Tilly, he thought suddenly. His sister would be able to rescue Vivien while the castle was under siege. She would be willing, he hoped. He needed to take advantage of Stone’s absence at Stone Castle to rescue Vivien and Bailey while he led the charge to protect his own clan.
“Thank ye, Helen, for bringing me this information. Please, ye need tae rest. Ye will not return tae Stone Castle – yer home is here, yer safe here. Go to yer mam, an’ look after yersel’, understood?”
“Aye, Laird. Thank ye. Please – bring the Lady home tae us. She isnae safe there. She belongs here, with us.”
“She does,” Kieran agreed, watching Helen as she walked away.
He needed to find Tilly and come up with a plan to rescue Vivien and his closest friend.
* * *
Kieran found Tilly at the archery range, her arrow notched as she stared blankly at nothing, a frown marring her face.
“Tilly,” he called out as he approached. She seemed not to hear him, as she kept perfectly still.
“Tilly,” Kieran said softly, as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Tilly jumped under his hand, clearly startled by his presence.
“Och, ye gave me the fright o’ my life, Kieran,” she said, holding her hand over her heart, her breath coming in short, rapid gasps.
“I called out tae ye, but wherever ye were, it was nae here.” Kieran shrugged in apology.
“Aye, I was thinking o’ Bailey – being trapped in that dungeon, all alone,” Tilly trailed off, turning her head away from Kieran, but he could hear the tears in her voice. He did not need to see them.
“That’s actually what I wanted tae talk tae ye abou’,” he said, waiting for Tilly to look at him again; she blinked rapidly, the tears gone in seconds. “I think we need tae come up with a plan tae save him an’ Vivien. Stone placed her in the dungeon, Tilly. I cannae believe it,” Kieran shook his head, fighting the urge to scream out in rage or collapse to his knees in fear.
“He has done what?” Tilly asked, her eyes widening in shock as she inhaled sharply.
“He put her in the dungeon with Bailey. We need tae rescue them. Will ye help me?”
“Ye ken ye dinnae need tae ask me that, brother. I have been waiting for ye tae dae something abou’ this since Bailey was taken.” Kieran winced, knowing that he should have done something sooner; the guilt hit him harder than he had expected. “I will dae it. I will bring them back,” Tilly said emphatically, her expression set in stone as she nodded fiercely.
Kieran smiled tightly, “Then let us come up with a plan, shall we?”
“It is abou’ time.” She smiled ferociously.
Now that was the Tilly Kieran knew – tough, resilient, and stubborn as a mule. If anyone could bring Vivien and Bailey back safely, it was her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kieran waited for hours for news from Tilly. She had been all too willing to help him rescue Vivien. She had taken some men with her, their best warriors, and had left as soon as she could after Kieran had asked her for help.
There was nothing left to do but wait.
The sun was high in the sky by the time Reginald arrived at Castle Lochlass of Kyle. Kieran’s nerves were frayed; he did not know how he would be able to face Stone without killing him on the spot.
Kieran had to exercise self-control; he could not risk Vivien and Bailey’s safety due to his own rage and anger at himself for letting the situation escalate to this point.
His worry over Vivien ran deep through Kieran’s bones; he could barely think straight by the time Stone arrived with a retinue of twenty-odd men.
Kieran sighed in relief; there was no force following Reginald – his scouts had seen nothing but the Lord and his retinue. There would be no attack on their clan that day.
Reginald was shown to Kieran’s office in the barracks; there was no place safer than the barracks surrounded by his own warriors. Reginald’s men were forced to disarm as they entered the castle grounds; their reluctance and vile attitudes towards Kieran’s men had him on tenterhooks with his self-restrain.
At Reginald’s command, the men disarmed and waited outside the barracks, their eyes darting around them as though they expected Kieran’s men to ambush and slaughter them where they stood.
“Laird Kieran,” Reginald said as he stalked into the office, his expression sour and cold.
“Lord Stone,” Kieran replied, ice in his tone. “You wished to speak to me; let us hear it,” he said without preamble.
