Dougalordered his men to saddle their horses then asked Neil, “How far ahead of usare they?”
“Iwould wager my sword that they are too far ahead for ye to catch them.”
Hecursed and slammed his fist down on the filthy table, sending his tankard ofale skittering to the floor. “Has the mon no honor? An unspoken truce exists atthese fairs.”
“Aye,but this isnae the first time it has been broken nor will it be the last.”
“Hemeans to demand a ransom, doesnae he?”
Neilnodded and sighed. “He will probably ask the return of the ransom we got forhim.”
“Icannae gather that sort of money.”
“Idinnae believe he will be inclined to negotiate, lad.”
“Thenwe shall have to do our best to snatch the lasses back,” he said as the menreturned with the horses and he swung up into his saddle. “Take a room at theinn, and I shall return as soon as I can.”
Neilsighed as she watched her nephew and his men ride away. Dougal would be backand, sadly, without Sorcha and Margaret. The Hays could no longer afford thefine, swift mounts the Kerrs rode. Pursuit was fruitless, but it would easewhatever guilt Dougal felt.
Sheresheathed her sword and smoothed down her skirts before setting out in searchof her sisters whom she had abruptly deserted when she had caught sight ofBeatham. Although she was confident that no physical harm would come to hernieces, she was concerned. Margaret would now fall even more in love withBeatham, if such a thing were possible, and would be devastated anew when theywould be forced to part. Sorcha would now have to spend time in close proximityto a man she loved who did not love her. It was an abysmal situation, and Neilcursed men and their pride. While Dougal and Ruari concerned themselves overransoms and money, Sorcha and Margaret would be forced to pay the highest priceof all.
Chapter Fifteen
Asoft, vicious curse escaped Sorcha as she eased herself out of the saddle. Onlyafter miles of hard riding had she been set upright in the saddle but soonendured hours more. She did not believe there was one part of her body that wasnot bruised and aching. When Ruari dragged her over to a tree and pushed her tosit under it, she had to bite her tongue to keep from cursing him. It onlyseemed to amuse him, and she found that amusement harder to tolerate thananything else he had done.
Ashe tended to his horse, she looked at Margaret. Beatham was lovingly tending tothe girl’s needs, a painfully marked contrast to the way Ruari was treatingher. It also caused Sorcha to feel her first pang of real concern. Margaret hadfinally begun to shake free of the melancholy she had suffered when Beatham hadreturned to Gartmhor. Being reunited with the youth and being so tenderlyreassured of his undying love could well be the worst thing that could happento Margaret, for nothing had really changed. Margaret and Beatham might be aperfect match, but they could never marry.
Atimid cough drew her attention, and Sorcha looked up to find one of Ruari’s menstanding before her. He was an odd little man, a good head shorter than therest of the Kerrs, reed-thin in every way from his narrow features to hisalmost wispy brown hair. This could not be one of Ruari’s men-at-arms. Sorchadoubted the man could even lift a battle sword let alone wield it skillfully.
“M’ladyHay, I am Malcolm Kerr, first cousin to Ruari and cleric at Gartmhor.” Hebowed.
Sorchafound it a little amusing that the man’s voice was as thin as he was, and itheld the slightest tremor, revealing his nervousness. “Ye will understand if Icannae bring myself to say that I am pleased to meet ye.”
“Oh,aye, m’lady. I but wished to ask ye a question.”
Whenhe hesitated, wringing his long-fingered bony hands, she prompted, “Yourquestion is?”
“Iwas wondering who the woman was who tried to rescue ye.”
“Ah,her. ‘Twas my aunt, Neil Hay.”
“Neil,”he said in a tone of reverence. “A good, strong, proud name.”
“Er,aye. Her father had hoped to have a son,” she murmured, a little startled byMalcolm’s unusual reaction to her aunt’s name.
“Isshe wed or promised?”
Therewas such anxiety behind the question, Sorcha suddenly realized what promptedthe man’s interest. She struggled to control her expression, hiding her surpriseand budding amusement. The idea that this little man was enamored of Neil wasenough to make her bite back a smile, especially when she recalled what the man’sfirst and only sight of Neil had been.
“Nay,”she replied. “My aunt is without husband or lover.”
BeforeMalcolm could say anything else, Ruari joined them, slapping the little man onthe back and then quickly steadying him when he almost fell. “Ye were right,Malcolm,” he said, grinning at Sorcha. “This trip to the fair was verraprofitable indeed.”
“Oh,weel, I really hadnae considered this,” Malcolm said in a small voice, lookingpleadingly at Sorcha. “Truly. This kidnapping wasnae my idea.”
“Yearenae going to scold me about this, too, are ye?” Ruari frowned at thenervously shifting Malcolm. “I have had to abide Rosse’s fretting since I firstespied Sorcha and I have had my fill of it. She is the reason our money chestis so empty and she will be the means to refill it.”
“Iwould ne’er scold ye, Ruari. Ye usually ken what ye are doing. Um, I will fetchLady Sorcha some food and water, shall I?” He hurried away without waiting foran answer.
