Jamie stared at the placid old man and felthis temper rise a notch.“It is no place for a tenderheartedwoman.”
Douglas stroked his beard and gave a vaguenod of his head.
Jamie brightened.“You agree?”
“Aye, lad.”
“Then will you tell your daughter that shecannot accompany us to Edinburgh?”
“Tell Lindsey?”The old man gave him anincredulous look before saying, “I can see that you know littleabout women, lad, and nothing about Lindsey.My daughter is notabout to calmly sit by the fire warming the hearth until her menreturn.Mary is her queen as much as yours, Jamie MacDonald.It isan honor and a privilege to bear arms in the name of the crown.Would you have me deny my own daughter that which I would permit mysons?”
“But you agreed that it was no place for afemale.”
“Aye.If she were any other female butLindsey.”His voice roughened with emotion.“Every father wishes tocherish his children and protect them from all harm.God knows Itried with Lindsey.But now I’ve learned ’twould be folly tobelieve such a thing can be done in this world we haveinherited.”
At Jamie’s look of disbelief he said,“Lindsey grew up in a household of men.She has been taught towield a dirk with the best of them.Besides,” he added wistfully,“I gave my word on her mother’s deathbed that I would not consignthe lass to a life alone.At my side she will stay—” his voiceroughened with emotion “—unless a proper man claims her for hiswife.”He studied Jamie’s stormy countenance and said firmly,“She’ll not be left behind.Lindsey will accompany her brothers andme to Edinburgh.”
He glanced beyond Jamie and his tone becamesurprisingly soft.“Ah, lass.Is all in readiness?”
“Aye, Father.”
A bit breathlessly, Lindsey approached them.She wore a dark green velvet riding gown and matching cloak linedwith ermine.The fur-lined hood framed her lovely face in a mostbecoming fashion.At the sight of her Jamie felt his blood run hotand blamed it on his temper.
“It was difficult to decide which gowns wouldbe appropriate for Holyrood, since I have little need for fashionhere in our fortress.But Moira and I chose carefully.”
“It is wise of you to pack carefully mylady.”Jamie could barely keep the sarcasm from his tone.“ ’Twouldbe a sad day indeed if you were asked to defend your life in a gownthat did not meet the queen’s approval.Worse, we would not wantyou lying dead in the muck in a gown that did not befit thesolemnity of the occasion.”
At the venom in his tone her mouth droppedopen.A torrent of oaths she had learned from her brothers rushedto mind.“You priggish, son of a snake—” She glanced at her fatherand saw the warning light come into his eyes.
Oh, if only they were alone, she would laythis imperious oaf open to her sharp words.It was only with thegreatest of self-control that she managed to hold her tongue.
Turning to her father Jamie said curtly, “Byyour leave I will inspect the supplies and wait with your men untilwe are ready to begin the journey.”
Hearing the emphasis he placed on the wordmen, Lindsey watched him walk away with a look of fury.“I can seethat the Heartless MacDonald is overjoyed at my presence on thisjourney, Father.”
“Aye.So it would seem.”Douglas Gordon gavea deep sigh.He would have to keep these two busy and far apartduring the journey.Else they would chew each other into littlepieces before reaching Edinburgh.“The lad means well.But he doesnot know us yet, lass.We will give him the benefit of some time inour company.”
Time.Fuming, Lindsey crossed to where agroom held the spirited horse she had requested.She had dismisseda sidesaddle in favor of a more comfortable man’s saddle.Pullingherself up, she arranged her long skirts over her exposed legs andtook the reins from the groom.Glancing across the courtyard shesaw Jamie MacDonald glowering at her.She tossed her head in agesture of defiance.She had spent enough time in his unpleasantcompany.She needed no more.
At a command from Douglas Gordon, the chosenmen mounted and formed a double column.A mere dozen men wouldaccompany their party to Edinburgh.The rest of the clan and allthe assembled families would remain within the walls of thefortress, prepared to defend it until the return of theirleader.
Douglas and Jamie rode between the twocolumns, inspecting weapons as they rode.Jamie showed no emotionas he passed Lindsey, who was holding aloft a bejeweled sword.Thefierce weapon seemed incongruous in the hand of one garbed insoftest velvet and ermine.She would have been better disposed tobring along a dainty needle and thread.Mayhap she could sew theirenemies’ hands to their sides.He stifled a smile at the humorousthought.
When they reached the head of the columns,Douglas and Jamie gave a nod of satisfaction.Each member of theirparty was properly armed.All weapons were honed to a razor’s edge.Turning, they watched as the riders nudged their horses into atrot.As Lindsey’s mount pranced by, Jamie felt another rush ofheat.The damnable woman brought out the worst in him.
When their company reached the edge of theforest, Jamie took up a position in front while Douglas Gordonbrought up the rear.
Jamie’s heart kept tempo with the horses’hooves.With very little effort, he was on his way to Holyrood,where he would avenge the attack upon his queen and Brice Campbell.Cresting a hill, he paused and watched as the long column of riderspassed him.At the sight of a pretty face framed by a hood ofermine, he frowned.He did not look forward to making frequentstops on their long journey while the lady paused to repair hertoilette.He would be quick to remind her, with every pause intheir progress, that she was keeping them from their duty to theirqueen.Or, he thought with a grim smile, he could urge the otherson ahead while the lady made her frequent stops.Mayhap then herfather would realize his folly.
Jamie’s hand tightened on the reins.Nay, hewould offer no further objection, he decided with sudden fury.Hewould not want Douglas Gordon’s beloved daughter to face thedangerous journey with her hair or gown mussed.For the sake ofunity he would hold his tongue and let this spoiled, foolish lasshave her way.
A silvery shadow slipped from the cover ofthe forest.“Wolf,” Jamie called, pleased to see his bedraggledcompanion.The hound fell into position behind Jamie’s mount.
* * *
Jamie pressed a hand to his lower back andcursed his aching muscles.Those few days of rest had made himsoft.Already his body was protesting the long hours spent in thesaddle.
Bringing his horse to a halt, he drew hiscloak tightly around him to ward off the rain.Lifting his plumedhat he wiped the moisture from his brow and squinted up into theraindrops that pelted him.Judging by the steady throb of hisshoulder and the dark clouds that filled the sky, the rain wouldnot soon end.
