Rescued by Valan (The Pirates of Barra: Highland Raiders)

by Jennifer Siddoway

“Pirates?” the MacKay captain sputtered.

  “Aye, ’twas dark news indeed. The Minch is nae safe fer travel until the band of ruffians have been dealt with.”

  Still in disbelief, the captain pressed him further. “And ye’re sure of this? Have their bodies been recovered? Is there any proof?”

  Rodrick shook his head. “Sadly, not. I have only the letter we received telling us of their demise. Their bodies lay at the bottom of the sea. That’s the only explanation fer why they haven’t made it here already. Please, come into the castle and we can talk about it further. After all, we are still allies, despite this turn of events. My servants will bring ye food and ale while ye rest from the journey.”

  One of the seamen balked. “How can ye speak of feasting at a time like this? Our clansmen must discuss this among ourselves, then return tae Castle Varrich. If Laird MacKay is dead then we must inform Master Fionn immediately.”

  Another MacKay nodded. “Aye, and return the dowry so that it can instead pay fer a funeral.”

  Rodrick and Harold exchanged a pointed glance at the mention of her dowry.

  The dowry is still here?

  Laird MacDonnell licked his lips greedily, wondering where in the hold the MacKay treasure lay. He decided right then that these men would not be leaving without the gold securely in his coffers.

  “Aye, but ye must be weary from travel,” he coaxed them. “At least let me offer ye this kindness tae cushion the blow of tragedy. Ye’ll need tae regain yer strength before setting off again. The journey is long and ye need tae rest before sailing up the coast—especially now, with pirates on the Minch. We have tae take every precaution.”

  The seamen looked at one another uncomfortably and discussed it among themselves.

  “It would be safer fer us tae camp within the castle,” the captain allowed.

  Rodrick exhaled in relief and could scarcely contain his glee. He could almost taste the gold. “Of course. My men will help ye transport anything ye need.”

  He nodded his own dismissal and headed back up the path toward the castle. Harold walked along beside him and whispered, “Are ye sure about this?”

  Rodrick grinned. “Aye. Once they’re inside the castle, that gold is as good as mine.”

  W hen evening fell, Laird MacDonnell invited the seamen to the great hall for supper. It was a somber meal with little conversation as he contemplated his next move. Torches were lit along the wall to illuminate the chamber and provide some warmth from the autumn chill.

  There were enough men-at-arms and seamen dining that several long tables separated them from being overheard, as well as the echoes of wood and metal off the stone walls.

  “What’s yer plan?” Harold asked him in a whisper. “Dae ye want us tae kill them in their sleep?”

  He bowed his head discreetly, keeping his eyes focused on the MacKay seamen across the room. “Idiot. If they die within our care the blame will come on me. If we are going tae dae this right, then it has tae appear like an accident.”

  “What dae ye suggest?”

  Rodrick took a drink from his tankard. “We should nae be talking about this here. If word got out, the people would turn against me.”

  “I understand that, but we have limited time,” Harold reminded him.

  Ignoring him, the laird turned to their guests and said, “I had the servants prepare some rooms since yer arrival. It will be more comfortable than sleeping in the courtyard. I hope they provide rest and comfort in this time of need.”

  The MacKay captain, Matthew, stood from his table with the rest of his men and spoke clearly across the length separating them. “Thank ye, Laird MacDonnell. We appreciate yer hospitality.”

  Rodrick smiled thinly, taking another drink of ale. “It seems the next thing tae dae is tae return Bridget’s dowry tae her brother, Fionn—seeing as the marriage dinnae take place. It’s only proper.”

  Harold raised an eyebrow in the seat next to him but said nothing.

  “Of course. My men and I will set off in the morning,” Matthew informed them.

  “Might I suggest that fer the return journey, yer crew tae travel by land instead? With the risk of pirates along the Minch, that is surely the more prudent choice.”

  Matthew lowered his fork, confused. “But why would we go by land, when there’s a ship waiting in the harbor?”

  “Tae protect yer men, of course. Travelling by land is longer, but less likely tae encounter thieves. Surely, transporting a dowry would make yer ship a likely target. Believe me when I say, I’m only thinking of yer safety.”

  Matthew mulled over the advice. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt tae travel by land instead.”

  Rodrick smiled. “I could even provide some of my own guard tae protect ye on the journey. Men I trust, of course, tae make sure ye arrive at Castle Varrich safely. My personal guard, Harold, would be more than happy tae oblige.”

  Harold nodded in agreement, seeming to catch his master’s meaning. “Aye, ’twould be an honor.”

  Laird MacDonnell’s smile widened. “Then once the pirates have been dealt with, we’ll happily return yer ship.”

  The seamen murmured in agreement and looked to their captain for approval.

  “Very well,” Matthew told them. “But since the dowry was entrusted tae us, I require that my men guard it in shifts at all times. That way it is ne’er left unattended.”

  “I would nae have it any other way.”

  As the MacKays turned their attention back to the meal, Rodrick leaned in to whisper in Harold’s ear. “As soon as ye’ve left MacDonnell land, I want ye tae kill them all.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Castlebay Village, The Barra

  V alan noticed Bridget standing by the window again, and he frowned. Her wavy, chestnut hair was woven back in a pair of braids on either side of her face and then bound together near the back. She hadn’t left the cottage in days and was melancholy ever since he told her about the delay in their departure. He didn’t fully comprehend the reasons for Bridget’s distress, and feared that interfering would only serve to upset her even more.

  While he was contemplating what to do, Ailsa nudged him with her shoulder.

  “What?” he demanded quietly.

  “Ye see how unhappy the poor lass is. Dae something.”

  “I cannae change the plans of my crew just tae accommodate one person,” he reminded her. “The men deserve a break, they’ve earned it. I dinnae wish tae keep her here against her will, but there’s nae else that I can dae.”

  “That’s nae what I was suggesting,” the woman responded snippily. “I’m saying tae cheer her up a bit. The lass has been through enough already. At least, ye could try tae make her time with us more bearable.”

  “That’s true. I’ll see what I can dae. Maybe a trip tae the village will lift her spirits.”

  “Good lad. If ye make it tae the tavern, say ‘hello’ tae Bess fer me.”

  He nodded and walked over to Bridget by the window. Mollie sat on the floor beside her diligently, and wagged her tail when he asked, “Bridget, are ye well?”

  She turned to him and sighed. “Aye. I’m relieved my curse has passed—glad that I’m nae with child. I’m just trying nae tae think about it.”

  Valan nodded. “Aye. I’m relieved on yer behalf also. Now that ye’ve recovered, I hoped ye’d come with me tae the village and get some air. I could take ye tae see Elspeth and get some food at the tavern. What dae ye think?”

  She glanced up at him uncertainly. “I’m nae sure. I haven’t left the cottage since I got here, except fer visiting the docks.”

  “All the more reason ye should go,” he told her with a smile. “Come on, it will be good fer ye. I’ll be with ye every step of the way.”

  Mollie wagged her tail on the floor beside her and pawed at his feet for attention.

  The hint of a smile curved up around Bridget’s lips and she responded, “I suppose that’s better than sitting here waiting.”

  Valan
surprised himself, by feeling an unusual tightness in his chest and his heartbeat quickened. “Excellent, let’s be on our way.”

  As they walked over to the door, Bridget smiled at him. “So, what’s the name of this tavern ye’re taking me tae?”

  “The Salty Wench,” Valan responded. “Graeme and Elspeth live there with his Aunt Bess.”

  She nodded thoughtfully. “Ye’ve been very kind tae me. First, ye saved my life, and now ye provide me room and board. I owe ye an apology fer the way I treated ye when ye first came back. I was…nae myself.”

  “Ye dinnae have tae apologize fer anything. This must be a strange place fer ye, and ye’ve been through quite a lot.”

  “Thank ye. Still, I should have kept my temper. Ye’ve been nothing by kind tae me, and fer that I am grateful.”

  They walked in silence for a while until Bridget cleared her throat and asked, “Is it always like this? In the Barra, I mean. I’m nae quite sure yet what tae make of it. By all appearances, the men are pirates—yet there is a sense of honor among them I dinnae understand. It seems a contradiction.”

  Valan glanced over at her in his peripheral vision. “What does?”

  “Is it possible tae be a pirate and a man of honor…tae have a family,” Bridget explained. “How dae they do it?”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “I think it’s possible, though nae fer some. We live by a code of honor.”

  “Which is?”

  “Take what we need from those who can afford it, but nae at the cost of innocent lives.”

  “I was just thinking what a curious village this place is,” Bridget told him. “It filled with families and character. The men all work together fer a communal purpose. And even ye, as a captain, serve the men with the sweat of yer brow.”

  “It’s different than how they do things on the mainland,” he agreed. “I serve the people of Clan MacNeil. Right now, Laird Thomas is the one who rules, but it will nae always be the case. Eventually, his daughter Claire will take his place.”

  “What dae ye mean? I’ve ne’er heard of a woman ruling.”

  He shrugged. “Laird MacNeil wished tae ensure his daughter’s future as leader of the clan by having the captains pledge their allegiance.” He chuckled dryly. “Can ye imagine what it would be like if the men here quarreled over the line of succession?”

  “That would be a problem,” she agreed.

  “Exactly. The most important thing is fer the clan tae survive. Tae dae that, we sometimes resort tae other means. But its nae fer greed, its only tae ensure there’s enough food and shelter fer those who need it.”

  Bridget frowned. “There are other ways to ensure a community thrives.”

  “True, but tradition is a difficult thing tae break. Fer many of the people here, it’s the only life they’ve ever kent.”

  She tugged lightly at the shawl around her shoulders and said, “I understand. Thank ye fer explaining that tae me.”

  They continued down the road to the Salty Wench. Eventually, they made it to the establishment and went inside. As he glanced over at her, Valan appreciated the tunic and legging changes to Bridget’s attire. Seeing her dress like the women of Clan MacNeil stirred something deep within him he could not identify. He couldn’t explain why, but it appealed to him.

  The dining area bustled with conversation and filled with villagers from wall to wall. He breathed in deeply with a smile and glanced down at Bridget to gauge her reaction. Her eyes were wide and inquisitive as she glanced around the room but didn’t seem afraid. Valan took that as a sign of progress and lead them over to an empty table. Rough, wooden tables were scattered throughout the dining room, and the door to the kitchen on the back wall was open. The delicious smell of steamed vegetables and meat wafted from the kitchens, and Bridget sat across from him with her hands beneath the table. Valan observed her curiously, and his eyes lingered on her fair complexion.

  “So, tell me about yerself, Bridget. I’ve been telling ye all about what it’s like in Castlebay, yet I ken nothing about where ye’re from.”

  Bridget’s cheeks turned pink. “What dae ye want tae ken?”

  He shrugged, raising his arm to summon the nearest bar wench, and said, “Well, ye could start by telling me about yer family. Seeing as we’ve got some time on our hands, ye and I may as well get tae ken each other.”

  While he spoke, a bar wench named Adrienne came over to their table and brought them each a tankard of ale. It was the same buxom lassie he’d set his eyes on a week before, yet now his interest in her was significantly diminished. She leaned over to bat her eyes at him and said, “Good day, Captain. What can I bring ye?”

  “Meat pies, fer the lass and I,” he responded. “And if ye see Elspeth, would ye tell her I’d like a word?”

  The girl nodded, casting a nasty glance in Bridget’s direction before heading off toward the kitchens.

  Bridget seemed to relax after the girl left, and said, “Well, I have two older brothers, Fionn and William. My mam died when I was born, and my da…” Her voice cracked. “He was killed in the raid when our ship was attacked.”

  Valan nodded sympathetically. “My da was killed in a raid as well, many years ago. He was a good man; I miss him terribly.”

  “Well, we have that at least in common.”

  “Dae ye think ’twas random?” he asked her curiously. “Or was yer ship targeted fer a reason?”

  “I dinnae ken.”

  He pursed his lips in thought. “Regardless, it’s clear they mistreated ye—”

  “I dinnae want tae talk about it,” she blurted.

  Valan blanched, realizing his mistake, and placed his hand on top of hers. “I’m sorry. I dinnae mean tae upset ye.”

  Bridget nodded, peeking over her cup to where the bar wench would be coming with their food. “It’s fine.”

  They stared at one another quietly until the door swung open behind them. Valan glimpsed over toward it casually and saw Kent and Niall walk in from outside. He grinned when they walked to his table and raised the cup in welcome. “Good day, lads. It’s good tae see ye.”

  “Captain! We heard that ye were here,” Kent responded happily. His eyes flicked to Bridget sitting at the table across from him and said, “Oh! Ye must be the lass from a week ago. Forgive me, I dinnae recognize ye.”

  Bridget smiled and gave each of them a nod.

  Valan gestured for the men to sit and told her, “Bridget, this is my quartermaster, Kent, and his brother, Niall. They both had a hand in yer rescue as well. Lads allow me tae introduce Miss Bridget. We were just getting ourselves a bite tae eat.”

  “Well, it’s a pleasure tae meet ye, Bridget!” Kent greeted her with a nod. “Ye’re looking much better than the last time that we saw ye. Dae ye mind if we join ye fer a drink?”

  “Of course nae.”

  They each grabbed a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up alongside.

  “So…Bridget,” Kent started awkwardly. “Where are ye from originally?”

  His dirty, blond hair was almost long enough to be pulled back in a top knot, and he had the starting of a beard.

  Bridget shifted uncomfortably in her chair and when she opened her mouth to speak, Valan stepped in to rescue her. “She was just telling me that she needs safe passage tae Castle Strome. As soon as ye men are rested, I propose we assist her in that journey.”

  Niall raised a bushy eyebrow. “Aye. ’Twould be an honor tae assist the lass on her journey.”

  Bridget smiled at him gratefully over the rim of her drink and it warmed his heart.

  Dinnae get ahead of yerself, he warned. She isn’t staying.

  Fond as he was of her, Valan didn’t want to get feelings involved with business. There was no point in becoming emotionally invested—all it would do is hurt them both. He broke their gaze and took another drink from the wooden tankard.

  Just then, Adrienne came back into the dining hall carrying their meat pies and brought them over to the table. Gra
eme and Elspeth were right behind her and a couple waved to them from across the room. Elspeth grinned ear to ear as she came over to their table, saying, “Bridget! How lovely tae see ye up and about.”

  Bridget laughed in surprise, standing up from her seat to embrace the woman gently. “Good evening, Elspeth. How are ye faring?”

  Elspeth placed a hand over her belly and smiled. “The wee bairn gives me little rest. I’ll be relieved once this whole ordeal is over.”

  Valan grinned at her. “We’re all looking forward tae meeting the wee one as well.” Turning his attention to Bridget, he added, “Elspeth here was a surgeon on Graeme’s crew before they decided tae fall in love and start a life together. She’s one of the finest healers I’ve ever seen—an absolute gem of a woman.”

  Elspeth blushed at the compliment and said, “Thank ye, Valan. ’Tis kind of ye tae say, but I’ll admit I’m a wee bit out of practice. I did the best I could under the circumstances. That’s why I’m teaching Ailsa, and a few other lasses in the village the healing arts. I cannae be everywhere at once.”

  “’Tis noble of ye tae share yer gift,” Bridget told her.

  Elspeth’s husband, Graeme, walked up beside her and placed his arm around her waist. “All is well?”

  “Aye,” Elspeth responded. “Valan is entertaining his guest, along with some of his crew. I came over tae say ‘hello’ and see how they are doing.”

  Niall pulled out a deck of cards while they were talking and set them on the table. “Ellie, would ye or Graeme be interested in a game of cards?”

  Graeme’s smile widened, reaching behind himself to pull up another chair. “Ye ken me too well, Niall. Go on and deal.”

  “Cards?” Bridget asked them. “I haven’t played in years! My brothers and I used tae play with them all the time when we were little.”

  Niall chuckled as he glanced over at the dark-haired captain, saying, “Many years ago, Graeme was living in Spain while learning how tae fence. When he came back, Graeme brought a few decks of cards with him and taught us how tae play. However, this particular deck he gave tae me when he saw how keen I was tae play. Ye’re welcome tae join us also if ye’d like.”