Alyce munched on whatever food Lachlan placed in front of her and drank the brew Zia handed her. Tiredness crept over her, but a sense of exhilaration remained and she was eager to share her tale, and those surrounding her looked just as eager to hear it.
Honora was the last to arrive, having made certain the babes were settled and looked after.
“I have not received word about Lily,” Cavan said.
“I assured the Connors I would inform you,” Alyce said. “They were much too happy to think of anything else.”
“However did you find her in the dead of night?” Artair asked.
“I’d like to know that myself,” Zia inquired. “These scratches resemble someone who has climbed a tree or scuffled with a prickly bush.”
“I did both,” Alyce admitted.
“My, but you are courageous,” Addie said with pride.
“Or foolish,” Cavan said.
“My wife is courageous,” Lachlan said defensively. “She would never take a chance of harming our child and did what she did because she knew that she could do it successfully.”
Alyce winced—Zia cleansed a shoulder scratch deeper than the others—though it turned to a smile soon enough. Her husband believed in her and she loved him all the more for it.
Cavan didn’t argue. He seemed to take Lachlan’s words as fact for he gave a curt nod. “Tell me how and where you found the child?”
Alyce was only too pleased to do as the laird asked, for it had given her great pleasure to have found the lass and return her safely to her family. “Once I realized that the lone track told a different story, it was easy to find her.”
“Different story?” Cavan asked.
Alyce went on to explain. “The track was dug into the ground firm and I realized Lily had made the track by halting abruptly, which meant she had stopped and switched directions.”
“Why didn’t you see that on your first inspection?” Artair asked.
“I wasn’t paying close enough attention. I forgot the most important lesson my friend taught me about tracking. Take the obvious and look for a wrinkle in it. Once I found that wrinkle, the sudden stop, I was able to determine the right direction. Her small footprints weren’t easy to detect along the edge of the woods, but once I found them they were easy to follow until the tracks disappeared once more and the only place left to look was…”
All heads bent back as Alyce looked up to the ceiling.
“Lily was in a tree,” Addie said excited.
“She went after a kitten, didn’t she?” Honora asked.
Cavan sent her a how-did-you-know-that look.
“I’ve helped a few children retrieve their cats,” Honora said proudly.
“You climb trees?” Cavan asked incredulously.
“When necessary,” Honora admitted.
“I don’t need to ask you if you do,” Artair said to his wife with a grin. “You would do anything to help a child.”
“It is good you know me well,” Zia said.
“As should all your husbands,” Addie said as if she dared her sons to disagree. “Sinclare women are not timid. They are bold and courageous warriors.”
Alyce watched her husband smile at Cavan as if asking if he really wanted to spar with their mother.
Cavan turned to Alyce, a signal for her to continue.
“Lily had followed a favorite kitten of hers into the woods and climbed the tree to retrieve her. She hadn’t thought about how high she had climbed being eager to rescue her kitten. Once she had the kitten in her arms, she took a look down and was much too frightened to climb down. She sat huddled in the crook of the massive tree waiting for someone to find her.”
“However did you get her down, or yourself up for that matter?” Artair asked.
“Leave the practical question to my brother,” Lachlan teased.
Lachlan may be teasing his brother, but Alyce knew he appreciated Artair asking it, for she was certain he wanted to know the same.
“Piper taught me a quick way up and a quick way down,” Alyce said.
The men waited and the women smiled.
“I’m not sharing my secret,” Alyce informed them, then covered a yawn with her hand.
“You’re tired,” Lachlan said with concern.
“A sound sleep will do her good,” Zia said.
“True enough,” Alyce agreed, fatigue consuming every limb in her body.
“Stay here for the night,” Addie suggested.
Lachlan startled Alyce when he looked to her and said, “It’s your choice.”
That he allowed her that pleased her, and she nodded. “Here is fine.”
Cavan had a few more questions for her; Zia, instructions for the care of her minor wounds; Artair, a few practical tidbits in dealing with her husband, and Honora requested that Alyce teach her about tracking. And surprisingly Cavan thought it a splendid idea. He even bragged about how skillful Honora was with a bow.