Tentatively he reached out one hand toward the big animal and the dog licked him, his tail wagging as if he’d discovered a long-lost friend.
Dobbie dropped to one knee, burying his hands in the dog’s fur to scratch his head. When he stood, he shook his head and turned his back on the dog.
“Sorry, boy. I’ve nothing at all to give you, no even a morsel. Off with you, then.”
Dobbie started forward toward an area where the underbrush was trampled down, obviously a well-used trail for the crannog’s inhabitants. Only lack of experience kept the boy from recognizing that the big dog now stood guard, blocking the pathway between him and his only means of escape.
Hall rose to his feet and the others followed.
“Dobbie Caskie!” he called out. “Stop where you are with your hands in the air.”
The boy froze for just an instant, his expression that of a hunted animal before he turned to run, only to find his way blocked by the snarling dog.
Dobbie turned back to them, looking resigned to whatever fate awaited him.
“I only want the scrolls you took,” Hall said as he approached the boy. “We have no wish to harm you.”
“Speak for yerself,” Eric growled, coming up to join him. “Remember me, do you? Me and the generous lady who shared our food, only to have you steal her horse and all our provisions?”
Dobbie backed up a step, unable to move farther away thanks to the big dog directly behind him.
“Maybe I recall you,” he said, his eyes shifting from one to the other of the men confronting him. “Maybe no. I meet many people along the trails.”
“Well, lad, you met yerself the wrong one this time,” Eric threatened, cracking his knuckles for effect.
Dobbie shook his head and lifted his chin. “Do you think to frighten me? I’m no afraid of the likes of you. I been beat regularly by men twice yer size.” The boy lifted his fists as if to invite a fight. “Be warned, I’ve learned to give as good as I get.”
A memory of the last time Hall had heard those words flashed through his mind, and he glanced up to find Brie staring directly at him. From the color rising in her cheeks when her gaze met his, he had no need to wonder whether she remembered too.
Hall stepped forward and the boy flinched, but kept his fists lifted.
“I don’t want to fight you, Dobbie Caskie. I only want the scrolls you took from Mathew. You can keep whatever else you’ve taken.”
“Not my horse,” Eric added. “I want my horse back, too.”
“The scrolls and Eric’s horse,” Hall echoed.
Dobbie shook his head, shivering in the thin plaid he wore wrapped around his shoulders. “Can you pay? Elsewise, they willna return yer rolls of symbols. They’d as soon use them as tinder for their fire. As for yer horse, it’s long gone, I’m afraid. Sold to the laird of the MacKenzies. If you want it that bad, you’ll need to speak to him about its return.”
Hall had no intention of haggling over what had been stolen. “There will be no bargaining. You’re going to get in your boat and row yourself back out to your crannog—”
“No!” Eric interrupted. “You ken as well as I do, once he’s there, we canna touch him. They’ll simply wait until we tire of the hunt and go away.”
“As I was saying, you’ll row yourself back out there,” Hall repeated as if there had been no interruption. “And you’ll take this message to the leader of the men inside: Return the scrolls to me within the hour, or everyone in the crannog dies. I am not open to negotiation or bargaining of any kind. Do you understand?”
Dobbie nodded and turned to run, clearly anxious to be on his way, but the big animal behind him halted his escape.
“Finn!” Hall turned to locate the warrior who traveled with the beast. “Allow the boy passage.”
“Dog! To my side,” Finn called.
Tail once again wagging like a playful puppy, the big animal trotted past Dobbie and Hall to sit down next to Finn.
Dobbie raced to retrieve his boat and hopped inside as if he expected the men to change their minds at any moment. He rowed much faster as he headed back to the crannog than he had on his way to the shore.
“I hope you’ve got yerself one hell of a plan,” Patrick muttered. “Because that one’s no likely to ever set foot on this shore again of his own free will.”
Hall had a plan, right enough.
