Arran looked back at her and said reassuringly, “Dinnae worry, Skye. He breathes strong and sure. He’ll be fine. And look!”
He held up a ring with several keys attached, and hope bloomed in her chest.
“Those will get us out of here. Grayson will have every exit locked, but if we can get to one that isnae guarded…” Skye paused for a moment, but then her eyes lit up. “I ken just where to go.”
Arran followed her through an elaborate maze of corridors, hidden passages, and even a room of an elder still snoozing in her bed. Finally, they reached a door that he assumed led outside, and Skye opened it quickly.
Arran poked his head outside and looked around. He motioned for Skye to follow him, and they crept along the outer wall of the castle until they reached the corner.
Skye’s earlier optimism evaporated. Despite the early hour, the door leading out of the courtyard was heavily guarded. Arran looked around, and despite the guards, he headed in the direction of the gate. Skye shook her head earnestly, her eyes widening in fear.
Arran looked into her frightened eyes. “Look at me,” he whispered calmly. “Skye, take me hand.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Skye didn’t immediately take his hand, but his plea for her to come with him stirred her soul. She knew if he took her with him, she’d slow him down, and yet he still insisted that she come with him.
Finally, she nodded.
He pointed to a horse and carriage standing less than ten yards away. The guards at the courtyard gate were busy warming their hands around a fire, but there were two in the east tower. As Arran and Skye scurried around the castle wall, they were mostly out of sight.
Arran lifted his hand, and Skye stopped and leaned back against the wall, trying to blend into the stones. Arran watched the tower and the guards at the gate. Finally, they crossed the final distance to the carriage, opened the door, and climbed inside.
“Lie on the floor, Skye,” he instructed.
She did as she was told, and he did his best to fold his tall frame into the space that was left. He leaned as far back in the seat as he could.
“Now what?” she whispered.
“Now we wait.”
“Until what? And whose carriage is this?”
“We wait here until the owner of this carriage leaves. We’ll ride out the front gate.”
Skye frowned. “What if he sees us?”
But before Arran could answer, the horns blared—their escape was discovered.
“Man the gates! MacArthur and the Laird’s daughter have escaped. Nae one enters, and nae one leaves!” Arran heard a man shout.
Skye, from her awkward position on the floor of the small carriage, looked up at him and threw up her hands as if to say,Now what?
He motioned for her to wait.
Arran listened closely to the activity outside the carriage—guards reporting on their fruitless search of the castle, others being sent to examine the surrounding buildings. Blackwell shouted orders to every available man or woman to search lands surrounding the castle.
An hour passed. His neck and back ached from lying in the small seat.
“When I find them, I want Arran Gilroy punished, Magnus!” he heard Blackwell shout. “He’ll nae make me look like a fool!”
“Well, if ye find them, ye send word, ye hear? This dispute can be settled peacefully. There’s nae need for a feud with the MacArthurs. Ye can settle this without a fight.”
Laird MacKeith grunted in response.
“And ye say he just attacked ye for nary reason? That doesnae make sense. And kidnapped yer daughter?”
“That he did, and I’ve got witnesses that will back up me claims. The man needs to pay for what he’s done.”
