Page 22 of Highland Dove

“My sister?” Mari scratched behind her ear. “What can she do?”

“I need ye two to try to find out where Eideard is hidin’ my mathair. I’m goin’ to get a small army together and we’ll attack Eideard and take back the castle when he least suspects it.”

“And me? Will ye take me back, too?” she asked with hope in her voice.

“I willna let him have ye, Mari.” Duncan reached out and gently touched her hair. “Now, pretend that Malmuira found ye and brought ye back to Eideard.”

“I really dinna want to go back to him.” She squirmed, and itched a few more places on her body.

“Ye have to, lass,” Duncan told her. “If everythin’ goes as planned, we’ll have things back to normal in a few days or more.”

“And if it doesna work?” she asked him. “Then what will ye do?”

“I – I’m no’ sure. But I’ll think of somethin’,” he told her.

“I hope so, Duncan.” She blew him a kiss. “Because I canna live a life being married to a man I despise.”

Chapter 7

“What’s this?” asked Eideard, running over to the gypsy wagon when they arrived back where Eideard and his men were. “Mari, is that ye?”

Mari sat on the seat of the wagon on one side of Angus, trying not to touch him. Malmuira sat at his other side.

“We found her on the road and are takin’ her back to the castle,” said Malmuira.

“Ye were tryin’ to escape, werena ye?” growled Eideard. “Get down here anon.”

She started to move and almost fell off the seat. Angus’ hand shot out and caught her and he slowly lowered her safely to the ground.

“Thank ye An-” She stopped in midsentence when Angus cleared his throat and shot her a nasty glare. “An-nabel,” she said, hoping to cover her mistake before Eideard caught on.

“Who are ye?” asked Eideard, peering at Angus.

“I’m . . . Annabel,” said Angus, trying to make his voice sound feminine.

“Ye’re the ugliest wench I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“Hrmph,” said Angus, sticking his nose up in the air and pulling his cloak tighter around him.

“We’re headed back to the castle, so I hope ye dinna mind if we travel with ye,” said Malmuira.

“I dinna think so.” Eideard shook his head. “Ye can go on yer way now since I dinna need ye, gypsy.”

This was horrible news to Mari. She needed her friends there to help her and didn’t want to be alone with Eideard. She had to do something fast.

“Malmuira can read yer cards for ye. For free,” she added.

“She’s already read my cards and I dinna want my cards read again,” he protested. “We’re leavin,” he called out to his men, getting groans in return since they hadn’t been there long.

“I’d be happy to do it,” said Malmuira, but Eideard wasn’t biting.

“I told ye, there is nothin’ I want from ye, old woman, now be on yer way.”

Mari’s eyes shot over to Angus and Malmuira in panic. This wasn’t going at all as planned.

“Well, I’m sure ye’ve never had yer palm read by Annabel,” said Mari. “She’s so guid, she’ll even be able to tell ye how many children we’ll have and how many of them will be boys.”

“What?” Angus twisted around so fast that he nearly lost his wig made of horsetail. His hand went to his head to secure it. “Nay, I’m sure he willna want me to do that,” he said in falsetto.