“We’ll go back to the horses,” Fergus muttered, and Aiden nodded.
They trekked back toward the horses, which were tied up at the edge of the woods.
“Where to next?” Aiden asked, and Fergus drew in a long breath to calm himself.
“We’ll go into town. See if anyone has seen them. They have to stop and care for the horses.”
“Aye,” Aiden said with a nod, mounting his horse and waiting for Fergus.
They made their way into town in silence. Fergus could not speak. He could not think. All he could do was ache for Jeane.
As they approached the village, people began to come out of their homes, wanting to see the Laird.
The townspeople were curious, staring at Aiden and Fergus. Fergus did not care. He did not greet the townspeople as he usually would, making his way straight to the stables.
“Stable boy!” Fergus called when he saw the young man standing in one of the stalls, brushing down a horse.
“Aye?” The boy turned around, annoyance clear as day on his face, but when he saw Fergus, he softened.
“Me Laird,” he said quickly, rushing toward the horses. “Do ye need yer horses cared for?”
“Nay, nae now,” Fergus said. “What I need is yer memory, boy. Have ye seen a carriage travelin’ with a few men and a woman?”
The stable boy thought for a long moment. “Aye, there was a carriage. I daenae ken about the men though I did see the lady.”
Fergus stiffened. “Did she have white-blonde hair?”
The boy nodded. “Aye, Me Laird.”
“How long ago?” Fergus barked.
“It was maybe an hour ago,” the boy answered, tilting his head curiously. He was obviously interested in what was going on, but he did not ask any questions.
Fergus nodded tersely. He turned his head toward Aiden to get his attention.
“Give the boy some gold for his trouble.”
The boy’s eyes lit up when Aiden threw him a small bag of coins.
“Thank ye, Me Laird!” he exclaimed before running off, likely to buy candy or trinkets.
Fergus looked at Aiden. “We’ll go west, toward McKay castle. But we’re cuttin’ through the woods. That way, we can catch up to them.”
“Aye, Me Laird. Whatever ye say.”
Fergus took off, with Aiden close behind them. He was not sure that this shortcut would save enough time for him to catch up with them, but he had to try.
He had to find Jeane, no matter what.
“What do ye plan to do, force me to marry Lord Fraser?” Jeane asked, glaring at her father.
“Aye, if ye force me to,” her father said, as if all of this was her fault. As if she were simply some kind of inconvenience.
“I hate ye,” Jeane said quietly, meaning it with every beat of her heart.
Her father put a hand to his chest, mock-wounded. “It isnae the first time ye’ve told me that, me lass. I’m immune to it.”
“It’s true,” she insisted. “I hate ye more than I’ve ever hated anythin’.”
