Jemma pointed to the far end of the hall. “There,” she said. “They were sitting at the table with Annie. But they’ve gone– and so is Annie.”
Kieran and Jemma looked at each other at the same time, with the same expression. It was a moment of both realization and concern. Annaleigh was gone, Argyle and Brendan were gone…
That was not a good sign.
“Find them, Kieran,” Jemma hissed, climbing off the bench with her husband’s help. “I dunna know where they’d be, but ye must find them.”
“How long since you last saw them?”
Jemma was looking around the hall desperately to see if they might be somewhere in the vast group of men and servants.
“Not long,” she said. “Mayhap ten minutes or more?”
Kieran simply nodded and headed out of the hall. He’d have to wait to find War because finding Annaleigh with her two unscrupulous cousins was more imperative at the moment. Jemma’s timeline gave him a sense of context, as he was certain they couldn’t have fled the confines of Castle Questing in that time. But they could get into trouble.
What trouble, he didn’t know.
He had to find them.
Christian was just coming in the doorway as his father was walking out. Kieran grasped his son by the arm.
“Have you seen Annie?” he asked.
Christian shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “But Argyle and Brendan are here. One of the sentries told me.”
Kieran nodded quickly. “I know,” he said. “They told your mother that they had a message to deliver to Annie in privateand now they’re all missing. Help me find them, Christian. Those men are not to be trusted and especially not with her.”
Christian knew that. His manner turned serious.
“But where would they go?” he said, looking around. Then he darted around the side of the hall where the walled garden was. Kieran was on his heels but they could both see the empty garden through the gate. “They’re not here. I’ll check the keep and you can check the stables.”
Kieran nodded. “Hurry, lad,” he said, slapping an affectionate hand on his son’s shoulder. “If they’re not in the stables, I’ll head to the knights’ quarters.”
“Right,” Christian said. “What do you want me to do if I find them?”
Kieran cocked an unhappy eyebrow. “Get those two bastards away from Annie and out to the gatehouse,” he said. “I do not want that pair running loose until I find outwhythey’ve come. They would not tell your mother, but by damn, they’re going to tell me. Or else.”
Christian knew what “or else” meant. His father had very creative ways of interrogation. He was already running off towards the keep as Kieran headed off to the stables.
As usual, the compound of Castle Questing was lit up with dozens of torches against the night sky. William made sure that the entire great wall was lit up as well as the inner wall that divided the small inner ward from the outer ward. That meant light was cast everywhere, almost as bright as daylight sometimes, and Kieran could see the stables in the distance.
The stables had its own yard, tucked up against the northwest wall. At this time of night, it was quiet because the animals had been secured for the night long ago and, usually, there was a servant who kept an eye on them throughout the night. That servant had been known to spend most of the night in the hall, however, only venturing out to the stables onoccasion. William kept him on because his knowledge of horses was excellent, so they tolerated his propensity to dally in the hall during the night.
As Kieran approached the stables, he didn’t see the servant, but he wasn’t surprised. Everything seemed quiet at the stables for the most part, with only one door open of the two big, double doors at the entry. It was for ventilation at this time of year. He was about thirty feet away, just entering the yard, when Annaleigh suddenly appeared in the open door with Brendan on her back. In truth, the man tackled her and she crashed into the door jamb, smacking her head and landing in a heap. Brendan landed on top of her.
Startled, Kieran began to run.
“Release her!” he boomed. “Brendan, let her go immediately!”
Panicked, Brendan looked up to see Kieran barreling into the yard. He grabbed Annaleigh by the arm, yanking her up and against him, as Argyle suddenly appeared and put the blade of a dagger right against her chest.
“Stop or she dies!” he shouted.
Kieran came to a halt so quickly that he skidded in the dirt. He was about ten feet away now, frozen in place, as Brendan hauled Annaleigh up against him and her head rolled back. It was then that Kieran could see the blood all over the left side of her face, dripping down onto the swell of her pale bosom even as he watched.
But Argyle’s blade never moved from her chest.
“You’ll never leave here alive if you do not release her,” Kieran growled. “She’s hurt, Argyle. Give her to me.”
