“Dinnaeworry, lass. We will fetch them back.”
“Ipray ye are right, Robert. Otherwise, Dougal’s ransom is gone.”
Ruaricursed softly as he crept toward the moat. One touch with his fingers wasenough to tell him that the summer’s heat had done very little to warm thewater. His wounds were nearly healed, but the exertion needed to creep out ofDunweare had left them aching. He doubted that even a short swim in such icywaters would do them much good.
“Weare almost free, Cousin,” said Beatham as he crouched on the bank of the moatnext to Ruari.
“Almost.Dinnae let your hopes rise so high they make you foolish, however. We couldstill be taken. Aye, anywhere ‘twixt here and home.”
“Oncewe are on the other side of this moat, we can run toward the wood and safety.”
“Mayhaponce we are inside the wood I will feel safer, but at this moment all I can seeis a great deal of open ground and far too many chances of being seen.”
“Areye verra certain ye are weel enough to do this?” Beatham asked. “I ken that yeare a miraculously fast healer, Cousin, but it has been barely a fortnightsince ye were gravely wounded.”
“Iam weel enough to flee this cursed place. Cease trying to use my injuries toreturn to Dunweare and Margaret Hay. Get in the water and try to cross it assilently as possible.” Ruari gritted his teeth as he eased his own body intothe cold water, feeling the chill bite deeply into his barely healed wounds.
“Atleast the water is clean,” said Beatham through equally gritted teeth.
“Howcan ye tell that in the dark?”
“Thereis no smell to it.”
Ruaritook a deep breath and realized his cousin was right. Despite the cold, thetension in his body eased a little, and he knew he had been somewhat concernedabout exactly what he might be swimming in. As soon as he touched the far bank,he hauled himself out of the water then turned to help his cousin up theembankment. Both of them were shivering badly, and Ruari prayed that the nightair did not grow any cooler, or they could easily contract a deadly chill.
Hewas about to tell Beatham that they must move to the trees when a faint lightfell over him from behind. Fury tightened his stomach as he realized what thatlight meant. They had failed.
“Andjust where did ye think ye were going?” asked a soft, sultry voice Ruarirecognized with ease.
Sorchashook her head as both men turned to look at her. She did not need the lightfrom the lantern to show her how wet and cold they were. She could hear theirteeth chattering.
“Wefelt we had abused your hospitality long enough, mistress,” Ruari replied.
“Howconsiderate ye are, sir. Howbeit, there is no need for you to creep off likethieves in the night. We are more than willing to accommodate you both untilyour kinsmen come to take ye home. Gentlemen,” she called to the four armed menwith her, including Robert and his son, “please escort our guests back to theirchambers. We would not wish them to take a chill whilst in our care.”
Ashe was led toward the imposing gates of Dunweare, two burly men flanking him,Ruari heard the sound of the drawbridge being lowered. He looked at Sorcha whowalked just to his right and in front. “How did ye find us? I heard no outcryand saw no change at all in the activity upon the walls or in the cottages weslipped past.”
“Notall our guards are visible,” she replied and grinned when Robert and the otherDunweare men laughed softly.
“Whatdo ye mean?” Ruari demanded.
“Crayton,my ghost, told me ye were creeping down the hillside.”
“Yewish me to believe my escape has been thwarted by a spirit?”
“Idinnae care if ye believe it or not. ‘Tis the way of it.”
Beathamnodded. “Margaret said—“
“Cousin,”snapped Ruari, immediately silencing the youth. “Ye cannae mean to tell me thatye believe in all this nonsense?”
Sorchasmiled when, even in the dark, she could see the high color in Beatham’scheeks, and the way he nervously eyed her. “Ye shouldnae demand that the monmake such a definite statement of belief or disbelief, Sir Ruari. He fears toanger you by saying ‘aye’ and yet fears to offend me by saying ‘nay.’ Leave himthe right to hold his opinion to himself.”
Ruariwas about to reply when the four Hay men stumbled over a rut in the dark. Heimmediately took advantage of their distraction. Slapping Beatham on the arm inorder to get the youth to follow him, Ruari bolted for the wood. He did nothave much confidence in his chances of escape, but hated to walk back intoDunweare with the meekness of a lamb. Only briefly did he fear that his andBeatham’s lives were in danger. The Hays wanted them hale and alive, for theyneeded the ransom. He smiled when he heard the startled, angry cries of Sorchaand her men. There was some small pleasure to be found in making the Hays workhard for their prize.
Thethick protection of the forest was just steps away when Ruari experienced afeeling he had endured only once before. A coldness swept through his alreadychilled body, and he grew completely disoriented. Dizzy and unsteady on hisfeet, he collapsed. He sternly refused to believe that, as Sorcha had told himonce, he had walked through a ghost, but he heartily cursed the unseen entityanyway.
“Thankye, Crayton,” Sorcha said as she walked up to Ruari and watched Robert help theman to his feet. She smiled faintly at the barely visible form of Crayton. “Ihadnae realized ye could come this far.”
