In the guise of the children’s nurse she might be able to talk Sir Alexander out of what he was planning for her. Rumor said that he had once been a very charming seducer. If he discovered that she was Ailis MacFarlane, however, MacDubh would find the use of her a thing to savor, for he would know how it would stab at the heart of the too-proud Colin MacFarlane. The more she considered the matter, the more inevitable rape seemed, so she tried not to think about it, something she failed miserably at. She vainly fought an encroaching sense of resignation.
When the dark walls of Rathmor came into view, her air of calm was even harder to maintain. Rescue would now be difficult and costly, in both time and in men. It would all depend on how badly the blood tie between the MacCordy and the MacFarlane clan was desired. There could well be no rescue attempt at all. As far as the children were concerned, Colin MacFarlane could consider himself well rid of a heavy and embarrassing burden.
Suddenly the time she had struggled to gain back in the clearing was no longer desirable. Time could now lose her her maidenhead. Time could now tear away her disguise as a mere nurse. Time could now buy her nothing but trouble. In fact, she thought as the thick gates of Rathmor thundered shut behind her, time could now become her worse enemy.
“If we continue on like this, we will kill the horses.” Malcolm MacCordy dragged his forearm across his face, using his shirtsleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow. He scowled up at the afternoon sun and then looked around the clearing they were in.
As he reined in beside his cousin, Donald snapped, “We havena found them yet.” His father, brother, and most of the ten men-at-arms with them muttered agreement. “Do we just quit, then?”
“The moment ye kenned that the children were outside of Leargan, ye tumbled into a panic.” Malcolm spoke in a low voice, for he did not want the men-at-arms learning of the MacCordys’ deep interest in the children.
“And so we should have. Colin is a fool. Letting the bairns roam free is much akin to dropping a full purse in the town square and hoping it will be left untouched.”
“And riding about hour after hour like crazed idiots makes us wiser than Colin?”
“We need those children!”
Malcolm bit his tongue against all the words he wished to say. If the MacCordys had not been so grasping and dishonest, they might well have an ally or two left. Then they would not have such a need for the children. In truth, they were nearly encircled by people who had a grudge against them, and first amongst those were the MacDubhs. Malcolm suspected that the MacDubhs were behind the disappearance of Ailis and the children.
“We arena succeeding this way.” Malcolm struggled to be tactful and finally said, “I think we need to rest and rethink our plans.”
“Aye,” agreed William. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“Oh? And what wouldyeken about a good idea?” Donald yelled at his younger brother. “Ye are naught but a witless fool!”
With a shake of his head, Malcolm dismounted as his cousins began to bicker in earnest. He watered his horse, loosely tethered the animal, then collapsed beneath a large tree. He watched in bored amusement as the graying Duncan joined in the argument between his two burly sons. The rest of the men dismounted, watered their horses, and let the animals graze as the three men continued their quarrel. Malcolm mused that it did not require any great wit to know that riding around the countryside at full gallop and shouting was no way to proceed, but there was no way to tell his cousins that.
Malcolm sighed, idly brushed some grass from the front of his elegant black jupon, and reached for his waterbag. Then he grew tense and still. He narrowed his eyes as he searched the ground for exactly what had so briefly yet fully caught his eye. It took several moments of close scrutiny, but then he understood. Someone had done a good job of trying to conceal it, but he knew some sort of confrontation had occurred on that very spot and not too long ago. He could now discern where the moss and grass had been trampled, even gouged in a few places. When he made a wider search of the ground, he discovered a few splotches of blood still sticky to the touch. Instinct told him the blood must be from a fight between Jaime and whoever had tried to kidnap Ailis and the children.
But in which direction had they ridden? Silently Malcolm searched the area in an ever-widening circle. His efforts brought him rewards just as the others ended their tirade and began to eye him warily. Malcolm paid his bulkier cousins no heed. Not far beyond the clearing there was ample sign of the recent presence of a large force of mounted men. Malcolm followed the trail of the riders a few yards. Now it was clear who had Ailis and the children. It surprised him some that, as all evidence indicated, they had also taken Jaime. Malcolm’s thin face tightened into a grim expression as he acknowledged the possible death of all the MacCordys’ grand plans and the fury his kinsmen would display when he told them. He strolled back to his cousins.
“They were here, but they are long since gone,” he announced.
Donald scowled at him and scratched his softening stomach. “What do ye mean? We were here but a short while ago and saw nothing.”
“We didna look close enough.” With his cousins at his heels, Malcolm began to point out all he had just discovered. “I think the blood is from that brute your tiny bride keeps at her side, Donald. Aye, and some from the ones who brought him down. The ones who did this made a nearly perfect job of concealing their tracks. It bought them the time they needed to get back to their lair before anyone came to look for the bairns and Mistress MacFarlane.” Having shown his cousins all the clues he had uncovered, Malcolm leaned against the gnarled tree he had sprawled beneath earlier. “From the direction the riders took when they left here, I think we all ken who has taken the lass and the children.”
“Aye,” snarled Duncan after indulging in a hearty and profane bout of cursing. “The MacDubhs. If Alexander MacDubh doesna ken who the bairns are now, he will ere his brother sets eyes on the bastards.”
“I think he kens very well who those bairns are,” said Malcolm, running his long fingers through his dark brown hair. “A man doesna come on a raid at midday without good reason. Nor does he leave his lands at this time of the year if he can avoid it. There is just too much work that needs to be done. Pulling men from their work now could well bring hunger in the winter months ahead. Nay, MacDubh came here for a reason, a very good reason, and I ken that it fell into his very lap. The man probably canna believe his luck. I think ye have lost this game, Cousin.”
“Nay!” bellowed Donald, then quickly lowered his voice. “There may yet be a chance to retrieve our loss. Aye, the MacDubh will want to hold fast to the children, but he willna keep Ailis. A ransom will be asked for her. Why, even the greatest of fools can see the worth of such a prisoner.”
“Aye, and the MacDubh’s no fool. However, if the lass is as wise as I feel she is, she will do her utmost to try and hide the truth of who she is.”
“I canna see that,” muttered William, revealing to Malcolm that he could easily be as thick-witted as so many accused him of being. “The MacDubhs will ransom her, free her, if she tells them who she is.”
Malcolm refrained from telling his young cousin how wrong he was, for he had learned years ago that pointing out his faulty reasoning did no good. “The MacDubhs have sworn vengeance against the MacFarlanes for the treacherous murder of their father. It would greatly please them to have Colin’s niece, his only heir unless that half-wit Colin married has a bairn. The MacDubhswillransom Ailis, but they will use her ill first. The chance to taste vengeance by abusing Colin’s heir will be a temptation too sweet to refuse.”
Donald swore viciously. “That bastard MacDubh will use her anyway.”
“As any man would do if he found himself in possession of as sweet a piece as Ailis MacFarlane is,” agreed Malcolm. “I was meaning that she wouldna be passed amongst the men if she can hide who she really is. She willna be returned a maiden, but that is a small loss compared to what she could be if she were used roughly by all at Rathmor. Ye might yet get a taste of what ye have so hungered for, Donald.”
“Aye, but only after a MacDubh has savored it first. A cursed MacDubh was between the legs of Mairi ere I could have her. Now there will be one between the legs of Ailis. I am sore weary of MacDubhs taking the maidenheads of the lasses I am betrothed to.”
“Ye werena betrothed to Mairi,” said William, and he ducked to avoid Donald’s swinging fist. “Ye werena.”
“I was soon to be betrothed to her.” Donald ceased trying to strike his young brother and put his gloved fist on his hips. “I had to wait until her idiot of a father decided she was of an age to marry, but Barra MacDubh slid his sword into my sheath ere the betrothal toasts were raised.”
