Abducted, Book 8

by Marti Talbott

  “‘Tis likely true.”

  Chisholm thought about that. “Perhaps I might take a lass if my laird demanded it and threatened to hurt my family.”

  “So would I. I am not that injured and MacAlister said the lad only hit me to keep me from screaming.”

  Chisholm didn’t think Justin would accept that excuse, but decided to change the subject. “MacAlister’s clan seemed pleased their laird was dead.”

  Paisley put a small chunk of bread in her mouth and savored the taste a moment before she swallowed. “The wife he killed was Rona’s sister.” Embarrassed suddenly, she timidly continued, “Perhaps someday I shall tell you what she did to deserve his ire.”

  “You cannot tell me now?” Chisholm already knew why the old man was blinded and guessed it was the same reason MacAlister killed his wife, but he enjoyed Paisley’s blush.

  “Tis shameful.”

  “Would you tell a husband?”

  She thought his question leading, looked down and broke off another bite of bread. “There are many husbands in our clan and I cannot think of a one I would tell.”

  Chisholm should have, but did not expect her to avoid the subject so expertly. She left him with no response, so he let her eat in silence for a while. “When you have eaten, would you like to stay the night or shall we keep going?”

  “My father must be beside himself with worry. For his sake we should keep going.”

  “Done then. Are you full or will you want an apple?”

  “I fear an apple too painful to chew. Perhaps later.”

  He walked to her, knelt down, examined her bruise more closely and stood back up. “Tell me true, have you any other injuries?”

  He looked worried, so she tried to comfort him. “My feet hurt from walking, my legs have suffered thorns from the bushes and a rock or two in the creek might have bruised my back, but I will mend. What I want most is a bath.” She ate the last crumb of bread and brushed her hands. “How far from home are we?”

  “Perhaps half a day, but we can travel long. First, we must rest this tired old horse a while.” He cut another slice of cheese and when she only took half, he put the other half in his own mouth. He had not thought of eating for quite some time, he realized. Paisley looked awful and he was torn between letting her rest and getting her home faster. It was improper for a man and woman to stay the night alone together, but he doubted Justin would kill him for it.

  Chisholm ate his fill and put the food away. Then he crossed his feet at the ankles and sat down on the ground in front of her. “Are your teeth broken?”

  She quickly ran her tongue over her top and bottom teeth. “I do not think so.”

  “Do you want to tell me what happened?” She shook her head and he wondered if it was because of something too awful to tell, or if talking hurt her too much. “Perhaps you should lie down and rest for a time.”

  “If you do not let me fall, I can rest on the horse.”

  Chisholm smiled, “I will not let you fall.” She was determined to go home and he could not blame her for that.

  IN THE DISTANCE, JUSTIN heard the whistle that told the men to stop and rest. He would have preferred to keep going, suspected it was Shaw who began the whistle and had to admit it was probably time. He noticed the two men nearest him come to give their laird protection and got down off his horse. It was good to walk, the horses had ample foliage to feed on and the forest was getting dark. One of the men handed him an apple and Justin absentmindedly bit into it. Resting the horses for an hour or so meant another hour Paisley was lost and perhaps hurt.

  One of the men with him whistled, his whistles were returned and soon two more men came, followed by two more until Justin found himself surrounded by all his men. Each was just as tired and worried as he was. He waited until they settled down and ate something before he said, “I will hear your suggestions now.”

  Shaw puffed his cheeks. “I can think of nothing.”

  “Nor I,” agreed Ginnion and noticed several others nod.

  Finally, Andrew spoke up. “I watched Paisley grow up and she is far more clever than you think. I once saw her outwit three older laddies and...”

  “Andrew,” said Justin, “what are you trying to say?”

  “Just that I do not think she would stay in the forest for a second night.”

  Justin looked down and began to thoughtfully rub his forehead again. “Where would she go?”

  “She would know she was lost and perhaps go back.” Ginnion said.

  “And let MacAlister capture her again? I hardly think that likely,” argued Justin.

  Shaw stretched his body one way and then the other to loosen his tired muscles. “Unless she knew MacAlister was dead.”

  Ginnion’s eyes brightened, “She knows how to kill a man, perhaps MacAlister captured a lass he did not have the wits to fear.”

  “I would fear any MacGreagor lass. She can look into your eyes, smile her sweetest smile and stab your heart before you see her hand move,” said Andrew. Some of the men snickered and he decided he had said enough.

  Justin considered it. “Paisley killed MacAlister, the lass helped her flee and she went into the forest for her safety. Then what would she do?”

  “She would stay the night, satisfy herself no one was chasing her and then go back.”

  “To the castle?”

  “Nay, to the path along the edge of the forest.”

  “The one we took to get to the castle? We did not see her there.”

  “Well,” Shaw started, “Perhaps she did not know which way to go?”

  “Or perhaps she did not go back to the path at all.”

  “Or someone else took...” Ginnion glanced at Justin’s alarm and decided not to finish that sentence.

  “We have no choice then. Ten will keep searching the forest, ten will take the path toward home and ten will go the other way. If she can, she will hear our whistles and answer.”

  “Which way will you go?”

  Justin finally sat down on a fallen log and put his face in his hands. “I am too tired to decide.”

  “Then we will sleep and decide in the morning. We cannot find her in the dark anyway.”

  At last Justin nodded and the men set their horses free, began to spread their plaids and bed down. “The lads on guard will whistle still?”

  Every one of his men said, “Aye.”

  The whistles were both a comfort and a bother. Each time they sounded, Justin stayed awake to see if she would answer. When she didn’t he again felt old and useless before he drifted back to sleep.

  CHISHOLM WAS TIRED too. He could not remember the last truly good night’s sleep he’d had and the woman in his arms with her back to him was heavy against his chest. He kept his horse on the path, tried to watch for strangers or wild animals and kept going. Then he began to worry something more than just exhaustion was wrong with her. It was too much. Just as he was about to stop, she stirred and sat up.

  “Are you hurting?”

  She nodded, so he halted his horse and swung down. Then he put his hands on her waist, waited for her to put hers on his shoulders and lifted her down. He heard her slightly moan, held on until she got her balance and then held on a little longer. “Are you crying?”

  “Nay, it is just that I hurt everywhere.”

  He let go finally, and started to untie his flask, “Fortunately, you have not yet drunk all the wine.”

  Just then, they heard someone whistle. Paisley excitedly looked up at him. “MacGreagors, they have found us. Whistle back.”

  He did as she said.

  SHAW HAD NOT LET HIS horse wander away, had not slept a wink and when he heard the faint whistle in the distance, he was up like a bolt of lightning. He untied his horse and mounted before the others even had a chance to sit up. “Paisley,” he yelled as he urged his horse through the forest. Behind him, he heard Justin call for his horse.

  CHISHOLM WAITED AND when he heard the whistle again he looked down to see Paisley
’s relieved smile. He returned the whistle, realized it might be his last chance to hold her, and when she put her hand on his arm, he could not resist. He cupped one hand around the back of her head, wrapped the other around her waist and pulled her to him. She did not resist and put her arms around him as well when he laid his head against the top of hers. Nevertheless, the last thing he needed was for a MacGreagor to find him holding her. Reluctantly, he moved back.

  She regretted letting go too, but she understood and took two steps away from him as well. A third whistle sounded only this time closer and her excitement steadily grew. After another two whistle exchanges, Shaw swung down off his horse, swooped Paisley off the ground and began kissing her neck until she giggled. Then he noticed her bruise and his smile turned to horror. “I have hurt you.”

  She hugged his neck, “Your kisses can never hurt me. Is Father with you?”

  “Aye and I best let him know where you are or he will have my head.” He gently hugged her one more time and set her down. Then he let out a low, long whistle and listened to it being repeated several times in the forest. The whistle meant the danger was over and he knew Justin would be greatly relieved.

  “How many has he brought?” Paisley asked.

  “Thirty, but only because Ginnion talked your father out of bringing them all.” Shaw playfully slapped Chisholm on the back, “Fancy finding you here.” He started another round of whistles so the others could find them, sat down near a tree and began to untie the leather straps that laced from his shoe to his knee. Then he dumped two pebbles out of his shoe and put it back on. “MacAlister is dead.”

  “So I heard,” she answered. “Uncle, I need a bath.”

  “Can it wait until you get home or shall we find a loch to toss you in?”

  “Uncle, look out!”

  It was too late. Happy to greet yet another unsuspecting person, Mutton dashed out of the bushes and flew into Shaw’s lap. Shaw threw out both his arms and caught himself just in time to keep from falling over, and then he glared at the dog. Mutton was not deterred in the least and tried to lick Shaw’s face, so Shaw pushed him away and glared at his giggling niece instead.

  Finally, Chisholm took pity and made the dog sit. Mutton didn’t sit long before he sped off into the dimly lit meadow.

  Shaw laced up his shoes and glanced up. Behind Paisley, Justin sat on his horse and looked as though he could not move. It was not until she turned around that Justin lifted his leg over, got down and opened his arms to her.

  She gladly went into them and held him as tight as she still had the strength to. Again she was crying and it frustrated her, “I feared never seeing you again.”

  “I feared the same.” He kissed the top of her head, held her back so he could look at her face and was about to lift her chin.

  Just in time, Chisholm grabbed Justin’s hand. “She is hurt.”

  Justin wrinkled his brow. He turned his head to the side, looked under her chin and winced. “I will kill the lad who did this.”

  “Aye, but later, father. I want to go home and the sooner the better.”

  “Aye, we must go home very soon,” said Ginnion, quietly riding up behind Justin. “Your father has a bride waiting.”

  Paisley was astounded and Justin rolled his eyes. “I will explain it later.” He had forgotten all about Blanka and just about everything else. “Have you eaten, have you other injuries, are...”

  She put her hand on his arm to calm him. “Laird Graham fed me, but if you have wine I could use a little more for my pain. I did not prefer MacAlister’s wine, it was bitter.”

  Justin quickly untied his flask and helped her drink while the rest of his thirty men arrived, each with a smile on his face. Before he had a chance to tie his flask back on, she leaned forward and slumped against him. He wrapped an arm around her to hold her up, handed the flask to Ginnion, put his other arm under her legs and picked her up. Then he looked at Chisholm. “Has she other complaints?”

  “She said her feet hurt, the dog knocked her in the creek and her legs were cut from walking through the bushes, but that is all.”

  Shaw quickly spread a plaid on the ground so Justin could lay her down, then he said, “Look away, lads.” Worried, they did as they were told, but none were more worried than Chisholm.

  While Shaw and Ginnion got a good look at her arms, Justin examined each leg. One scratch was deeper than the others, but it was not red and hot. He looked for bites too, and then he took off her shoes. The bottoms of her feet were red and swollen, but she did not have any cuts. Next, he sat her up and held her while Shaw pulled the shirt out of her belt and looked at her back.

  “She has two large bruises, but the skin is not broken.”

  Shaw was about to tuck her shirt back under her belt when she moaned, so he moved away so Justin could lay her back down. “She is tired, Justin.”

  “Aye, we are all tired. We will let her sleep and take her home in the morning.”

  Shaw raised an eyebrow. “She asked for a bath. Three days without a bath and she will never forgive us.” He took the plaid Essen handed him, made sure she was covered and told the men they could look.

  “If a bath is her biggest complaint, I am well pleased,” said Justin. Then he looked at Ginnion. “We will stay the night. Let the horses rest and then send two men home to tell them she is found. We will take the path that leads to the river. Lads are to bring her sister with clean clothes and soap to meet us there. Then she can bathe in the river and change into MacGreagor colors before she is seen.”

  PAISLEY WAS SOUND ASLEEP and did not wake when she was moved out of the trees into the meadow where the men could guard her better. The MacGreagor horses wandered off to graze, the men built a fire and then sat or stood in a circle around her, all but the two who hurried off to notify the clan. Justin sat near her head to comfort her if she woke and Chisholm took up a sitting position near her feet while Shaw, Ginnion and Essen, her uncles, rested nearby.

  Justin hoped she would wake at the smell of food cooking and glanced at her often, but even that did not disturb her. There was nothing left to do but talk and it was to Chisholm he wanted to talk most. “How did you find her?”

  Chisholm told of the brothers and watching MacAlister’s body fly out the window. He described his search, the dog’s help and then added, “She cried when I found her.”

  “Aye, her eyes are still red from crying. You are a good lad, Graham. Have you your heart set on my daughter?”

  Chisholm was surprised by Justin’s directness. “Once I suspected the brothers knew where she was, I left with all haste and neglected even to bring my guard.”

  Justin smiled. “Does she prefer you?”

  “Not yet, but I am hopeful.”

  “Sawney will know, we shall ask him when we get home.”

  “I must return to my home first...if I still have a home. I have neglected everything to find her and do not recall even leaving anyone in command. They must think me daft by now.”

  “Love makes a lad daft; at least that is what they say about me.”

  Chisholm grinned. “I would have liked seeing that.”

  “It was not a pleasant sight, I assure you.” Each man was lost in his own thoughts for a moment and when Paisley began to stir, they both paid attention to her. She moaned, changed positions a little and closed her eyes again.

  Justin waited a while longer before he broke the silence. “How did she get here? She was lost, but I cannot understand it. She left MacAlister’s castle and entered the forest going north, which was the right direction to get home. So how has she come to be east instead?”

  Chisholm thought about that for a moment. “She was going back toward the castle when I found her. Perhaps she walked in circles.”

  “You must be right.”

  Paisley did not go back to sleep as they thought and although her father was clearly puzzled, she was determined not to betray Blathan. It would be hard enough for him when Laird Keith learned she was
alive. On the other hand, he let her escape and if she could protect him somehow, she surely should. But how? If her father knew Laird Keith wanted her dead, he would be enraged and might even attack their village. If that happened, Blathan would surely be killed. No, it was best not to mention it.

  “You will wake the dead with all your talking,” she finally complained.

  Justin smiled and reached out to touch her shoulder. “Forgive us. Are you hurting, do you want more wine?”

  She thought that a fine idea and when she struggled to sit up, she took hold of the hand Chisholm offered her. “Thank you.” She tried to smile, but her jaw hurt even more than the day before, she let go of his hand and cupped it under her chin. “I hurt everywhere.”

  “I know, but more sleep will make it better.” Justin unplugged the stopper of the wine flask Ginnion handed him and helped her drink until she pushed it away with her hand.

  A tear rolled down her cheek. “I could not find water and when I did finally, I remembered Ginnion said to follow it downhill, but when I got to the edge of the forest, there were no people.”

  “I am so sorry,” Justin said. “Can you sleep now?”

  She nodded and lay back down. Hopefully, Justin would be satisfied with her explanation and the Keith village would be safe. On the other hand, Blathan might not be, but she was too tired to worry about that just now.

  Justin pulled her cover up and tucked it around her. It was time they all slept and being as quiet as they could, Justin spread his plaid out on one side of her while Chisholm put his on the other side.

  As soon as he got settled, Paisley turned her head toward Chisholm. “What have you done with my favorite dog?”

  Chisholm smiled and turned on his side to face her. “I believe he licked the face of every lad here and then ran off.”

  She giggled, closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

  Even with her swollen jaw, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he was determined to make her his wife. Time, he reminded himself, she needs time to heal. Exhausted himself, it wasn’t long before he too was sound asleep.