“Weel,I did see that ye had brought a few companions back with ye. Your kindness inhelping the poor lads does ye honor, but I dinnae see how they can help us.”
“Ifear ‘twas not just kindness that prompted me to drag these two carcasses offthe battlefield.”
“Yewouldnae ken what kindness was if it reared up and spit in your eye,” grumbledRuari.
Robertkicked the litter, causing Ruari to hiss a curse of pain. “Dinnae speak so toour lady Sorcha.”
Sorchalightly touched Robert’s muscle-thickened arm. “Nay, good friend, allow him hisanger. I deserve it.”
“Ye?Never!”
“Aye,me.” Pointing to each man in turn, she introduced her captives. “This is SirRuari Kerr of Gartmhor, and this is his cousin Beatham. I have taken them forransom.” She waited as their shocked expressions slowly changed toconsideration tinged with reluctance.
“‘Tisa sad business to take a mon for ransom,” said Robert, and several peoplemurmured in agreement.
“Iam glad ye think so,” said Ruari. “Now mayhap, ye can talk some sense into thelass.”
“Weel,sir, being only the armorer, I dinnae carry the rank to scold her,” answeredRobert, smiling faintly at Ruari’s surprise. “Howbeit, I do take the libertynow and again.”
“Morenow than again,” grumbled Sorcha, but Robert ignored her, his attention fixedon Ruari.
“Thistime, Sir Ruari, I fear I must bow to her wishes. None of us likes the takingof men for ransom. ‘Twas often done in the past, but in her father’s father’stime, the Hays of Dunweare cast aside the practice.”
“Yetnow ye are willing to cast aside their wishes and shame their memory.”
“Aye,and I believe they would approve. Dougal must be returned safely to Dunweare.”He moved to unhitch the litter from the pony. “We will care weel for ye andyour cousin. Have no fear of that.”
“Hasall been weel, Robert?” Sorcha asked as he and two other men moved to helpRuari and Beatham into the keep. “‘Tis most odd, but every time I leaveDunweare for longer than a few hours, I often get the feeling something backhere requires my attention.”
“Andthis time ye were right to think so. I believe wee Euphemia will soon be awoman.”
Sorchacursed, and a quick glance at Margaret revealed that her cousin was distressedby the news. She prayed the Kerrs would not be at Dunweare too long. Thevarious oddities amongst the members of her family were often difficult forpeople to accept, but they were the least of her troubles. Young Euphemiamaking the transition from child to woman would bring to the fore all thereasons the Hays of Dunweare chose to live in such a remote place. Sorchaprayed that Ruari and Beatham would be ransomed early, too soon to discover allof Dunweare’s dark secrets.
“Hasit become a large problem yet?” she asked Robert, trying to keep her questionsobscure so that Ruari and Beatham did not know what was being discussed.
“‘Tisjust beginning, but ‘twas more sudden and stronger than I can recall any othersbeing.” Robert shook his head as he and the stablemaster hefted Ruari’s litterup the narrow stone steps inside the huge tower house. “My innards tell me thiswill be a difficult one.”
“HasEuphemia noticed?”
“Aye.And, ere ye ask, she hasnae cast aside her peculiar notions yet.”
Asshe moved to help Margaret with an unsteady Beatham, Sorcha wondered what shecould do. Her first thought was to confine Ruari and Beatham in a securelylocked room, but then realized that was a foolish idea. The trouble hangingover Dunweare like some storm cloud could not be locked out. Instinct told herthat Ruari Kerr was about to experience the full glory of Dunweare’s curse. Shetold herself it did not matter and knew she lied.
Ruaribit back a cry of pain as he was lowered to the bed. He wondered how he couldendure so much—the battle, the long rough journey to Dunweare, and the pain ofbeing moved from litter to bed. It seemed that such pain ought to be fatal. Italso seemed unfair that, now that he was no longer so strongly in fear of hislife, he found it difficult to swoon and escape his pain.
“Wherehave ye taken Beatham?” he demanded when he looked around and did not see hisyoung cousin.
“Intothe chamber next to this one,” replied Sorcha as she set a basin of water on atable near the bed and began to wash the sweat from his body. “Ye have gone andmade yourself all asweat.”
“‘Tishard work being carried about.”
Sheignored his sarcasm, turning to Robert, who stood by her side, everyone elsehaving gone to help Margaret settle Beatham in his room. “Where is Neil?”
“Shouldbe here soon,” Robert answered.
“Ah,aye, I would prefer a mon tend to my needs,” said Ruari, frowning when Sorchaand Robert just grinned.
Beforehe could ask what amused them, the door to his chamber was thrust open sopowerfully it slammed into the wall. He turned to see who had made such anabrupt entrance and gaped. Striding toward the bed was the biggest woman he hadever seen. She had to be six foot or higher. Although she did not appear tohave an ounce of fat on her, she was buxom, sturdily built, and obviouslystrong. When she stepped up to the bed, her hands on her well-rounded hips, heslowly looked up the impressive length of her voluptuous body. He was a littlesurprised that she had light green eyes and not the brown so common atDunweare, but his true interest was fixed on her hair. Tumbling over her squareshoulders in a thick wavy mass to her waist was the reddest hair he had everseen.
