“Never mind me. What about you?”
He was covered in bandages, dried blood still covering his leg and half his face. “I’ll live,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Where did you learn to throw so well?”
“Baseball practise when I was about twelve.”
“Baseball?”
“It’s…never mind. I’ll tell you some other time.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Who were they? I didn’t get chance to ask on the way back because…”
“Because I was unconscious, I know. I thank you once again for getting us back to the castle.”
“You must be more cautious,” James said, lifting the bandage to examine the wound on Andrew’s forehead. “Someone is out to get you.”
“Any idea who it was?” Derek asked.
“They did not wear tartan but I suspect MacLeish had something to do with this.”
“MacLeish?” Derek sounded shocked. “But why would we…I mean why would they?”
“I’m going to go and ask him myself. I will get the men together. Derek, you should come with us.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay here and keep an eye on Beth? What if they attack while you’re away?”
“I suppose you’re right. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He squeezed Beth’s hand. “Rest a while.”
“Must you go?” she asked. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. Surely you should rest too.”
“I have to speak to Duff MacLeish first. If he’s behind this he won’t be expecting me to show up apart from as a bloodied corpse. The look on his face when I arrive unannounced at his castle will be all the answer I need as to his part in all this.”
He turned and left with James and Derek. Beth sank back onto the bed. She wanted to sleep but every time she closed her eyes she was back in the clearing, swords slicing into flesh, men screaming in agony, Andrew’s eyes lit up with a fire and brutality she never expected to see in him.
She found herself thinking about home, about a warm comfortable bed that wasn’t stuffed with straw, where the risk of death wasn’t around every corner.
All they’d done was go for a swim and they’d both almost died. What was worse, there was little chance of justice. There was no forensic team heading off to examine the scene. The men, if any survived, would have melted into the night. What was worse was they might come back anytime.
She tried once more to sleep but again the screams came into her head, echoing around her skull. She got up in the end, walking out of the infirmary to find Derek leaning against the wall in the courtyard as if he’d been waiting for her to emerge.
“Where are you going?” he asked, wagging a finger at her.
“I just want to go home,” she replied. “I’ll be safe at home.”
He looked happier all of a sudden. “And where is home?”
“The hall at Pluscarden.”
“You live at Pluscarden? Then why did none of the villagers recognize you?”
“Can you take me there?” she asked, feeling exhausted, her limbs heavy as if lead weights had been strapped to her wrists. “I can’t stay here. It’s too violent.”
“Is it any safer at Pluscarden?”
“Will you stop me going?”
“On the contrary. Though I cannot take you myself, I can have someone show you the way.”
