Page 176 of Claimed Highland Brides

INFILTRATION

“What are ye doing?”

She jumped, looking around frantically for who had spoken. Then she looked down and saw the young boy, looking curiously up at her. “Beg yer pardon?”

The boy pointed to her basket. “What are ye doing?”

She looked from the basket to the boy, eyes narrowing speculatively. “Would ye like an apple?”

The boy’s eyes lit up. “Aye!”

Aileen reached into her basket and pulled one out. As the boy reached for it, she pulled it back. “What’s yer name?”

“Hamish.”

Aileen’s brow went up. “Like yer uncle?”

The boy frowned in puzzlement. “My uncle? I dinnae have an uncle.”

Aileen shook her head, handing him the apple and watching as he took an eager bite. “Do ye want another?”

He nodded eagerly.

“Then there is something I need for ye to do for me.”

“What is it?”

Aileen bit her lip as she thought. “I want ye to go and tell the guard at the gate that there is a fire on the other side of the castle, and ye need his help.”

The boy’s eyes widened in trepidation. “There’s a fire?”

“No, no!” She squeezed his arm reassuringly. “There’s no fire. It’s just a prank.”

Hamish looked uncertain. “A prank?”

“Aye. Ye ken a prank?”

Hamish shook his head slowly, his eyes still on her.

“’Tis when ye trick somebody into doing something because ’tis funny.”

Instead of clearing up Hamish’s confusion, this seemed to increase it. “Och,” he said thoughtfully.

Aileen realized that his family was probably not one for games or tricks. “Will ye help me?”

Hamish nodded slowly. “Alrigh’.”

Aileen smiled at him. “Guid lad. Now ye go to the gate and tell him that there’s a fire.”

“Near the well?”

“Aye. Near the well.”

Hamish nodded and took off at a run. Aileen exhaled sharply, fading into the shadows as she waited.

Will he fall for it? What about the men sparring? What should I do about them?

Sidling along the wall, she peeked around into the courtyard. Her young friend was busy dragging the guard at the gate away, pointing at something around the corner. The guard seemed half-irritable, half-amused. The important thing was that he followed the boy. As soon as they were out of sight, Aileen started walking, trying to seem natural, drawing a sigh of relief as she reached the gate.