Page 23 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

Idalia did not know what to do. She did not want to leave Bran wounded. “I cannot leave you.”

Bran held her eyes, his sword in his hand. “For the sake o’ me daughter, Idalia, run.” Armed men came running towards them out of the woods. “Run!”

Idalia did as instructed, kicking her horse into action. The mare leapt forward in fear as they were rushed by armed men. The horse jumped free over the stream and plunged into the woods on the other side. Idalia looked over her shoulder to see Bran fighting off his attackers as best he could. She knew there was nothing that she could do to help him. They were outnumbered and out armed. August Raymond had sent his best fighters after them and they had no intentions of failing to bring back their escaped prisoners.

Idalia rode until she reached a safe distance, then hid herself to make certain no one was following her. After several minutes of silence, she remounted her horse and doubled back to make certain that Bran was still alive. She found their spot beside the stream abandoned. There were signs of a scuffle, but no one was in sight. Idalia followed the trail leading away from the stream, back in the direction they had come from. Bran had taught her how to track during their short time together. He had shown her how to track game when they were hunting. Idalia applied the same principles of hunting animals to hunting people.

She followed the trail until she heard voices ahead of her. She crept along until she saw the backs of the men who had attacked Bran. She saw Bran, with his hands tied in front of him, being dragged along behind the horses. He staggered forward on unsteady feet, the rope pulling him with undeniable force. Idalia wished to cry out for them to stop. It was a terrible sight to see such a strong masculine figure being dragged behind a horse bloodied and bruised. She crouched low against her horse and followed behind them slowly, being certain to keep a good distance between herself and August’s men.

She followed them until darkness fell and they stopped at an inn in a small village. Idalia watched as they stabled their horses and entered the inn, taking Bran with them. Idalia waited outside of the inn to see if they would reemerge. When they did not, she crept over to the window of the main bar of the tavern. Her eyes scanned the room but found no sign of Bran or August’s men. Moving around to the back of the inn, she knocked on the door to the kitchen.

A young man answered and his eyes widened in interest. Idalia gave him her most brilliant smile. The lad blushed and smiled back. “How may I be o’ service?” he asked, eyeing her with curiosity.

“I am looking for my brother,” she lied. “He was ahead of me on the road, and I was supposed to meet with him here. He was with a group of men.”

The lad nodded. “Aye, a group o’ men arrived nae long ago. Would ye like me tae show ye tae yer brother’s room?”

“I do not wish to cause you any difficulty. If you could just tell me which room it is, I will go and find him myself.”

The lad nodded. He stepped out onto the path and turned around to face the back of the inn. He pointed to a window at the corner of the building. “They are in that room there.”

Idalia nodded. “I thank you.”

“Are ye certain that ye dinnae wish for me tae accompany ye?” The bellows of men sounded in the kitchen, all demanding service. The lad frowned through the doorway in frustration.

Idalia smiled sweetly. “I am certain you have more important things to do.”

The lad sighed, nodding grudgingly. “Aye, I have much tae do, but should ye need anything at all during yer stay, please come and find me. I will see tae yer needs myself.” He walked back toward the kitchen door. “Would ye like tae come through this way?”

Idalia shook her head. “I need to see to my horse first.”

The lad nodded. “My brother is in the stables and will see tae yer horse. Come tae me when ye have settled in, and I will bring ye something tae eat.”

Little did the lad know that Idalia had no intentions of staying or taking her horse to the stables. Idalia smiled at him once more, nodding her head in farewell. “I thank you for your kindness.”

The lad smiled back at her, then disappeared into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. Left alone in the darkness, Idalia moved to stand under the window that he had pointed to. It was up on the second floor and beyond her reach. She looked around her and studied the tree that stood at the corner of the inn. Some of the sturdier branches reached out toward the window. Idalia gauged whether she could make it up the trunk and out onto one of the branches without falling and hurting herself or being seen.

Walking her horse over to the tree, she climbed up onto the mare’s back and stood up as carefully as she could. She reached up and was able to grab onto one of the lower branches. Hefting herself up onto the branch, she climbed up into the tree. Careful not to catch her skirts in the climbing, she made her way up the tree and out onto the branch nearest the window.

The shutters were closed, but not locked. Idalia moved the shutter enough tae provide a small slit of light from within for her to peer into the room. Light from the fireplace filtered through the crack in the shutters and she could see men moving about inside of the room. There was a figure lying on the bed beneath the window. The smell of blood and sweat filtered up from the body beneath her, and she knew it had to be Bran.

Idalia sat on the branch thinking of what to do. There were only two men in the room with Bran. She was not certain where the other men were, but while there were only two would be the best time to act. How am I going to defeat two men in a fight? Idalia had the small blade that she kept hidden under her skirts. She withdrew it and weighed it in her hand. I fear this is not enough. I am only one person. She peered down at the dark form on the bed. Can I cut his bindings without the other men noticing?

Idalia pushed the shutters open enough to fit her hand and arm through, then waited to see if either of the men noticed. When they did not, she reached her hand in and felt about on the bed until she found his hands. Bran stiffened at the contact but did not say a word.

Idalia squeezed his hand in reassurance, then ran her fingers along the ties that bound his hands together until she found the best place to begin cutting. She retrieved her knife and carefully slid the blade between the ties. She moved the blade with as much force as she dared. The bindings gave way, and his hands were free.

CHAPTER TEN

When Idalia pulled her hand away she found it wet with blood. The wound in his shoulder was still bleeding. If they did not get it to stop, Bran would not be able to climb out of the room and down the tree. Idalia was uncertain whether he would be able to do it even if they did. He had been bleeding for hours. It was a small bleed, but it was enough to weaken any person. “Call them over to the bed,” Idalia whispered as low as she could and still have him hear her.

Bran cleared his throat. “Water,” he demanded hoarsely.

August’s men turned and looked at him. “Go ahead,” the one who seemed to be in charge said to the other. One of them moved towards the door and left the room, presumably in search of the requested water. That dropped the numbers down to one. Idalia smiled at Bran’s use of tactics to reduce the risk.

The remaining man walked over to where Bran was on the bed and moved to sit him up. Idalia took advantage of the moment and launched herself through the window and onto the man her blade raised. She landed on his back, the knife glancing off of his shoulder and dropping to the floor. The man growled in pain and flung her off of his back. Idalia fell to the floor with bruising force. Before the man had a chance to do anything else, Bran had scooped up the fallen knife cut loose the bindings on his feet and struck out, bringing the hilt of the knife down hard upon the man’s head. The man fell to his knees. Another hard blow and he was unconscious.

“We must hurry. The other one could be back any moment,” Idalia scampered to her feet.