Page 174 of Claimed Highland Brides

Everyone began talking at once, all wanting to give their version of events. Fiona had to raise her hand to quiet them down.

Her eyes fell on her youngest sister and softened. “Ùna? What is wrong? Tell me what happened.”

Ùna immediately began to cry. “I w-was so af-feared.”

Aileen reached for her quickly, gathering her sister into her arms. “Dinnae be fashit. We shalnae let anything happen t’ye,” she soothed.

Ùna only cried harder.

Fiona leaned forward, her eyes dark with concern. “Did they hurt ye?”

Ùna shook her head vigorously, curls flying about. “No. Diego saved me afore they could. But they pulled my hand, and they wouldnae let me go. I fought hard, though. I really fought.”

“We ken ye did.” Aileen smoothed Ùna’s curls tenderly.

“Thank heaven for Diego.” Maisie sighed.

“Aye,” Fiona agreed.

* * *

They stood around the study table, looking over a drawing of Inchcree that had been found among Hamish MacFarland’s scripts. “The main challenge is getting through the gate. ’Tis heavily guarded,” Daividh said.

“Can we scale the walls?” Simon asked.

“No.” Barclay shook his head. “They were made to withstand assault from outside. In any case, they’re too high.”

There was a thoughtful silence.

Delwyn spoke after a while. “What we need is a Trojan horse.” They all turned to look at him.

“What d’ye mean?” Barclay asked.

“If we can sneak a person into the compound, who can then open the gates…”

Daividh nodded and smirked. “Aye, that could work.”

“But who would we send in?” Barclay asked.

Another silence descended upon the room.

“I’ll do it,” a voice said from the corner. They all turned to find Aileen there leaning against the wall. “They wilnae notice a wee lass like me. Nobody ever notices me.”

Considering that they had not realized she was in the room, it was a difficult argument to refute. Still, Barclay did his best. “’Tis too dangerous.”

Aileen stepped forward. “Aye, it would be dangerous if one o’ ye tried it. But me? They wilnae see me.”

“Ye cannae be sure o’ that.”

“Aye, I can. I ken how to disappear. Let me do this for ye.” Her voice rose to a whine as she pleaded.

Barclay shook his head, although he was not refusing. “Fine. But ye shall be in disguise, just in case. Go in as a tradeswoman and dinnae be caught!”

“I wilnae. I promise ye.”

Barclay closed the distance between them and wrapped his hand around her wrist. “Ye better no’ break tha’ promise.”

A pleased smile spread over Aileen’s face as she nodded her agreement.