With her heart slamming against her chest, Blair forgot about her tea and her sore stomach. Her sole focus was on Maddock, Sorcha, and Seamus. Lifting her deep blue skirts, she rushed past the table to the trio. If it was as she thought, then Maddock and his men would have to find Reade at Paden’s meeting place.
They did not know where he was going.
But the larger problem was she did not know how to tell them exactly how to get there.
“Please,” she interrupted Maddock’s growling words. He whipped around and lowered his gaze at her. His fury painted his normally relaxed face into a twisted mask. Blair swallowed hard, but didn’t let his anger dissuade her. She lifted her chin. “Please, are ye discussing Reade?”
“What is it to ye?” Maddock barked at her, and Sorcha pressed her hand on her son’s arm.
“Mad, ye dinna know what the lass has to say. Temper your fury. ‘Tis no’ she who is the target of your anger.”
“Is she no’?” he spat back, and Blair snapped back at how he spoke to his mother. Perchance Maddock was more like Reade than she had realized.
Seamus, however, wasn’t one to let such an insult to his wife go, even if it came from his son.
“Maddock! Dinna speak to your mam in that tone. Now calm yourself and let us hear what the lass has to say.”
Seamus turned his hazel eyes upon her. Blair, who had managed to be so brave when up against Maddock, lost her voice when confronted by the Laird of the Glenachulish MacDonalds. She gulped again and inhaled deeply, drawing up some manner of courage from deep within her gut.
“Reade, he’s ridden off by himself?” she asked.
Blair might have guessed, but better to make certain before she said anything else. Unlike her impetuous husband, Blair tried to have as much information as possible before acting.
Foolish, rash Reade.
“Aye,” Seamus responded in that same level tone. Blair flicked her gaze to Sorcha. Perchance the boys had not learned their rash behaviors from their father. Did it come from Sorcha? That was a surprising thought to Blair, who shook her head.
Focus! Reade might be in danger!
“He said ye are intending to search the surrounding woods for Paden and his men. I know where Reade is going – where he will assuredly find Paden, if he hasn’t already.”
Maddock’s thick hand landed heavily on her shoulder, gripping it to the point of pain. Before she could gasp at his action, Sorcha’s hand was there, removing his fingers in a quick movement. Aye, perchance the impetuous behavior came from her.
“Tell us, lass. We will ride after him straight away,” Seamus commanded in his encouraging voice.
Blair rubbed her hands together. “Aye. That. Ye see, ‘tis a bit of a problem. I dinna know where ‘tis, exactly.”
“What –!” Maddock’s voice boomed, but his father stepped in front of his livid son, letting his cooler head prevail.
“What do ye mean, lass? Why do ye no’ know where?”
The lump in Blair’s throat thickened. “I can show ye. ‘Tis off the trail, but I canna tell ye how far or where to enter the wood. But I can show ye.”
“Blair, nay,” Sorcha said in a sharp tone that conveyed her meaning without question. “Ye canna leave the tower. I’m sure if ye explain the area, Seamus, Maddock and the men can find it. They know the woods like they know their own hands.”
“I canna do that! I canna tell ye even how far ‘tis or how long we rode. But if I show ye –”
“Blair,” Sorcha said again. “Ye canna leave the keep. ‘Tis too dangerous for ye, right now.” Sorcha placed weighty emphasis on her wordsright now.Blair wrung her hands so tightly, the skin on her knuckles was becoming raw.
“I will stay back. They can have a man guard me. I dinna know the location. ‘Tis the only way!” Blair hated the desperation in her voice but had to hope that it was the one thing that might convince Sorcha.
“She can go if she stays back and is guarded,” Seamus agreed with her. He half-turned to Sorcha. “She will be safe enough in that case.”
Sorcha’s lips thinned, then she placed that powerful hand on her husband’s upper arm and turned him away from Maddock and Blair to speak to him in low private tones. Seamus’s brows rose at her whispers, and Blair understood that she was telling him about Blair’s condition.
Blair bit her lip. Did this mean she’d have to remain behind? How could she begin to describe the area of the woods where Paden had accosted her?Oak trees? One with a low branch?‘Twas impossible! Throbbing, panting panic swallowed her chest, and the hall suddenly seemed too hot.
Seamus turned back around with Sorcha, whose face pursed with her discontent at Blair’s suggestion.
