Amelia leaned up on both elbows. “Why?”
She watched him pick up the axe and walk to the cave entrance, where he put two fingers to his lips and whistled.
He then faced her—a godlike silhouette against the shifting mist, his kilt and hair wavering lightly in the breeze. “Because I intend tofollowthrough with my devious and wily plot, of course.”
«Willyou send word to the fort that you are holding me captive?” she asked,stillunsure what to make of him when he spoke like that.
He bent forward, picked up his saddlebags, stalked back into the cave, and began packing food. “Not yet. I want Bennett to worry about you for a few days.”
A few days …Amelia examined the wounds at her wrists and remembered her frantic need to escape when she first set foot in this cave. She’d been the Butcher’s prisoner for less than six hours and felt as if she’d skirted death and disaster at every turn. How would she continue to survive for another few days—and nights, too?
“What makes you think thefullforce of the English army isn’t already searching for me?” shechallenged. “How do you know Richard hasn’t uncovered your tracks or learned of this hiding place? He has reason to interrogate people now.
Surely someonewillknow this den exists.”
“That’s why we’re leaving.”
“Wherewillwe go?”
“Further north. Higher into the mountains.”
She glanced past him to the mouth of the cave again.«Willyour friends be joining us?”
“They’llbe close by,” he answered, “but we won’t travel together. That would make us too easy to track.”
Just then, the two Highlanders they’d met in the rainy field entered the cave. The Butcher tossed a blanket to thetallred-haired one with the beard and freckled skin. “We’re leaving,” he said. “Pack everything. We’llmeet at Glen Elchaig at dusk.”
The Highlander began torollupthe blanket, his green eyes intense as he scrutinized Amelia. “Is she coming with us?”
“Aye.”
He nodded at her. “I’m Gawyn.” He gestured toward the other Highlander. “And the ugly one is Fergus.”
Fergus belched and flashed a crooked, disquieting grin, which made her shrink back. “He’s just jealous of my sensual appeal.”
Deeply unsettled and striving to keep up her guard, Amelia rose to her feet and watched the rebels clear the supplies out of the den. They moved swiftly and efficiently while she stood back against the cold cavewall, keeping quiet, striving to avoid their attentions.
The Butcher tossed his saddlebags over his shoulder, then approached. “Time to go.” He grabbed her by the elbow and led her out of the cave.
Scurrying to keep up, Amelia breathed in the briny scent of the fog as they emerged into the morning light. The mist shifted androlledacross the rockyhilltops, and she felt itschillupon her skin.
The Butcher saddled his horse while the other two Highlanders stuffed supplies into sacks and saddle pouches.
Amelia studied the craggy landscape, searching for some sign of the fair-haired one named Angus, but he seemed to have vanished into the mist. They were a dubious and shifty lot, these Highland rebels.
“You’llneed to relieve yourself before we go,” the Butcher said. “There’s a rock there, and don’t get any ideas about running off.” He pointed toward a huge boulder, then turned away.
This is a nightmare,Amelia thought.If only I could wake.
A few minutes later, she finished her morning affairs and returned to where the others were waiting.
“Do I need to bind your wrists for the ride?” Her captor looked at her withchallengeas he drove a musket into the saddle scabbard.
She touched the chafe marks on her wrists,stillpainful and raw, and shook her head. “No.”
“You get one chance to earn my trust,” he told her, “and if you disappoint me, I’llkeep you bound and gagged until Ikillyour beloved, which could be some time from now, considering where we’re headed.”
She glanced up at the mountaintops and shivered. “I won’t try to escape. You have my word.”
