The Outcast Highlander (4 page)

“Are you Miss Kensey MacLeod?” the redhead asked.

“Are you Malcolm Sinclair?”

He nodded and reached her at last. She continued to hold up the cloth. “Duncan said if I should have any trouble…”

His face hardened. “What’s happened?”

“It’s worse than I had imagined.” She had been riding so hard, for so long. She thought she might collapse right there, but it was so imperative that she bring him the news immediately.

“Come inside and tell me, lass. We need to get you in front of a blazing fire and out of this night air.”

“No, I can’t. We must leave immediately. Colin Ross came today and took Fiona.”

“What? Has her father sent men after her?”

Kensey choked back her tears. “Her father sent for Colin and told him he could take her when he found out... she planned to marry Duncan in secret.”

Malcolm stopped his horse short and shadows from the torch played across his face. The fire caught his red hair and his entire countenance seemed ablaze.

“How could her own father do that to her?” He looked up, directing his anger into the sky. “The man is sending her to her grave. He must know what Ross is like. We’ve all heard about his first wife.” The young man crossed himself.

“The message came to me, but I haven’t yet seen Fiona.” Kensey reined Brid around toward the south. “But we have to go after her.”

“It’ll take us half the night to reach Balconie Castle, lass.” Malcolm turned to face the castle. He waved the torch back and forth in front of him and Kensey could have sworn she saw movement on the watch again that looked like burrowing ants. “And beside that, I have no claim to her, with Duncan gone.”

“But… they will marry tomorrow!”

“And what about posting the banns?”

“You know very well that nobles can get around those rules. All it takes is one priest in his pocket.”

He chewed his lip and glanced back at the men who’d accompanied him. They hung back several feet, well outside the ring of light the torch cast. Kensey guessed there were four or five here, with nary a fire between them.

“All I know is what Fiona wrote to me. She sent one of her attendants early this morning.” Kensey watched as the gates opened again and several bursts of orange light started bouncing toward them.

“Yes, Duncan tried to argue the arrangement with the Earl when they were first posted. But you know these court weddings. Sometimes they post banns two or three times and still never wed for months. Duncan thought he had time.” Malcolm ruffled his short shag of hair.

“The Earl has a new heir, his new wife’s baby, and Fiona believes he wants to fully indebt himself now to the English, so he makes alliances with the only Scots nobles who truly support them.”

Malcolm frowned and the tension on his face kept Kensey from approaching too close. He was still young—younger than both his brothers—and seemed to have retained the volatility of youth in a way that levelheaded Duncan hadn’t.

Kensey wondered for the first time about Broccin. The oldest. Why hadn’t Duncan left the castle in his protection? She knew very little about Broc, as he always tended toward distance around her. He’d been the silent watchman over all their childhood games.

But never a participant.

She knew Duncan and Malcolm much better. Although she’d been much closer to Brigid and Alana until she left for France. She wasn’t even sure she’d heard Broccin speak to her more than twice in her whole life, regardless of her attempts to draw him into their games. Perhaps he thought himself too serious for their childhood play.

But then where was that serious brother today? Had he been one of the banished? Her mother never hinted toward it in her letters. Then again, after the mess with the betrothal had been cleared up, her mother rarely spoke of the Sinclairs, preferring instead to limit news to her brother and father, and then ask incessantly after her connections at court.

“Duncan left me instructions to send for him immediately if we heard of Fiona’s marriage.” Malcolm glanced around and fixed his eyes on a small boy on a horse. “Will could keep quite a quick pace during the day, but he couldn’t make Berwick in time to find Duncan and then travel to Balconie.”

One of the men drew his horse forward. “We must do what Duncan would do in our place.” He was a huge, broad-shouldered, dark-haired man with a sword strapped to his back. Kensey shivered at the thought of how quickly he could likely draw and use that sword. And the fate of his enemy. He was a warrior, for certain sure.

Another called from the dark, “If we take the path through the Reay, we can be there in half the time.”

“It will be slower going without as sure a footing,” said the larger man. “Even if we can stay on our trail.”

“But if we can manage to come upon them in the night, perhaps we can surprise them and take the girl before their guards are even roused,” said another.

Frustrated with the limits of the dark, Kensey stopped trying to follow the conversation and closed her eyes. She wanted Fiona to be safe. However it happened, it must happen. It must.

“Alec is right. The forest will require a slower pace, but it will save time if we can manage it,” said another voice. More hoof beats signaled more approaching men. They would have almost twenty if Kensey had counted right. Surely they could secure Fiona’s safety with twenty men and a castle caught unaware with most of its men off fighting elsewhere and preparing for a wedding.

“We must go for her tonight, then,” Malcolm said. As the rest of his men approached, he called to them, “Tonight we ride for Balconie.”

***

The journey did not take as long as Malcolm predicted, mostly because they rode their horses hard and had light from a full moon to keep their feet on steady ground. But it took more of a toll on Kensey than she expected. By the time they reached the edge of the forest and Malcolm had them extinguish their torches, she was ready to sleep. He stopped them as soon as the blocky, well-lit castle came into view, and bid them all dismount.

“I’m going in alone,” Malcolm said, pulling weapons from his saddle and pushing them into his belt.

“You cannot go alone,” insisted the big man.

“We must all fight together,” said another.

Malcolm passed an arm wide in front of them. “I am the best climber, and Duncan’s brother beside. I must go alone, and silent as possible. I will discover her, and I will liberate her. Hopefully, there will be no fighting.”

“Then why are we here?” asked yet another. Malcolm gave him a sharp look, which did not seem to calm him much. This man was quite a bit older than Duncan, perhaps by as much as 20 years, and did not appear to be angrily defiant, but rather untrusting.

“You are here, Fitz, because I command it,” Duncan stated, putting hands on his hips and spreading his legs. He stood like this for quite some time, staring down the men. “Alec, you must understand,” he said to the one who had first opposed him, “if I go alone, I may go silently and quickly. Then, if I find my way is blocked, or I need help, I will call for you.”

“But how will we know if you need help if you do not allow us to come with you?” one of the men said, sharply. This one was younger than the rest, perhaps not 18 yet. He was lithe and spry, but his face still bore much of the boyish character of one too young for the battlefield. This must have been the Will who could ride so fast.

Malcolm patted the boy on the shoulder. “You especially must stay, to protect Kensey.” He took Kensey’s arm with this statement. “She has entrusted herself to my family, and I will not have anything happen to her. As the only remaining son of my father’s brother, you are charged as her guardian until I return.”

This made Will straighten and stop asking questions, although he appeared to still have some to ask. Malcolm put his hand on another of the men’s shoulders and gave more orders.

“Alec, I am leaving you in charge.” At this, Will stiffened next to Kensey. She sensed his expectation that this would be his own duty. Malcolm continued, “I will attempt to gain entry to the castle myself, without causing any alarm, then find Fiona and free her from this prison.” There were some grunts from the men. Kensey could not tell if they were supportive or not. She had not expected there to be such tenuous bonds among these warriors.

“If I should fail…” Malcolm began.

“You will not.” Alec interrupted him with a gruff smack to the arm.

“While I appreciate the vote of confidence, we must be prepared for failure as well. Now, if I should fail, and am captured or killed, you will return to St. Claire without me. If I am not back before dawn, leave my horse and head for home.”

There were groans among the men, and several tried to argue again. With a wide gesture, Malcolm silenced them.

“I am the next in line behind my brother and owe him my life. If anyone will fight Duncan’s battle, it will be me. And if I am captured, it must appear that I am alone, or we risk Ross bringing his wrath upon our whole clan.” With that, Malcolm took off running, across the rocky ground, towards Balconie Castle, and left a dozen and a half warriors and a woman to wait for his return.

“Impetuous fool.” Alec spat at Malcolm’s retreating back. Will stepped from Kensey’s side and went face-to-face with Alec’s taller, broader form.

“Do not speak of my cousin like this,” Will ordered. “He is the laird’s brother.”

“As am I,” Alec said.

“Brother by law, not by blood.” Will seemed to take some pride in saying this and Kensey felt a quick tug of fear push her to intervene.

“Forgive me, young master,” Alec said with too much honey in his voice, overemphasizing the diminutive title. “I only meant that he put himself in danger needlessly. Any one of us would gladly have gone after his lass ourselves, and produced her for him without putting his own life in danger.”

The air around them seemed to collectively hold. In broad daylight, in their courtyard back at St. Claire, they would undoubtedly have drawn swords or at least launched into fisticuffs. The clandestine nature of their position required more quiet than they were about to create.

Kensey sighed loudly and swayed on her feet. Both men turned their attention immediately to her and Will was at her side with haste.

“I’m sorry, my lady.”

“How may I help?” Kensey asked Will after nearly a full minute of silence.

“The best service you can do right now, lass, is to sleep.” Alec stepped up, near her feet and looked around at the rest of the men. “All of you, put down your cloaks and try to get some sleep. We will all stay behind the bush cover here, and tie the horses down the hill so they remain out of sight.”

At his command, two of the men gathered all the horses, including Kensey’s, and led them down the side of the hill to where there was another small grove of trees. They tied the reins to the trees and walked back up the hill.

“Will and I will remain awake the first hour to keep watch for Malcolm or his sign. When we wake two new watchers, we will sleep.” Alec’s voice was gruff, as though he expected a fight. Will’s clenched fists lasted as long as Alec spoke, but once the rest of the men started to arrange themselves for sleep, he turned to Kensey, prepared to speak.

A noise behind them silenced the entire group. Will stood and moved toward the sound, holding out a hand to maintain everyone’s silence. The only noise was the quiet slide of steel as several of the men slowly drew their swords.

“There’s a man out there.” Alec’s certainty gave Kensey chills more so than any coldness in the night. Had this all been a trap? Were they waiting to kill Duncan, assuming he would come? Had the letter even been from Fiona?

“Who did we leave at the keep?” Will stood stop the small hill so he was barely visible above the bushes and scanned the woods below and behind them.

“Why?” Alec whispered.

“I could have sworn I recognized the man. But it was such a fleeting… would Fergus or Tegan have followed without our knowing?”

Alec took up a defensive stance in front of Kensey, so she couldn’t see whatever Will referred to. When she tried to rise, Alec gestured for her to remain seated.

“Let us discover who this man is first, my lady. If it is a Ross, we don’t want them to know you are with us. You would be too fair a prize.”

She crossed her arms. So like men to assume she needed to be protected. But if it were a Ross, certainly she would be the most likely to attempt negotiations. She was noble, after all. They wouldn’t dare try to capture her, not really.

The whole camp remained at attention for several minutes before anyone dared speak again. “Hector, take Ellis and sweep the forest until you find whatever makes the noise. The rest of you, try to get some sleep.”

Will returned to Kensey’s side and settled on the tree without touching her. He gave her a tight smile. “Please try to sleep, my lady. I will wake you if anything should happen. You have my word.”

Alec paced nervously as Kensey settled at the base of the tree trunk, leaning her cheek on the rough surface like an uncomforting pillow. She only managed to stay awake long enough to hear the first snores fill the chilly air.

Before she knew what was happening, Kensey woke to Will’s shifting body. She could tell by the sky that time had passed, but she hadn’t even managed a dream and immediately felt disoriented.

Both Alec and Will were on their feet, peering over the edge of the bush line. None of the other men had yet woken.

Alec perked and motioned behind them. Kensey listened carefully and heard footfalls approaching. She gathered her cloak in anticipation of needing to run for her horse, but Will stilled her with a move of his hand.

“It’s just one,” Alec assured him. “I’d say you’re safe to go out and look, William.”

At that, Will stood in the bush cover and Kensey took his place at Alec’s side. She gasped as she glimpsed Malcolm running toward them at a furious pace. One side of his face and his right leg were covered in blood.

“It’s him,” Alec called behind him, “and he’s hurt.”

Kensey looked back to find all the men standing at attention, hands on either sword hilt or bow. Alec called out in the loudest whisper he could, “Orrick, Hector. Run down and get the horses. It looks as though we will not be staying.”