Ella bit her lip, gazing up at her with wide, guilt-filled eyes.
While the lass attempted to appease her grandmother, Duncan turned to Adam. “I thought you said all the search parties had been told to return.” His voice gave no hint to the sudden disquiet that had settled over him.
“Aye, they have,” Adam said. “I know nothing of this.”
The Marchioness’s mouth pursed with disapproval. “Jean left after the others with a couple of guardsmen when it started to snow. She mentioned a stone circle. Someplace Ella used to go with her father.”
Ella brightened. “Near the loch! I was going to go there if I couldn’t find you.”
Duncan swore. A couple of guardsmen? Loch Kinord and the nearby stone circle were on the edge of Farquharson territory. It explained why they hadn’t come across Jeannie on their ride back—she would have taken the road north of the Dee. “How long ago did she leave?”
“About an hour.”
Duncan didn’t need to say anything. One grim look at Conall and Leif and they were off, joined by a half dozen Gordon guardsmen.
The thunder of hooves couldn’t drown out the pounding in his chest. He hated this feeling—this vulnerability he still felt when it came to her. The thought of Jeannie in danger penetrated his hard-wrought reserve like nothing else. Only his complete focus on the task at hand kept fear at bay.
But when he caught up with her…he didn’t know whether he was going to throttle her or kiss her until the half-crazed feeling inside him let go.
There was probably no reason to worry. With the storm it would be unlikely that anyone would be about, but he wouldn’t be able to relax until Jeannie was safe and back where she belonged. With him.
Jeannie gazed around at the circle of irregularly sized boulders in the small clearing of oakwoods, feeling her heart sink with disappointment. A thin layer of fluffy, pristine snow blanketed the ground and rocks. It seemed so still. So perfectly quiet…except for the sound of their voices echoing through the trees.
“Ella…” She waited, ears honed on silence.
She’d been so convinced that Ella would be here. Now she was beginning to feel foolish.
A sharp wind blew across the clearing. Jeannie shivered and sank into the deep folds of her hooded cloak. The snow had slowed, but with the daylight fading it was getting cold—very cold. Even with wool-lined leather gloves, her hands could barely clench the reins. She’d stopped feeling her face about an hour ago.
Her heart squeezed. Ella was so small, the icy weather would be even worse for her.
William, one of the guardsmen who’d accompanied her, halted his horse beside hers. “There’s no sign of the lass, my lady.” He waited for her to say something, but she was too overcome by disappointment. “We have to turn around; we’re too close to Farquharson lands.” Both men had grown increasingly wary as they neared Dinnet.
The warning was well met. The “fighting” Farquharsons had earned their moniker. The clan was part of the Chattan confederation of clans that included—among others—the Mackintoshes. Neither of whom were friends of the Gordons.
They were treading on dangerous ground and she knew it.
Jeannie nodded, taking one last look around, seeing not the beauty of the snow-laden trees and hills, but danger and the myriad of places in which a little girl could get lost.
William gave her an encouraging smile. “I’m sure they found her by now, my lady. The wee lass is probably warming up before the fire as we speak.”
“You think so?” Her voice cracked, sore and ill-used from shouting in the cold.
William’s smile deepened. “I’m sure of it.”
Jeannie appreciated his confidence even though she knew he could well be wrong. But at least Duncan and the other men would have returned by now. Duncan would know what to do. If anyone could find her daughter he could. Never had she needed his solid, steady strength as she did now.
Following William’s lead, she turned her horse around and threaded back through the trees. They rode for about a mile before Jeannie realized that something was wrong.
They were going too fast. Instead of the steady trot they’d started out with, William had gradually increased the pace until they were almost galloping through the dense trees. Such speed was dangerous in the best of conditions, but with the blanket of slippery, concealing snow on the ground, was foolhardy.
She caught William exchanging a worried glance with the other guardsman behind her and reined in her mount to a sudden halt. The men followed suit. “What is it?” she asked.
“I think we’re being followed.” William motioned to the other man. “Take the lady and head out of the trees for the river, I’ll hold them off for as long as I can.”
They couldn’t leave him. Jeannie tried to argue. “But—”
“Go,” William cut her off, slapping her horse on the rear.
