Rescued by a Highlander(7)

“If we ride most of the day, we should make the MacDonald keep by nightfall. We can search for the entrance shown on the map and plan to enter the tunnel a couple of hours after dark. I hope this tunnel is still functional. If the previous laird is the only one that knows of this, it could be difficult going.”

“Most castles have secret tunnels built into them.”

“True, but it isn’t often the stable master has knowledge of the secret tunnel. Usually, only the laird’s highest command members have knowledge of the access.” Alex stood up, striding over to a patch of mint leaves and grabbing a few to chew on.

Brodie didn’t answer right away. He crossed his arms in front of him before he spoke. “Alex, are you sure this is what you want to do? You know it could cause a war if MacDonald believes ‘tis us.”

“Aye, I understand your concern, but I cannot walk away. I saw the bruising around her eye and on her throat.”

“Mayhap she fell.”

“The missive from the stable master says the laird beats her. How can I walk away from an innocent lass? Someone has to help her.”

“Is this what da would have done?” Brodie stared into his eyes.

Alex didn’t look away. “Aye, without a doubt. You know our father would not walk away from the brutalization of the weak or innocent. Do you no’ remember the night he and our mother sat and talked to the three of us about women and how they should be treated? Our brother, Robbie, knew how serious da was. He ne’er made a joke through the entire conversation. ‘Tis near impossible for him.”

Brodie chuckled as he stared at the clear blue sky. “Aye, I do remember. Never seen Robbie so serious.”

“He knew how important it was to them both that we take our leadership of Clan Grant serious.”

“You mean your leadership?”

“Nay, da said we are all leaders to the clan, no’ just me as laird.” Alex rubbed the sleep from his eyes, deep in thought. “Had you seen her you would not be able to walk away. ‘Tis only for fear of a clan war that I left the keep without her. I could not deliberately start a clash.”

“Then why deliberately start a clash now?” Brodie asked with a raised eyebrow. “What has changed?”

“A plea from someone privy to the old laird’s business. Clearly, the MacDonald trusted his stable master. If she were my daughter, I would hope someone would help her.”

Alex decided to conceal the strongest reason he was going back, because it was a reason that held no logic at all. A pair of ocean blue eyes had haunted his sleep last night and he was powerless to stop the fear that gripped them.

His brother sauntered over to his horse, swung his leg up and mounted in less than a second. “Aye, let’s do it then.”

Alex motioned to his guardsmen before straddling his own horse. He only hoped he had the ability to wipe the fear out of the lass’ eyes.





CHAPTER FOUR




Madeline slowly trudged up the hill, returning to the keep after her lessons with the wee ones. From her vantage point, the keep had the same strong appearance it had when she was growing up, but once she stepped inside, nothing was the same. The powerful stone walls kept her imprisoned instead of protecting her from the outside as her ancestors had intended.

She gazed out over the outside walls, wishing her knight was out there somewhere. The sun dropped against the horizon. She had spent time telling stories to the wee ones of her clan. How she loved her time with the children. They were always so sunny and bright, always willing to work so hard. She envied them their innocence.

Alice had tried to keep her in her chamber, but it was too depressing there. She needed the young ones to keep her going. Truth was, she did hope for many of her own bairns, but didn’t think she could handle the nearness of any man after all she had been through. She thought of the few men she remembered at the Grant keep. While she recalled how Brenna and Jennie had loved their brothers, Maddie had never had a good relationship with a male except for her father and Mac, Alice’s husband.

She couldn’t imagine ever kissing one of Brenna’s brothers. She listened to the servant girls’ talk of their escapades with the lads or their husbands, but she could not envision any such relationship for herself. What Niles had done to her was vile. She was not interested in kissing a man, much less committing the foul act again that the Comming had forced on her.

Had it really been two summers since her parents passed? She missed them so much. How she wished she could talk to her mother again just once. Her father had been so kind and gentle. She missed the many days they had spent riding horses and the nights her mother would lull her to sleep by brushing her hair before bedtime. Every day had been wonderful, so different than now. Instead, many days were nightmares. She had nowhere to turn, no one to trust but Alice.