Chapter 13
“Your lady seems to have disappeared.”
“Say again.” Alexander halted mid-step of his pacing in front of the small fire burning at the back of the cave. Nerves raw as though he’d been skinned alive, he’d waited at the plateau until Magnus had returned and then the infuriating man had vexed him even more by refusing to divulge any information until they’d reached the cavern and the other men.
“Gone.” Magnus stressed the word with a flamboyant opening of one hand toward the mouth of the grotto as though releasing a bird to freedom. “The keep was in such a stir to find her, I’d thought for certain that ye’d disregarded my advice and somehow swept the lass right out from under their noses.” Magnus folded his arms across his chest and gave Alexander a scolding look. “Fair pissed at ye, I was for no' including me in your wee adventure.”
“Gone,” Alexander repeated, ignoring Magnus’s uncharacteristic jovialness. What the devil was wrong with the man? Catriona’s well-being was at stake here. “How the hell is shegonefrom there?” 'Twas all he could do to keep from throttling Magnus for giving him such disturbing information in such a callous way. “Spit out the details, man, afore I kill ye and if ye value your arse, ye’ll adjust your attitude and lose the levity.”
Magnus's rare, light-hearted humor evaporated like the morning mist seared away by the rising sun. “Forgive me, but I felt the news that the lass had so quick escaped them deserved a small bit of celebration.”
“Celebration? We’ll no' celebrate 'til Catriona is at my side, ye ken?” Alexander stabbed the air with a pointing finger aimed at Magnus. “Details. Now.”
“The old housekeeper discovered her missing when she took her a bowl of parritch to break her fast.” Magnus accepted a dried oatcake from Sutherland, bit off a hunk, and chewed a damn sight too long to suit Alexander.
Sensing Alexander’s displeasure, Magnus hurried to wash it down with a swig from a skin of water. Nose wrinkled and lips drawn at what must have been the stale taste, he drew a small flask of whisky out from an inner pocket of his jacket and took a quick nip. His displeased look disappeared. “Two serving lads have gone missing as well. One of them had a sister working in the kitchens. I spoke with her. She thinks the boys helped Catriona escape. Said that her brother Sawny had sworn revenge on the entire clan for no' protecting old Murtagh and kent well enough that Catriona would help him see justice served.”
Sawny. Alexander pondered a long moment, sorting through his memories atTor Ruadh.The image of the red-haired lad always in the middle of some kerfuffle came to mind.Aye. Sawny.The memory triggered a sad smile. He remembered the lad and Catriona’s exasperated fondness for the boy. He blinked away the thought and turned to study Magnus. “Where would they take her? She has to be close. They’ve no' had time to do anything but hide her.”
“That I couldna discover,” Magnus said as he paced alongside Alexander. “Ye said ye watched the keep the whole time, aye? Ye saw no one come or go?”
Alexander thought back, racing through all he’d seen during his watch. A heavy sigh escaped him along with a slow shake of his head. Catriona had to be close to the keep, maybe even still within it. Hidden rooms and passages honeycombed most keeps. He felt certain Clan Neal’s stronghold was the same. But where? While Magnus’s report was frustrating, it spawned hope and a small amount of solace because Catriona was no’ alone in her trials at present. She’d found a pair of daring allies. Then a disturbing thought occurred to him.
“Ye best go back and fetch Sawny’s sister,” he said to Magnus. “There’s no telling what Calum might do to get information from her and that could verra well flush Sawny and the other lad out of hiding.”
Magnus huffed out a low laugh as he took another drink from his flask. “The admirable lads already thought of that. Young Mistress Jenny had her possessions packed and was slipping out of the keep when I intercepted her.” Magnus chuckled again. “Poor lass. I gave her quite the scare.”
“Ye have that effect on women,” Graham interjected as he sauntered forward out of the shadows and joined the men in front of the fire.
“Aye,” Duncan chimed in from his post at the cave’s entrance. With a teasing grin, he made a casual motion toward Magnus. “That pale skin and those eyes of yours. Women think ye’re the grim reaper come to take them away.”
Magnus ignored the men, directing his conversation to Alexander. “I made sure she was well beyond the curtain walls afore I left her. She’s headed to kin near Fort William.”
Alexander felt better with that knowledge but it still didna change the fact he was no closer to finding Catriona. He paced his way to the mouth of the cave, stepped out into the clearing, and studied the horizon. 'Twas already the eerie half-lit time between night and day. The in-between time that toyed with the senses, making shadows sinister and rocks and trees look like predators about to attack. The full light of the rising sun would be upon them soon.
Magnus and the other men joined him. “Well?” Graham asked. “Act now or rest during the day and wait 'til nightfall?”
“I’m going down there.” No way in hell could he wait an entire day and the suggestion of resting was absurd. He turned to his men.
“Alasdair and Ian.” He waited until those two stepped to the front of the group. No matter what happened, he’d keep his cousins together. Ian’s stability was still a troubling uncertainty and Alasdair was the only one who stood a chance at helping his brother bear his grief over the loss of his wife and not go spiraling off the cliff into the abyss of insanity. “The two of ye hie yourselves toward Fort William. If a regiment's headed this way, they’ll most likely come from that direction. Find them. Assess them. Then return here, aye?”
The brothers nodded and without a word, went to their horses, mounted and left.
“Duncan and Sutherland,” Alexander said, adrenaline thrumming his voice into the low deepness of a drum call to arms. Warmongering excitement heated his blood as his plan set into motion. “Catriona’s betrothed could be headed this way as we speak. Find Jameson Campbell. One of ye stay with him and one of ye report back here with your information, ye ken?”
“We could kill him,” Duncan offered.
“Aye,” Sutherland agreed as they turned to go to their horses. “He is a Campbell, ye ken?”
Alexander shook his head. As much as he agreed with his brother’s reasoning, they didna need to kill the man—no' just yet. “No killing. Yet. Understand?”
Sutherland acknowledged the order with a lifted hand and a shrug. “Aye, brother. We willna kill him—yet.”
Alexander watched his youngest brothers ride away then turned back to Graham and Magnus. “I intend to approach the keep from the farthest side where the curtain wall connects to the cave housing the stable. 'Tis the direct opposite from where ye entered, Magnus, and 'twas well out of my view as I stood watch. They couldha taken her there without us knowing.”
Magnus nodded. “I would assume that where ye speak of should have the same weakness as this side. We should be able to breach it as easy.”
“And us?” Graham asked.
