment through all the situations the Lamonts put her through…his feelings had blossomed in that moment into something different and unexpected. His admiration for her had grown four-fold in that one instance. It was as though he’d been struck soundly in the head.
Was that love?
He’d heard lasses talk about love before, but he hadn’t heard much from lads. Men didn’t discuss emotions. What he did remember is that his sire had said it happened as soon as he’d stood near his mother. He’d known then she was the one.
Had that happened to him on Drummond land? Had it progressed to something even stronger when they’d stood together in front of Greer Lamont?
What if she told him she was going to leave after this in search of other family members far away?
He had to admit that thought would not sit well with him. He’d probably follow her.
“Please allow me to say what is on my mind before you speak.”
“Go ahead. I’m listening,” he whispered with a squeeze to her waist, his mind more muddled than ever.
“My mama used to talk to me about lads when I was young. If she were riding next to us, she would tell me that I don’t know you well enough to love you. That I mentioned love to the first lad who was nice to me, that Greer and Blair were so cruel in comparison, for so long, it was normal that I would fall in love with the first kind lad I met.”
He could tell by the tone of her voice that she fought tears. The memories of the family she’d lost were still so painful to her.
“But I would tell her that you are exactly like the man she said I would love one day. She told me that she hoped my future husband and I would share all the wonderful things she’d shared with Papa. I asked her how I would know…” She paused for a second to wipe her tears. “She told me that a good husband would protect me.
He would be kind and gentle. He’d never raise a hand to me, and he’d be considerate of my feelings, too. He’d share his thoughts with me and accept me as his partner. She told me something else that I never understood until now, that the man I loved would make my belly flutter. ‘Tis exactly how I feel when I’m around you. So I would tell Mama—” she glanced off to the side as if imagining her mother there, “—that you are all those things. That mayhap I already love you. That you are kind and considerate, and perhaps I shouldn’t have told you how I feel, but I don’t think my feelings will change.”
“Good. I’m glad,” he said, squeezing her waist slightly. She reached down and squeezed back.
“Forgive me. Mama said men do not like to talk about feelings and love, that I would know if a relationship was right in other ways. And I know she was right. ‘Tis all I wished to say.” She leaned back against him as if she’d lifted the weight of a warhorse from her shoulders.
Braden struggled with what to say because she was correct about one thing. He didn’t like to talk about feelings, yet he owed her something. That wasn’t true. He wished to tell her something. But he did not understand the concept of love. True, he loved his parents and so many of the members of his clan, but this was different.
How would he know when it was love?
He needed time to settle his thoughts, so he just told her what was on his mind. “These last few days have been a whirlwind, and we’re still in the midst of it. We will have plenty of time to see exactly how we feel about each other. I know I’ve been attracted to you since the first time I laid eyes on you at Drummond Castle, and I’m verra pleased to have you tucked against me on this horse and away from Greer Lamont. I’m not sure if I love you, I’ve never been in love before, but I’d like to find out. Is that enough for now?”
She whirled her head back to face him, a wide grin on her face. “Aye,” she said with a nod. “I can ask for naught more than that, Braden Grant. Many thanks to you for all you’ve done for me.” She kissed him, a quick kiss because they were on the horse, but it was enough for now.
And the only thought that echoed through his mind was that he wanted more than that kiss. He wanted everything. He wanted her heart, and he’d do whatever he could to make her happy.
His sire’s words echoed in his mind, the words about a lass taking over his thoughts.
He was in love with Cairstine Muir. A broad smile broke out across his face at that thought, but he was glad she didn’t see it. There were more pressing matters at the moment.
First, they had to find Steenie.
***
It had been terribly difficult for Steenie to mind his tongue with the men who’d come to put them in a cart and carry them through the mountains toward the loch. The one trail had been so treacherous that the wee bairns had cried for their mamas over and over again, and the four men traveling with them had not been kind. They’d cussed at them so much that Steenie had wished to hit each of them with his fist. He wanted his arms to be like tree trunks like Robbie and Braden Grant’s so he could punch them and make them stop being so mean.
He flexed his muscles to check them out, wondering how he could get them to be so big.
“You have to work in the Grant lists, Steenie,” Kenzie whispered.
“Huh?”
“I saw you looking at your muscles. You want them big like the Grants, do you not?”
Steenie nodded, his face lighting up. “Aye, how can I get them that big?”
“You have to work in the lists. They work there every day.”
“Can I when we get out? I’ll get mine to be bigger.” He flexed his one arm to demonstrate to Kenzie how big his was already.
Kenzie said with a grin, “When you’re a wee bit older, mayhap.”
“I’ll practice every day.” He was sure he could get his arms to be bigger.
Before he knew it, they’d made it through and were drawing near the loch.
When they could see the loch ahead, Kenzie leaned over to whisper to Steenie. “If you see any hawks or falcons overhead, especially more than one, ‘tis a good sign.”
“Why?” Steenie whispered.
“Because my cousin married the Wild Falconer and Uncle Alex sent for them, though ‘tis unlikely they’re here yet. But Papa says they do amazing things. Have you not heard about him?”
Steenie shook his head, his eyes widening. “What does he do?”
“He can send his birds down to attack mean people. They’ve done it before and ‘tis spectacular. If you see them, it means my cousins are here.”
“You two lads keep quiet back there. I shoulda split you two up.” The lead man had a long scruffy beard that hit his chest.
“Scruffy…” Steenie whispered. Then he looked at Kenzie and giggled. That was one of the activities that had helped them make it through the night—giving names to all of their captors. Scruffy, Blackteeth, Stubby—because he’d lost two fingers—and Smelly.
He peeked at the two lassies in the cart with them. They were sisters, and one had her head in her sister’s lap while she sucked her thumb. “Why does she suck her thumb still? I don’t.”
“Because she watched her mother die not long ago. She’s sucked it ever since,” the girl named Edith said bluntly. She turned her head away from Steenie, and he wondered if she was mad he’d asked such a direct question.
“What’s her name?” he asked, hoping to get her to talk to him again. He would feel horrible if he lost his mother, especially if something happened to her in front of him and he wasn’t able to stop it.
“Eva.”
“How old is she?”
“She’s eight summers.”
“How did you get here?”
“Two of these men came and killed our mother, then stole us from my aunt. We were living with her.” She wiped the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. “Do you know where they’re taking us?”
“Nay, but do not worry,” Kenzie said. “My sire will save us. Watch for the falcons and slingers.”
“Slingers?” she whispered.
“Aye. My sire is the best. He slings small rocks at bad men.”
A bold voice shouted back at them from the front. “I said keep quiet. All of you.”
Kenzie held his finger up to his lips. Steenie scowled, but there was naught they could do but listen. Both lads tipped their heads back, and Steenie hoped he’d see a bunch of wild falcons.
He wished to meet the Wild Falconer. Maybe someday he could be a Wild Falconer.
There weren’t any falcons in eyesight, so Steenie shifted his gaze to the path ahead of them, just then realizing he could see the loch. He pointed his finger toward the water, and Kenzie glanced over his shoulder to follow. When they came down the hill, there was a large clearing on one side of the loch with a couple of small huts near one end. He could see clear across to the other side because it was so big.
He didn’t like the boat at the edge. Two men were stacking crates around the lip of the loch while three men worked on the boat, getting water, sweeping the boat out, spitting over the edge.
He watched the man spit over and over again. Someday he’d be able to spit that far. He decided to practice a bit, so he spat over the side of the cart to see how far it would go. He did this for a while until Kenzie poked him in his back.
He peered over his shoulder at Kenzie, who pointed up to the sky. He was careful to make sure no one else saw what he was doing, so Steenie guessed it was important. He tipped his head up toward the gray sky, but he didn’t see anything at first. A moment later, two big birds soared above them, sweeping lower and lower.
He couldn’t help but clap his hands.
“What the hell is with the birds? They’ve been following us for the last quarter hour,” Stubby yelled.
Scruffy shouted back at him. “Who cares? They’re just birds, you daft arse.” Then he spat to the side of his horse.
Steenie giggled and whispered, “Daft arse.” Then he spat over the side,
pleased that it was farther than his previous marks.
Blackteeth pulled the first cart full of girls, also carrying Hilda, into the clearing, waving to the men aboard the boat. Then he cursed and slapped the back of his head. Spinning around on his horse, he stared at Scruffy who was mounted behind him.
“What the hell? Why are you throwing stones at me?”
Kenzie pulled on Steenie’s tunic, wide-eyed. He whispered, “My sire. He’s here!”
Scruffy said, “I didn’t throw naught at you, but I will if you don’t keep moving.”
The two men who’d ridden by themselves climbed down and moved over to the cart in front, lifting the lassies out one by one and pushing them toward the boat. One of the men roared as his head was jerked backward. “Who did that?” he shouted, his hand flying up to his forehead.
Steenie watched as Kenzie pulled out his own slinger, stuck a rock in it and sent it flying at the man who’d been in the first cart, hitting him in the back of the head. “I grabbed the stones when we got into the cart when the men weren’t looking,” he explained with a whisper.
Blackteeth turned on Scruffy and shouted, “You bastard. ‘Tis the second time you’ve hit me. Come over here and try it. I’ll kick your arse.”
Scruffy got hit in the back of his head next. “I didn’t do naught,” he said, “but somebody just hit me.”
The other cart had emptied, but Kenzie, Steenie, Edith, and Eva were still in their cart when the falcons dipped down from the sky again, soaring over the entire group of them.
“Kenzie, look. ‘Tis the falcons again just like you said,” Steenie whispered.
Their captors, nine in all—the four who’d brought them here and the five near the boat—started jabbering and shouting. Hilda must have sensed an opportunity, for she sent the girls running toward the huts at the end, but they were so confused, they ran in different directions.
All of a sudden, three horses carrying men with red plaids charged out of the woods. Kenzie grabbed Eva out of Edith’s arms and said, “Run!”
Steenie hopped out of the cart and ran for the trees as fast as his wee legs could carry him. He knew those plaids.
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