“Ye jumped into the sea?”
“I believed we had a better chance of surviving if we chose how we went into the sea instead of just waiting to be hurled in. We shed the heaviest of our clothing and used a few empty kegs to keep us afloat.”
“Ah, so ’twas your clothing we found in one of the kegs,” said Ned, and blushed when everyone looked at him. “They are safe and dry.”
“That is good. Thank ye.” Arianna began to recall shedding her gown, cloak, and boots, and then looked back at Sir Brian, refusing to be embarrassed by her state of ragged undress. “If we could but borrow a few supplies, we will be on our way. Once I am with my family again, I will see that ye are weel compensated for your aid.”
“And that family would be?”
Brian waited patiently as he watched her mull over all the risks of telling him the truth. She was a mess. It was difficult to judge the color of her hair for it was wet, matted, and covered in sand. All he could tell, by the few hanks of hair that hung loose of the massive snarl, was that it hung to her hips if not farther. Her tattered clothing revealed that she was slim, her well-shaped legs surprisingly long considering how small she was. Despite the bruises and scratches on her too pale face, he could see that she would be a pretty little thing once she was cleaned up and healed.
Her best feature at the moment was her eyes, even underscored by the shadows of exhaustion as they were and a bit reddened by the sting of the salty water. They were large eyes, almost too large for her small heart-shaped face, and a beautiful amber color. Although clouded with pain and mistrust, he found that he had a very difficult time trying to stop staring into those eyes.
Arianna tried to clear the fog of weariness from her mind. She needed to think clearly. If she told this man she was a Murray, that would mark her as one of his countr ywomen and might gain her more help. The Murrays of Donncoill were well known, however, as were all the branches of the clan. Admitting who she was could quickly turn her into a hostage for ransom. Recalling that her clan had enemies, she knew that becoming a hostage for ransom might be the least of the troubles she could face as she tried to reach her family.
She glanced at Michel and Adelar. They had done well so far, but asking them to care for her until she was strong again even as they traveled for many days, alone and unprotected, was too much of a burden to set upon their small shoulders. They were all also as good as captives of this man already, a man whose clan name still tickled at a memory in her tired mind. She could not be certain if it was a good memory or a bad one, or simply that the captain had mentioned it, but she was certain that, at least for a little while, she needed some help. Sir Brian MacFingal was the only choice she had.
“That family would be the Murrays,” she said. “I am the granddaughter of Sir Balfour Murray of Donncoill. I am Lady AriannaMurrayLucette. My husband recently died and I am returning home.”
“So, ye are kin to my brother Gregor’s wife, Alanna, and, mayhap, my laird’s wife, Fiona. Fiona was a MacEnroy ere she wed Ewan.”
“Aye, Alanna is my cousin and I am kin to Fiona MacEnroy, too, but only through marriage, for her brother married my cousin Gillyanne.” She frowned as the memory that had nudged at her mind slowly became more distinct. “So now I ken why the name MacFingal sounded familiar to me. That all happened ere I left to be wed.”
“So ye see that it is best if ye travel to Scarglas with us and we can send word out to your family.”
“Nay, I couldnae ...”
“Brian!” Simon ran up to him and grabbed him by the arm. “I think we may have trouble soon. When I saw that ye and Ned had found others alive, I decided to wander farther down the shore to see if there were others who had pulled themselves up into the rocks. There are a lot of armed men headed our way.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Brian saw Arianna and the two boys grow deathly pale. “I think there is yet something ye need to tell me.” He looked back at Simon. “How close?”
“They move verra slowly, searching, and have only just begun to do so. Half an hour, mayhap more, and they will be upon us. Fifteen men, I think. I cannae be certain for there is a chance a few have already moved from my sight or are still making their way in from the ship. I didnae linger to make sure of my count.”
“Get the horses packed.” As soon as Ned and Simon ran off to see to that chore, Brian stood up and pulled Arianna to her feet. “Are ye being hunted for some crime, m’lady?”
“Nay!” Adelar moved to Arianna’s side and glared at Sir Brian. “’Tis me and Michel the men hunt for. They want us dead so that they can claim all that our father left to us.”
“This is true?” Brian demanded, fighting the urge to steady Arianna when she swayed, still too weak to be on her feet for long.
“Aye,” she replied. “They dinnae want to wait to see if my husband’s family can get the boys declared illegitimate.” When he just scowled at her, she added, “’Tis a long, sordid tale, Sir Brian, and I dinnae think there is time to tell it all right now. All that is important now is that those men want these boys dead so badly that they rammed Captain Tillet’s ship, not hesitating to condemn us all just to kill the boys.”
Silently cursing, Brian swung her up into his arms, ignoring her protests. As he hurried to the horses, he made and tossed aside several plans before reaching the one he believed would work best. It was a risky one, but he was certain it would succeed in confusing and dividing the men who would soon be hunting them. He was also certain that Lady Arianna Murray Lucette was not going to like it.
He was pleased to see Simon standing ready with the clothes Lady Arianna had stuffed into the keg, and set her down so that she could put hers on. She had a quick, clever mind, he decided as he thought on how she had saved herself and the boys. It would serve them well in the days ahead.
“Simon, Ned, ye take this wee lad with ye and the captain and his men. Ride straight for Scarglas.” He pushed Adelar toward Simon even as the boy was still struggling to put his cloak on.
“Nay! The lads should stay with me,” protested Arianna, pausing in her struggle to put her boots on.
“So that the three of ye can be an easier target for your enemies?” Ignoring her muttered arguments, he looked at his brother Nathan and quickly explained why they needed to get the boys away from the shore. “Nat, ye take the others and the goods we have salvaged and make your way home in as twisted a way as ye can.” He nudged Michel toward Nathan. “Ye will guard this lad.”
“And what will ye do?” asked Nathan as he helped Michel get his cloak on straight.
“The lady and I will take three of the horses and head out as if we are racing for the Murray lands.”
“As if? Where are ye truly headed then?”
“To Scarglas, of course, but by way of Dubheidland. I believe it may be time to visit our cousins the Camerons. Sigimor has become too tame. Leading this trouble to his door should get his blood flowing again.”
