Still, delight filled her. Elayne reveled in the sunlight on the flowers in the meadows. The birds chirped in the boughs of the pine trees. The sun warmed her face as she rode. Springtime unfolded in the Highlands. Elayne felt alive again, as if frozen in hibernation for the last six months. She stopped to rest and water her horse and take a private moment.
Alert as she rode on, she kept her sword strapped to her back. A dirk was anchored at her belt, and another was hidden in aboot. She listened for any foreign sounds, much like the animals in the forest, wary of capture. Would the laird regret releasing her and order his men to capture her and return her to her prison of work?
As the day wound to a close, Elayne rode off the trail. In the forest, staying close to the river gave her cover. Her horse drank from the stream and grazed in the lush spring grasses that grew near the water’s edge. Afterward, she left River saddled in case she had to make a fast getaway.
Skilled to ride bareback if needed, she would still hate to lose the saddle that did not belong to her. Elayne ate meat and bread from her oilskin sack and drank water from the river.
She fashioned a bed of pines over the hard ground. Its scent brought back memories of the loch with Cailean and comforted her. Peaceful here by the river, Elayne recognized her sore muscles from feeling tense and gripping the reins tightly. A soft breeze in the firs and pines murmured to her, a soothing sound, and she fell asleep and dreamed of swimming in the loch with Cailean.
*
Finally, Cailean found Thomas alone with nae one about to overhear their conversation. Cailean met him purposefully at the well. He needed the truth if Thomas ken it. Elayne may have shared her plans with him.
“So I ken ye may ken where Elayne went, Thomas. I have searched everywhere for her. I sent countless letters to her kin and people who kent her in the Grant clan. But she has vanished, and I ken not where else to search for her. I ken ye were close, for she told me much about ye in her letters. My patience is at anend. Over six months since she left, I worry about her safety. If she is in danger, I need to ken. I beg ye to tell me. I love Elayne.”
Nervously, Thomas glanced around and hung his head, trying to decide the best course of action. He his hands fidgeted nervously. A battle raged within him—mind against body—as the dryness of his mouth mirrored the conflict, a stark reminder of his oath to Elayne. Dread filled Thomas. Elayne could be in danger. He saw the pain Cailean felt. Thomas missed Elayne too. Six months were up. What if she was held against her will? What if she was truly in danger and he stood by and did nothing?I would never forgive myself.
“If I tell ye, ye have to swear ye will nay tell anyone else. The only reason I am telling ye this now is because I’m dreadfully worried about Elayne. It has been over six months, as ye say. I vowed not to tell anyone.” Thomas hesitated, still in mental agony, weighing if he should disclose what he had kept secret all this time.
“I respect yer vow to Elayne. I, too, am worried she may be in peril, and if anything happened to her…” Cailean clearly couldn’t even finish that thought.
“Elayne was worried about ye and yer men. She wanted to free ye and avoid bloodshed. She ken you were held for ransom, but it never came. Elayne worried that a high ransom would force the laird to seek money from his allies, a process that would take time. Time that would prevent ye from returning. Time ye would remain in the dungeon.”
“I understand.”
“Elayne dressed as a lad and took yer horse and rode for the Cameron clan. She planned to negotiate for yer release by planning to change places with ye.”
“What do ye mean, change places with me?” he said fiercely, raising his voice.
“Her plan was to negotiate with the laird. She planned to work as a blacksmith for a few months in exchange for yer freedom. She said not let anyone ken until seven months had pass-ed. Elayne wanted to sacrifice her freedom for yers. She said ye were friends. That is what friends do for one another. Anyone rescuing her before her contract was over would jeopardize her identity, her life, or the clan itself.” Thomas looked hopefully at him.
Cailean’s world came crashing in with the full weight of what Thomas had said. Cailean hadn’t trusted his freedom without an apparent reason for their release. Elayne was obviously there before their release. Had she watched him and his men ride away as she sacrificed her freedom for theirs?
Icy dread filled him. How could she do this? Does she not ken what she means to me?Had she kept her identity as a woman a secret? Anything may have befallen her. Elayne rode alone all the way to the Cameron clan. She would have to ride back alone too.
“Thank ye for telling the truth. I must ride to her. If I do nae encounter her in my travels, I will return and seek her release by any means possible.”
Thomas nodded sorrowfully. Cailean ran to the stables, saddled his horse, gathered supplies for his journey, and spoke to Bessie in confidence. Explaining what had happened and his plans, he secured her promise not to tell anyone until two weeks had passed. Bessie gave him food for his trip.
“Bless ye and Elayne. I hope ye find her safe and bring her back with ye. Safe travels, Cailean.” Bessie hugged him before he left.
Cailean strapped his sword to his back and his dirk to his waist. He took his bow, a quiver of arrows, and extra plaids and tied them to his horse. It was springtime in the Highlands, and the weather could be mercurial. It could rain or snow. Cailean decided not to ask his friends to accompany him. They would if he asked, but it would slow him in reaching Elayne. He traveled faster alone and doubted bandits would venture far during inclement weather.
Cailean rode out of the castle and headed toward the Cameron clan. He rode fast and hard. Night seemed to ken his mood. Cailean stopped long enough to rest and water his horse, then he rested at sunset to camp for the night. Building a fire, he hunted, shot rabbits, and roasted them. Cailean carved off the cooked meat and made himself a cup of tea over the fire.
The rest of the meat smoked during the night. Cailean wrapped his plaid about him and bedded on the ground. His mind immediately turned to Elayne, worry etched on his face. The magnitude of what she had done did nae leave him. The stubborn and independent woman he loved had sacrificed herself to protect his clan. Few would do that—even if friends.
Did she feel more than friendship for him? It was true, he would have sacrificed himself for her, but he never imagined that she would attempt what she did. Elayne was a brazen lass.I canna rest until I reach her.
Chapter Thirteen
The Reunion
Cailean awakened with renewed energy. In his mind, he had mapped out the strategies he thought Elayne would use to return from the Cameron clan. Recalling their war strategies, she would likely travel close to the river, and at night would venture farther inland for safety. It was amazing she had traveled to the Cameron clan safely. Cailean had studied the map by the light of the fire last night and hoped his hunch about her route would bear true. Deftly, he grabbed the hot meat off the spit and wrapped it in a cloth. Then he doused the fire and saddled his horse.
Once again, Cailean set off in search of Elayne. Hope clenched his heart while his gut clenched in pain. Cailean acknowledged what could happen if he failed. He wouldn’t fail Elayne. Not after all she had done. He worried over her treatment at the hands of the Devil Laird, as he was known. Had she been mistreated—or worse, beaten into submission? Cailean cringed inwardly in fear. But worrying would not get him closer to Elayne. Cailean resolvedto think positive thoughts, for his negative ones would only detract from his quest.
Night cantered, walked, and galloped on flat lands. Cailean wished it was possible for his horse to fly swiftly, like the birds,to reach his love. He wished he was with Elayne now. But if he kent about her arrangements earlier, what would he have done? If he had attempted to rescue her, he may have put her more in danger, for the guards could have recognized him if he returned. Now, he kent why she had written a note instead of telling her father. Not to be thwarted in her quest to save him, she would not have allowed the chance to be deterred.
