The smells of blood and bog assaulted his nostrils. Sounds of cannon shot and the cries of dying men filled his head as he fought Brie’s captor. One moment inside the rocky cavern, one moment on the muddy moor. He swung at a Redcoat, and landed his blow to the Mountain Man’s gut, making him stagger back a few steps.
A sudden, stunning kick to Alistair’s chest dropped him to his knees as another smashed into the soft tissue below his ribcage where the broadsword had entered, twisted and dragged its way across his belly.
Gus’s whimper and Brie’s stifled cries drifted to Alistair and he fought to stay focused. He used his buried anger for those who’d stolen Scotland’s freedom, to compound his rage at the man who’d stolen Brie’s.
All his strength, all his bottled-up fury, erupted on the piece of filth who’d dared to threaten her. Three successive blows to the kidnapper’s face, and a fourth to his temple, dropped him, unconscious, to the stone floor. Alistair grabbed him by the hair for another blow, when Brie’s grunt of protest caught his attention.
Alistair let the man fall and turned to her like a beacon in a storm. “Brie,” he muttered, blinking his rage away. Relief, gratitude, love—so much filled him as he hurried to release her bonds and pull her into his arms.
“Brie.” He buried his face in her hair. “Are ye all right, love?”
“I am now.” Wincing from the weight on her foot, she slipped her arms around him and held tight.
Alistair trembled, unable to hold her close enough.He’d nearly lost her!Slowly, he realized she’d favored her foot and he remembered the torn-up path of gravel he’d seen, and pulled back. “Ye’re hurt!”
She shook her head. “Just a sprain I think, and a few bruises. What about you? Your head?”
“Nae. ’Tis fine.”
“Oh, Mac.” Both her voice and her chin quivered. “I was so afraid.”
He drew a thumb across her lower lip and studied her face. “I should tell ye, my name is no’ Mac. Well,partiallyMac, I ken. ’Tis Alistair MacDonell.”
Surprise widened her eyes, followed by traces of happiness, worry, and a bit of fear. “You remembered,” she whispered.
“Aye, lass. Well, some. No’ all. ’Tis still monstrous confusing. I canna quite piece everything together, nae reconcile the inconsistency in time. But…” He drew her close again, kissed her forehead, her temple, the corner of her mouth. “I did learn that Soncerae doesna wait for me, as a…as a…”
“Lover?” Brie suggested.
“Aye . No’ like that,” he smiled. “I’m sure of it. A sister, mayhap. Or a treasured friend. Brie,” he continued cautiously, searching for the right words. “I think mayhap we… I believe I’m able to love ye,freely. If…when, I can ken that for sure, will ye have me?”
Although he saw the answer on her lovely face, he needed to hear her say the words.
“First, shouldn’t you find out who, or what—”
“Aye, lass. I will. Ye’ve my vow on it. But no matter what I find, ’twill no’ change how much I loveye.”
She sighed and dropped her head to his chest. “Mac.” Then she jerked back to search his face, “I mean…Alistair.” An apprehensive look crossed her face. “Even though I knew this change would come—and I want it for you,I do—I guess I’m still not quite ready.”
“Ye havna answered my question, lass.” Alistair reminded her, anxious to hear her answer.
Brie’s captor moaned and twitched, drawing their attention. Gus rushed to him, teeth bared, emitting a low growl.
“Ye’ve quite a dog there, lass.” Alistair released Brie and took the bonds the man had used on her, to secure his feet and hands, then link the ties together behind the man’s back. He was still not fully awake when Alistair decided to add the gag he’d used on Brie.
Renewed fury pulsed inside Alistair at the blackguard who’d dared put Brie in danger. He yearned for a way to subject the wastrel to the terror he’d put her through. He dinna just want revenge, he wanted to exact restitution from the man’s hide.
“If ’twas up to me, I’d toss this rotten carcass into the chasm and let the buzzards have what they could scrounge from the remains,” he ground out.
“No, Mac,” Brie’s soft voice came from behind him.
Fighting for control, he heaved a shuddering breath. “We’ll leave him tied here, then. He’ll no’ escape these bounds. If the authorities think he’s worth the trouble to haul him out, ’tis up to them.”
Still struggling with his desire for revenge, he turned back to Brie, but stopped short as a conversation replayed in his head. Gregor’s voice came clear and strong.
“I’m feelin’ naught but the hope that Soncerae will choose me this night. I’ve an itch tae face the Bonny Prince and give him a taste of what he left us tae face wi’out so much as a ‘die-well, lads’ on his cowardly lips.”
Alistair clearly remembered thinking what an empty pursuit such revenge would be. But if Brie had been harmed, he would have spent his last breath seeking exactly the same thing. What did that say about him?
