Twenty-Three
“What do you mean you lost her?” Brodie roared as Michael stood before him. The younger man didn’t cower; he didn’t even look remorseful.
“She wandered off, ma laird.”
“There is no wandering off when you’re her detail. You go where she goes.”
“Some bright little bauble likely caught her eye. She’s probably spending yer coin on a new hair ribbon or to get more expensive fabric that she likes.”
“Shut yer gob afore I knock every bluidy tooth from yer flapping gums. Dinna think I will forgive and forget because I dinna deal with ye now. Once Lady Campbell is with us, I shall beat ye within a hair’s breadth of yer life.” Brodie shoved Michael away, furious at the news that Laurel wasn’t with them. But he trusted she could manage the market on her own. It was Michael’s flippancy that angered him. He’d known the man since Michael was a child and had never liked him. But Michael entered the lists because his father and uncles were warriors for Brodie’s father. There was little thought given whether he would remain among Brodie’s forces when Brodie inherited the lairdship. But now Brodie wondered if he’d erred in assuming Michael would mature. He’d brought him on the journey to give him that opportunity. Not only had the man disappointed him, Brodie no longer trusted him.
“Lead the way,” Graham barked as he shoved Michael’s shoulder from behind. Brodie ordered one man to remain behind with the horses, then followed Michael and Wallace, the other man he’d tasked with Laurel’s safety. They worked their way through the market, but Brodie couldn’t spot Laurel, and his two derelict guards were no help. Brodie grew alarmed when he realized how busy the market had grown as they moved toward the waterfront. He scanned the crowd, praying he would spy a head of reddish-blonde locks, but he found nothing.
“Naught but trouble.” Brodie heard the grumble from one of his men. The man muttered it under his breath, so Brodie couldn’t tell who said it.
“Should have kenned. Michael’s likely right. She’s gotten herself lost after buying some do-dad or another. Ay up!” Brodie looked back to find Graham’s hand moving away from Walter’s head. The man was Wallace’s uncle. Brodie wondered what else his men thought. He’d believed they’d accepted Laurel after spending so many hours with her, but now he feared they’d already closed their minds to her despite the kindness she’d shown them on their wedding day.
“She’s still your lady,” Graham snapped.
“Pair up and ask around. We meet here in twenty minutes,” Brodie ordered. He looked at Graham, but his second looked as perplexed as he felt. “Where could she have gone? Laurel would not wonder off. If she wanted something from the market, she would have told me. If she was upset aboot something she would have most definitely told me.”
“I ken, Brodie,” Graham kept his voice low, abandoning formality. “Something is very wrong with this.”
“Do you think she went back to the tavern?”
“That would be my guess.”
The pair turned toward where they’d had lunch, struggling to make their way along the busy lanes. When the tavern keeper told them what he’d heard, Brodie was certain he would tear Michael apart. He’d never sent a message that he was ready for Laurel to join him. One horse needed a new shoe, so they would have been delayed an hour. He wanted Laurel to rest for as long as she could. Between their lack of sleep as newlyweds and the rigors of traveling on horseback, Brodie knew the journey exhausted her.
“I need to find her. Then I will kill Michael and Wallace. Whatever’s befallen my wife, they were a part of it.”
“But why?” Graham looked as baffled as Brodie felt—when his anger wasn’t about to boil over.
“You heard what they said. They think she’s frivolous and selfish. They know aboot the wagers and aboot me compromising Laurel. Do you think they believe I didn’t marry her by choice?”
“That’s my thought. If they think she trapped you, they might think you don’t want to be married. How far do you think they would go to free you, so to speak?
“They’re men trained to fight and kill. I wouldn’t put aught past them,” Brodie growled. Then shook his head. “Nay. They may not like her, but not every one of them is dishonorable. I don’t think it involves all of them.”
“I pray that’s the case, or we have another disaster on our hands.”
“Aye. Treason.”
Graham watched the resolve settle across Brodie’s features, and he caught himself shivering. He didn’t expect Michael or Wallace to return to Kilchurn with them, but he wondered what fate awaited anyone else involved. He couldn’t be the only one to see his laird loved his lady. They returned to where they left the men. Each pair reported the same thing: they hadn’t seen Laurel, and neither had anyone they asked. Brodie noticed a shift in the men’s demeanor. Most looked worried, and a few ever looked fearful.
“Laird?” Brodie looked at Walter, who shifted nervously before looking at Wallace. “Ma nephew or Michael must have led Lady Campbell to someone. If they’d just left her alone, one of us would have found her.”
Michael glared mutinously, but Wallace looked conflicted. “If you ken aught, Wallace, speak up,” Walter pleaded. “Think what will happen when yer ma and da learn ye were a part of this. Yer da will nae forgive ye.”
“Aye, so what’s the point in speaking up?” Michael snapped. “He doesnae ken aught, anyway.”
Brodie stepped in front of Michael. “As much I wish to kill you where you stand, I won’t until you tell me who you handed Lady Campbell over to.” Michael looked unimpressed. “I said I wouldn’t kill you. I didn’t say I wouldn’t torture you.”
“Laird!” Graham ran toward Brodie, who hadn’t seen Graham walk to the ferry landing. “The dockmaster saw Lady Campbell board on the arm of a mon. He said she tried to get out of the crowd, telling him she had no coin to pay her fare, but another mon already on board said he would pay. He said she looked surprised but didn’t try to get away. But he also admitted that they were already underway, and a group of men in different plaids surrounded her.”
“Lamonts?” Brodie demanded.
“Nay, but two MacDougalls.”
