Page 78 of Highland Flame

Chapter Twenty-One

Cam rode like the wind, finally managing to catch up to the traveling party that had his daughter. He stayed hidden in the dark, wondering the best way to take her back. He could see little Avianca riding in the back of a horse-drawn wagon. She was with a handmaid and looked very frightened.

He could ride right in and demand they give her up. Nay, that would probably never work. This was an English border lord and he was a Highlander on the wrong side of the border. He’d be killed before he even had a chance to say a word.

Mayhap he could sneak in and pluck her from the wagon and ride away quickly before they knew what happened. Nay, he decided. He was riding a plow horse and he’d never be able to outrun knights. Then, to his luck, they decided to stop and camp for the night. This would be his big chance. Once they were all sleeping, he’d sneak in and take back what was his. Now, all he had to do was wait.

*

“Where is he?Cam should be back by now.” Yvaine was going crazy waiting for Cam, envisioning things in her head like his lifeless, headless body lying on the side of the road somewhere.

“He’ll be back. Stop worryin’.” Nash continued his game of chess with his brother. Both of them didn’t seem to have a care in the world.

“Aye, Cam has survived many battles, and I hardly think he’ll be taken down just by tryin’ to save a wee lass.” North’s hand wavered above the chess pieces until he finally selected one and moved it.

“Ye’ve all been back for hours now,” said Yvaine. “Why didna at least one of ye stay with him?”

“Gavin tried that,” said Nash, moving his rook. “Cam told him to go back with us and the nun.”

Gavin and Davita weren’t here right now. Neither was Sister Edna. After hearing what happened, Yvaine sent Gavin and Davita to look after the nun so Gillies wouldn’t do something nasty to the woman for helping them.

The church bells started ringing, and Yvaine could hear something else through the vents in the ceiling. “What’s that?” she asked, looking upward.

“Probably just another prayer session.” North captured Nash’s bishop, causing Nash to swear.

“Nay, it’s no’ time for another prayer session for hours. Listen,” she told them. “I think I hear shoutin’.”

“That’s just North cryin’ since I’m about to capture his last knight.” Nash chuckled and took the piece, causing his brother to frown.

“That wasna fair. Ye tricked me into movin’ that piece when I didna want to,” spat North.

“Shhhh,” said Yvaine, putting her feet on the floor. “I could have sworn I heard Cam’s voice. I am goin’ out to the courtyard to see what is goin’ on.”

“Nay!” Nash jumped up and held out his hand. “Ye are no’ supposed to leave the bed.”

“I’m fine. I need to make sure Cam is all right, if that was him I heard.”

“North will go. I’ll stay here with ye, and he’ll report back to us.”

“Hmm?” North looked up to see Nash nodding his head, pointing to the door. “Oh, right. I’ll be right back.”

After he left, Yvaine decided that she didn’t want to just sit there and not know what was happening out in the courtyard. “I’m goin’, too,” she said, getting up and putting on her cloak and shoes. Her body was sore, but she’d stopped bleeding. She was sure she would be fine.

“Are ye sure ye should be doin’ this?” asked Nash, jumping up next to her. “I was told that ye were to stay in bed no matter what.”

“Dinna try to stop me, Nash. I am goin’ with or without ye to the courtyard. I hear the bells and now shoutin’. I am sure somethin’ is wrong. Now, are ye goin’ to help me or no’?”

“Cam is goin’ to kill me,” said Nash with a sigh, walking to her side and holding out his arm. “All right. Let’s go.”

*

Cam now realizedthat he should have thought out his plan a little more thoroughly before attempting to save his daughter. He’d been able to sneak up to the wagon, but when he tried to lift her out, Avianca woke up and started crying, giving away his presence.

Now, he was a prisoner of Lord Robert Clifton and would probably be dead right now if Avianca hadn’t told them that his story about the priory was true. So, back to Lanercost they went, but Cam didn’t expect this would go well for him at all. After all, Brother Gillies was in charge and the deciding factor. Cam was sure the monk wasn’t about to say anything to help him get off the hook.

“What’s this?” asked Gillies, walking out of the cloisters to join them.

“This man says the girl you gave me is his daughter,” answered Lord Clifton. He was a big man with blond hair that had streaks of gray running through it. He was about twenty years older than Cam. His long beard made him look even older. “Is this true, Brother Gillies?”