“I’m leaving now with twenty warriors. Send another two score behind us, but have them bring two carts, just in case ’tis needed.”
Chapter Seven
Alex’s thoughts along the way, and a wee lass who has already grabbed a piece of his heart…
They headed off toward the ravine, the wind swirling flakes in their face. He was glad he’d allowed his beard to grow for the winter. It was rough against Maddie’s tender skin, but Kylaloved it, giggling and squealing with delight every time she touched it.
He’d told his wife as much only a sennight ago, while holding a giggling Kyla.
Maddie had rolled her eyes and smiled. “I know it keeps your face warm in this weather. I’ll survive.”
Then she’d kissed his cheek while Kyla giggled even more.
“Kiss,” the wee lass had said, touching his lips.
He’d kissed her as carefully as possible, not wanting his beard to scratch her delicate skin, and she’d still broken into a fit of giggles.
After she’d calmed, she had pointed at the door and said, “’Side,” with the quiet confidence of a child who knows her request will be met.
His daughter loved the outdoors even at such a young age.
He’d cast a glance to Maddie, who had nodded, so then he’d done his favorite task of all: wrapped the lass against his chest and headed out to the stables, her favorite place. He loved having her wrapped so closely against him so he was able to inhale her sweet scent as he carried her to see the horses.
Another gust of wind and snow brought him out of memory and back to the ravine.
They’d find them. They would find them all, and all would be well, and his sweet lassie would be against his chest again.
He couldn’t consider the alternative.
Chapter Eleven
Alex’s anger turns into fear, and he meets his grandbairns.
He hadn’t thought that making a decision would upset Maddie, but he hadn’t discussed it with her at all. His fingersrubbed across his jaw. He had a faint memory of promising his wife to discuss any major decisions with her.
His father had told him it was the man’s job to make decisions and the woman’s job to follow them. But Alex vaguely remembered his mother standing behind his father with her arms crossed and an angry expression on her face when he’d said it.
Was Logan right? Did all women feel as Caralyn and Celestina did?
If so, if his decision had brought Maddie back to her previous life with Kenneth, the memories it conjured for her would not be sweet. In fact, all he had to do was think about the first time he’d seen Maddie, and his blood reacted fiercely, shooting through his body fast enough for him to clench his fists in reaction.
Her body would react more strongly to that memory than his own. Now he understood. She’d made the decision to leave Grant land out of a combination of fear and anger.
A poor combination for decision-making. Perhaps he needed to calm his own thinking before he found his wife.
Ifhe found her in time. That thought made him break out in a cold sweat, certainly abnormal for these weather conditions. He had to find Maddie, Mac, and the twins, and quickly. His anguish grew so great then that he stopped his horse near a clearing on a hill, tipped his head back to stare up at the gray sky filled with snow clouds, and let out a roar unlike any he’d ever released before. He unleashed his pain, his guilt, his worry over his family. He apologized to Maddie over and over again for failing her.
Then he started. Another rider approached him, but Midnight did not startle, instead remaining calm, as if he knew the rider. Still, Alex reached for the hilt of his sword.
“I’m not here to fight you,” the man said, chuckling.
Alex paused. He had never seen the man before, though he looked vaguely familiar. He had long black hair, gray eyes that locked onto his, and a strong profile. It was almost as if Alex were looking at himself at a young age.
“Who are you?”
“Alasdair is my name. You’ve taught me something just now. I know where I get that tendency to yell when I don’t know what else to do,” the man said, smiling.
Alex felt his brow furrow. What was the man speaking of?
