He turned to Dyna and said, “He’s not going. We have a plan. I’ll pretend I’m Grandpapa and get my own son back.”
Dyna smirked at him. “I’ll let you argue that with him. See how it goes. Have you noticed who else is along? It took me a moment because my gaze was fixed on Grandsire.”
Alasdair turned around and stared, unable to believe his eyes. “God’s teeth. I’d never have believed it. ’Tis Uncle Jamie and Aunt Gracie, and Aunt Kyla and Uncle Finlay.”
“Aye,” Dyna said, “which means Papa must be in charge of Grant Castle.”
“Are you sad he did not come?”
Dyna shook her head. “Nay, Els has had a rough time of it. ’Twill be good for him to have his parents nearby. And I know Aunt Kyla. Think you she wouldn’t come if Grandsire is planning on going after John?”
The three headed down the steps and waited for the horses to enter once the portcullis was raised. “I’ll be right back, Em,” Alasdair said, squeezing her hand. “I’ll help Grandsire down.” He hurried over to his side and said, “Grandpapa, I’ll help you.”
“Stand back. I can get down on my own.” His bark came out so loud, Alasdair nearly jumped. He stood back, but not too far, waiting to see if he could indeed make it. To his surprise, he did, looking much more agile than he had in a long time. When he stood on his feet, he grinned at Alasdair and said, “All my practicing has paid off.”
“But why, Grandpapa? How long have you been practicing?”
“A few months. I had one of my dreams and a certain someone warned me I needed to prepare myself for unexpectedtravel.” He winked at Emmalin and said, “A wise man always listens to his wife.”
Uncle Jamie helped Aunt Gracie down and said, “I hope you have plenty of food. We traveled quickly once we received the message and had naught more than apples and oatcakes. Alick and I are starving.”
Uncle Finlay said, “Don’t forget me.”
“Aye,” Emmalin said, “We always have plenty. Welcome to MacLintock Castle. Come inside and take the chill off your bones.”
The group made their way through the courtyard, the mood a bit more somber than usual due to the situation. Bessie bustled about inside, giving instructions to the serving lasses. Alasdair put more wood on the hearth, and Aunt Gracie quickly found Ailith and picked her up in her arms, settling in front of the fire.
Uncle Jamie pulled Emmalin and Alasdair aside while the others fussed at the hearth and around Ailith. “Alasdair, if you don’t have enough chambers for all of us, you can put Gracie and Kyla in one chamber, but you must give your grandfather a full bed. He needs it. He’s even made it up the staircase more frequently of late, so abovestairs will be fine for him.”
“Nay,” Emmalin quickly said. “We have plenty of chambers. They often go unused so we have four chambers at the ready. That should be enough, aye?”
“’Tis plenty. My thanks,” Uncle Jamie said. “Magnus will handle the men outside.”
Alasdair lowered his voice and leaned in toward his uncle. “Grandsirecannotgo. I’ll go in his place, make them think I’m him.”
To his annoyance, he saw Dyna giving him a knowing look from her position near the hearth.
Uncle Jamie took a step back and gawped at him. “You’ve forgotten what your grandsire is like? You are all too youngto recall anything about Alexander Grant at his best, which saddens me. But I like that you’ll get to see the legend in action soon. You’ll not stop him. Why do you think Kyla and I are here? Because we know our sire. He’s quite stubborn. He said Mama came to him in a dream and told him ’twas time to go, that wee John needed him. We left so quickly that we intercepted two different messengers coming up the mountains. We did what we could to find out who’d hired the messengers, but the villains have hidden themselves well. From the sounds of it, a third party hired the lads in Ayr. They knew only that they were being paid coin to serve the messages.
“We were on our way before we even knew John had been kidnapped, so you can be sure he’ll do whatever Mama told him to do. He’s going, and you’ll not talk him down. But I will also say he’s been preparing for this. Uncle Connor has had him out every day, and he’s been using a new concoction Aunt Jennie gave him for his knees.”
“But he’s too old,” Alasdair said, feeling something like panic inside of him. Although he now had a family of his own, and he and Emmalin had a clan of their own, he still felt like he needed his grandsire. “What if…”
Uncle Jamie clasped his shoulder. “You’re about to see how strong he can be. Do not worry. He’ll get your son back, and we’re here to help you, too. We’ll discuss it after dinner. But your grandsire will be going. Even if we all banded together to stop him, it wouldn’t happen. He’d sneak out and go on his own. Not only is he strong, but he’s also clever. He’s out-strategized the best many times.”
Alasdair glanced over at his grandfather and was surprised to catch the older man staring back.
The infamous Alexander Grant, once known as the best swordsman in all of Scotland, winked at him, a small grin on his face.
Chapter Seventeen
The English want Alexander Grant, and have kidnapped wee John, holding him for an exchange.
John,Seanairis coming for you. Out came a decrepit old man—Alex Grant…ha!
Els sat atop his horse in a clearing outside of Ayr, waiting for his cousins and the Grant guards. He left twice every hour to look for any sign of their approach and gave a bird call periodically, hoping to be answered, but the wait was exceptionally long. Every minute he spent away from Joya and John felt like an hour. He’d seen the sheriff come to the cottage where they were being kept, but he’d been far enough away that he couldn’t identify him. He hadn’t realized how alike the three representatives of Scottish law looked, especially in the dark.
Then he heard it, Dyna’s bird call. The Grants had finally arrived. He stepped out of the clearing and made his way toward the main path that headed into the burgh, examining the horizon. To his surprise, he saw his father riding toward him. Beside him rode a man who looked exactly like Grandsire, but his mind was surely playing tricks on him.
