His Lady of Castlemora(24)

* * *

Only once in the course of that day did they see evidence of the enemy, a  small patrol of a dozen men, but they were fully half a mile away and  moving south, parallel to the fugitives' present course. Ban reined in.

'Will they see us?' asked Isabelle.

'No, they're not even looking in our direction.' He frowned as an  unpleasant thought occurred to him. After a moment he found Jock  alongside. The craggy face was grim.

'Are ye thinking what I'm thinking?' he asked.

'Probably,' replied Ban.

Ewan looked from one to the other. 'What is it, my lord?'

For answer Ban nodded in the direction of the distant riders now drawing away, evidently riding fast. 'Look yonder.'

Ewan frowned. 'What are they doing?'

'Murdo has moved his men ahead of us. It's why we haven't seen hide or  hair of them since last night. He knows he can move much faster than we  and he's planning to throw a cordon of patrols across our way.'

Ewan frowned. 'Cut us off from Glengarron, ye mean?'

'Precisely.'

A tense silence followed.

Jock threw Ban a wry glance. 'What now?'

'We have to get word to Glengarron. It's our only chance. One of us must go on ahead and find a way through Murdo's patrols.'

'Aye, you're right. Will I get going then?'

'No, not you: Ewan must go. He was born hereabouts and knows this region better than anyone.'

The younger man nodded. 'I ken every rock, bush and sheep track for twenty miles.'

To Isabelle's surprise he didn't look remotely concerned by the thought  of danger or possible capture. As if in answer to the thought Ban turned  in the saddle and met her eye.

'If anyone can get through he will.'

'I'll get through, my lady,' Ewan replied. 'I swear it.'

'Ye'd better,' said Jock. Then, jerking his head in the general  direction of home, he added, 'Away with ye then, lad, and keep your eyes  open.'

'I'll mind the advice.'

With that Ewan turned his horse aside and rode away in the wake of the  enemy patrol. The others watched until he was lost to view among the  rocks and trees. Isabelle sent a silent prayer along with him. Nell eyed  her shrewdly.

'He'll get through all right,' she said.

'But will it be in time?' replied Isabelle.

'Have no fear, my lady,' said Jock. 'He will get through and Lord Iain will send aid.'

Beside him, Davy nodded. 'Aye, that's right, and then yon mercenary scum  will see if Glengarron's reputation has been exaggerated or no.'

Ban's answering smile belied his inner concern. The foe was ruthless and  dangerous. If this had involved just himself and his men, that would  have been one thing. The presence of the women was quite another for  their safety must be his top priority. Even so, the thought of the  coming conflict filled him with savage anticipation. It would be good to  come face to face with Murdo instead of all this running and hiding.  When he did he would take pleasure in killing him. And then...what?                       
       
           



       

For the first time he did let his thoughts run on a little. Even with  the immediate threat removed, Isabelle would still be vulnerable until  their betrothal was made public. She had just become an heiress and thus  a considerable prize. It might be that the king himself would take a  hand in the matter once he heard of it, and he would hear. Castlemora  was a rich estate. Loyalty could be bought thus and alliances too. Since  Malcolm had paid homage to King William might not closer ties be  sought, ties of marriage between Norman and Scot? It was an unwelcome  possibility. On the other hand it could be removed by the declaration of  his betrothal. In many ways that was a highly desirable solution but it  still left one critical problem outstanding. Ban's jaw tensed. The  future was growing more complicated by the hour.

* * *

Although he suspected they would not stumble across any of the enemy  patrols as yet, he never relaxed his vigilance all through the remainder  of that day, nor at night when they made camp. They dared not light a  fire for fear of attracting unwelcome attention, and that evening they  ate the last of the food. With more supplies they would have had the  option of staying put and waiting for help; as it was they had no choice  now but to go on. He calculated they were perhaps ten miles from home.  It should have been an easy ride in the morning. Now he knew it would be  anything but. With every step they would be riding ever closer to  danger. All Murdo had to do was let them come.





Chapter Ten


Isabelle rolled herself in her cloak and lay down beside Nell, trying to  sleep. However, the hard ground and the evening chill held sleep at bay  and presently she gave it up. Taking care not to disturb the others she  moved apart and sat down in the lee of a boulder, resting her back  against the stone. Above her the stars burned in the deepening vault of  the sky, and the moon, almost at the full, was mounting the heavens. All  the country round was bathed in its soft silvery light.

'Beautiful, isn't it?' said a quiet voice beside her.

With a start she looked up to see Ban. She had not heard him approach or  even been aware of his presence until that moment. It astonished her  that such a large man could move so silently, or with such feline grace.  The thought also occurred that he must have been watching her, unseen.

'Aye, it is,' she replied.

Not knowing what to say to him she fell silent again, fixing her gaze on  the stars, glad of the darkness that concealed her expression. If he  was aware of any awkwardness he gave no sign, and casually sat down  nearby. Aware of him to the last fibre of her being, she waited.

'When we reach Glengarron,' he said, 'I hope to offer you better entertainment than this rough living.'

She didn't tell him that rough living wasn't her main concern. She could  have borne any amount of that if he was near; if he had truly cared for  her.

'I think you will be glad to see the place again,' she said.

'Indeed.'

'Your sister will be pleased to see you safe.'

'Ashlynn, aye. I'm sure she will also be happy to meet you.'

Isabelle hoped it might be so but her experiences at Dunkeld made her  wonder. Blood was thicker than water and if it ever came to taking sides  Lady Ashlynn would not support a stranger over a beloved brother.

'I look forward to it,' she lied. Would he tell his sister what had  passed during his stay at Castlemora? She supposed them to be close so  it seemed possible. Her spirits sank further.

'She is expecting another child very soon,' he went on.

'Another? My goodness.' A lump formed in her throat. 'You will be an uncle thrice over.'

'Aye, I will. It's beginning to make me feel old.'

'I find that hard to believe.'

'Why so?'

'You seem tireless in all things.'

He grinned. 'I'd defy anyone to remain tireless after being in the  company of my nephews for more than half an hour. The very thought of a  third is exhausting.'

'It might be a niece this time.'

He considered it. 'A little girl? That might be nice.'

Alive to every inflexion of his voice she heard the wistfulness behind the words. 'You are fond of children, I think.'                       
       
           



       

'Children are relatively uncomplicated,' he replied. 'And they give us hope for the future.'

Although the tone was casual she knew that the sentiment was not.  Getting heirs was a matter of prime importance, and especially to this  man. It was also dangerous ground and she was reluctant to linger there  when he had been speaking more freely. There were so many things she  wanted to know.

'How did your sister meet Lord Iain?'

'It was during the Harrying. He pulled her out of a freezing river.'

'How romantic.'

'She didn't think so at first.' He smiled faintly. 'Nor did she wish to come north with him.'

'He must have been very persuasive.'

'He didn't give her a choice although, as it turned out, he had good reasons for that.'

'Where were you at the time?'

'Unconscious and then out of my head with fever. When Heslingfield was  sacked I was wounded in the fighting and left for dead. Iain's men found  me among the slain.'

Isabelle tried to imagine her feelings if Castlemora had been overrun  and burned by Norman thugs and her own family slaughtered. A brother's  murder gave an insight into the horror but she guessed even that fell  far short of what Ban had experienced. How did a person recover from  such events?

'They patched me up as best they could,' he continued, 'put me in a  wagon and took me with them. When I eventually came round I was at Dark  Mount. I had no idea that Ashlynn had been saved until Iain brought her  to see me one day.'

'That must have been a very special moment.'

'It was. We had always been close and when I discovered that she was  alive and well...let's just say that the world seemed a little less  bleak.'

She recognised the understatement and sensed the emotion he did not  articulate. She could only guess at his state of mind at that time. Yet,  in spite of everything he hadn't given up; he had survived and carved  out a new life for himself.