Page 46 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“Leave her, Captain,” the soldier pleaded, but Gilchrist could not. He lifted the cat and put her on his good shoulder. She buried her claws in tight to stay steady, and he didn’t mind. He’d rather have her there and safe than terrified and hidden under his furniture. He returned his arm to the good soldier and the support he offered and then they left the room.

“Gilchrist?” Aaden looked back at him as they hurried away, clearly aggravated not to have an answer from him. “What happened?”

“Attacked. In the night. Crept into the room.” He managed to mutter between panting breaths. He could answer no more, the pain too distracting.

By the time he reached Harper’s chambers, there were stars in his vision. He was fairly certain that Aaden and the other soldier together tossed him onto the bed. Poor Lottie jumped down, hissing as she landed on the bed beside him. Harper acted fast, her quick fingers moving across the injury on his arm.

Slowly, Gilchrist was able to concentrate on the candles flickering in their lemony light around him. The sparks from his vision left as Harper dabbed at his injury, and he felt more and more himself.

He didn’t know how long he was there, struggling to concentrate, but eventually he sat himself up against the bedhead, stitches in his arm as Harper cleaned the dried blood from his skin. Lottie was nestled in his lap as he stroked her with his good hand, assuring all was well.

Aaden was back in the room, cursing repeatedly, for they had found no sign of his attacker.

“And ye didnae see who it was?” Aaden hissed, plainly in disbelief as Harper wandered off to get rid of the bloodstained cloth.

Gilchrist didn’t answer. Clearly, it was enough confirmation for Aaden.

“If it was –”

“Nay one would believe us, Aaden. Nae if we told the council, nae even if we told Kyven.”

“She would believe ye.”

“Or she’d think I’m prejudiced against Laird Shay and his men.”

“Which one was it?” Aaden asked, sitting down on the stool beside his bed.

“Larry,” Gilchrist whispered. “He was nae just trying tae injure.” Slowly he shook his head.

“Murder,” Aaden said, his northern Scottish accent sounding stronger than ever as he muttered the word darkly and ran a hand through his hair. “There is so much that worries me in this castle at the moment.”

“Aye, I ken.” Gilchrist felt tense, despite the fact that the pain in his body was now diminishing. Tonight, had showed to him that Shay was prepared to murder for whatever he wanted in this castle.

Kyven. He wants Kyven.

“We have tae keep Kyven safe,” Gilchrist whispered, glancing toward the doorway through which Harper had left to clean her cloths, making sure they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Kyven. Wait, this is perfect,” Aaden declared with such a sudden smile that Gilchrist frowned at him.

“What is?”

“Look at ye.” Aaden gestured at him. “Imagine how worried she’ll be when she sees ye now.”

“Only ye could find a reason tae smile at a moment like this, Aaden.”

“Well, life is nay easy thing.” Aaden stretched on the stool. “Sometimes, we have tae smile when we can.”

“Me laird, we have been riding since the early hours,” Kyven said, struggling to speak around her yawn. “I think it time we returned to the castle.” The guard behind her nodded in agreement, holding in his own yawns.

Kyven looked ahead at Laird Shay. He had been most insistent that morning, knocking at her chamber door in the early hours of the morning and asking her to go for a ride before breakfast. She’d been hurried out of the castle so fast that Kyven had changed before Helen had even woken. She’d seen some sort of commotion in the castle courtyard as they left but was unable to find out any more about it.

“A few minutes more, me lady,” Shay said in his usual smooth tones. “I am taking the opportunity tae ken ye better, away from the prying eyes of the castle.”

Kyven glanced back at the guard behind her who was now coughing in his attempt to cover up his laugh. She smiled too, for sometimes Laird Shay’s words could sound a little too rehearsed.

“What is it ye wish tae ken?” She urged her horse ahead, riding along the ridge of a hilltop, between standing stone cairns. Her eyes looked across her lands, down to the loch and the fine castle, glimmering in the morning sunlight. The whole village was active today for it was market day, and even at this distance, she could hear the muffled cries of their catcalling as they tried to sell their wares.

“Tell me about yer clan.”