“What?” Thomas again.
“An order, sir.” The first voice.
Silence ensued and Abby got her breaths under control, but her heart was still dancing a jig against her ribcage.
“I can’t read it in this light,” Thomas said. “What does it say?”
“Lord Cumberland has ordered your regiment to France.”
“When?”
“Immediately, sir. It seems he thinks you are in Aberdeen and tells you to wait for him there.”
Abby’s heart leapt, and she smirked at the string of curses issuing from Thomas’s lips.
Iain hugged her and whispered, “We are to be safe.”
“Find MacLaren now!” Thomas hollered, and the sounds of stomping boots heading in their direction filled the street.
“Quickly,” Iain said, tugging at Abby’s hand.
Abby faltered.
“Faster,” Iain said, nearly pulling her feet off the ground.
She gritted her teeth and dug her nails harder into his flesh, and bringing her feet in line with her body, she coursed beside him along the dock. A large rowboat bobbed behind a large ship. Iain untied the rope from the dock and threw it into the boat. “Jump,” he shouted into Abby’s ear.
A bullet whizzed by them. Abby glanced back at their pursuers, and with adrenaline screaming at her to take flight, she leapt into the boat. Iain landed less than a second later and both their bodies crashed to the floor of the boat. Musket bullets sang over their heads and splashed into the water behind them.
Iain scrambled up, grabbed the oars, and began rowing. “Keep down.”
Abby did as she was told as Thomas shouted threats and curses.
Her eyes widened in realization that she was now an outlaw. She held the orb. Should she take Iain and disappear into time? What would he do? How would he react to hermodern time? She didn’t care; she had to save him. She put her hand over the top of the orb and tensed her fingers, ready to twist the top so the leaves aligned. She was sure that was what she’d done at home, but she stilled. What if the orb didn’t take her home? What if the stupid thing took her to an entirely different time and place? Should she risk it?
“We’re out of range,” Iain said, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion.
Warily, Abby raised her head and looked back to the dock. Little plops in the water told her the bullets couldn’t make the distance to the boat—to them. She clutched the orb to her chest and fell, exhausted, back onto the boat floor. Her head swirled with dire thoughts of traveling to different times, but she knew she’d have to use the orb sooner or later. She decided that later was her best option for the time being.
Chapter 20
Iain continued to plough the oars through the water. Although Thomas had stopped pursuing them, Iain couldn’t be sure other enemies wouldn’t follow. They had to get south before anyone could capture or kill them.
A smile twitched the corners of his mouth. If Thomas could see himself, he’d realize he had no reason to be furious at Iain. His half ear improved his looks immensely and made him appear formidable. Surely, he could gain some recognition in the French court and mayhap some warm sympathy from the court lasses.
Abigail sat up and asked, “Are you all right?”
He bent and kissed the top of her head.
Her brows drew together, and her eyes clouded with confusion. Mayhap she thought he had been shot.
“Aye, I am well. None of the bullets came near to hitting either of us.” He smiled, trying to allay her fears. “If ye are right and Sir Thomas dislikes traveling on water, he is not going to like sailing to France.”
“Good. I hope he gets sea sickness and heaves his stomach up all the way.”
Ian laughed. “Aye. The very thought warms my heart.” He set about rhythmically rowing. “We should get to Rum in a few days.”
She turned her head, and fire lit Iain’s veins as she kissed his chin. Her lips rested there, and he felt her warm breath from her sigh. “Thank you.”
