Beneath a Highland Moon (The Highland Moon Series 1) (16 page)

"
M'laird, we've searched everywhere.
MacRae's not in the castle," shouted Shaw from the upper floor.

Kade turned to Roderick.
"Show me Jillian's bedchamber."

"
Aye, laird."

Kade followed him to her room.
"Do you ken how Jillian got into the tunnels?"

"
Nay, not exactly.
I do ken that the panel is located somewhere near the fireplace."

Kade took a quick moment to look around her room. Everything in it whispered her name, from the tapestry hanging on
the wall, the emerald gown tossed over a chest, to the rose scent that permeated the room. Even though it'd been less than a day since he awoke with her nestled against him, her head resting on his arm, he missed her and could hardly wait to be with her again.

Galen
joined them, and the three were soon on their knees, searching each and every stone near and around the fireplace.
After several minutes, Kade located the latch and the panel swung open. He lit a candle and stepped into the tunnel. "Look there." He pointed.
The trail of a man's boot tracks showed clearly in the dust. "This is not only the way Jillian escaped, Galen, but also MacRae." He came back into the bedchamber.
"I'll leave Shaw in charge here.
You and I are going after MacRae.
Roderick, where is the exit to these tunnels?"

"
Directly behind the castle, past the gate in the curtain wall, near the wood. In fact, that's where I left Jillian's horse the night she left."

Kade lowered his brows
.
"That's also where we left the horses with Donald. If MacRae steals a horse, he'll be hard to catch. We've no more time to waste."

After
shouting instructions to Shaw, Kade and Galen raced across the dark bailey, through the postern gate and up the hill to the horses.
Donald leaned against a tree, a small gash across his forehead.

"
Donald, are you badly injured?"

"
Nay, laird. I'm not."

"
What happened?"

"
I heard a noise and went to check the horses. A man was trying to get onto Caesar, but the horse refused to allow it. I shouted for him to get away from the horses. He pulled out his blade and we fought. I managed to disarm him and pinned him beneath me on the ground, when he grabbed up a stone and struck me on the head. I must have blacked out for a couple of minutes.
For when I opened my eyes, he was gone.
I checked the horses.
'Twas Shaw's black mare he ended up taking."

Kade shook his head.
"Shaw won't be pleased to hear that. Go down to Lochstorm, Donald, and ask for Roderick.
Tell him I said to take you to see their healer. Send one of the others to keep an eye on the horses."

"
Aye, laird," Donald said, already heading toward the castle.

Kade and Galen
searched around in the dark for a sign that might point them in the direction MacRae had gone.
A sliver of fear suddenly stabbed Kade through the heart. "Galen, we must return to Ravenskull at once.
I've a bad feeling MacRae has gone after Jillian."

Chapter Twelve

Jillian looked up at the stars twinkling in the night sky.
A full moon illuminated the road to Lochstorm, making their pace quicker than it might have been otherwise. Since leaving Ravenskull that morning, Will had hardly said a word to her, even when they'd stopped to rest the horses earlier and eat some of the food Jillian had brought along.

She knew he wasn
't too happy to be going with her. She also knew that his laird wouldn't be too happy with either of them—especially her, once he found out she'd practically forced Will to go with her. Jillian had to see her people to let them ken she hadn't forgotten them. She'd wanted to be beside Kade when they entered the keep, but 'twas too late for that now. Most of all, she'd wanted to see the look on Gordon's face, when he learned of her marriage to Kade.

She
felt certain that by now Gordon had been defeated by the MacLachlans and had either been killed or taken prisoner and tossed into the dungeon. Jillian had that much faith in Kade's abilities.

She pra
yed he'd received no injuries, nor had any of his men. 'Twas true that many men lost their lives during battles between clans, but 'twas also true that Kade was a Highland warrior, in every sense of the word.

"
M'lady, mayhap we should rest the horses for a spell," Will said, bringing his horse to a halt.

Jillian did the same, patting
Bonnie on the neck. "Will, are you wed?"

"
Nay, but I have a lass. Her name is Mary. We're to be married next month."

"
Then I must provide the two of you with a fine wedding gift."

"
Much thanks."

"
I shouldn't have forced you to come with me."

"
Och, the laird would've skinned me alive if I'd allowed you to leave Ravenskull alone."

"
Much thanks, anyway."

He slid off his horse, and helped her down.
"I hear water nearby. Now would be a good time to give the horses a drink."

Leading
Bonnie, she followed Will down the short slope to the stream. She unwrapped the remainder of the food she'd brought along. "Have more food. I still have plenty left," she said, handing him a bannock.

"
Much thanks, m'lady.
I was beginning to get hungry."

They ate whilst t
hey waited for the horses to drink their fill, then began to make their way back up the slope to the road.

Will suddenly stopped
.
"Don't move." He whispered. "There's a horse and rider coming this way."

Jillian stood
perfectly still beside Bonnie, as she waited for them to pass. As the rider drew near to them, their horse let out a whinny and her mare answered it.
Jillian quickly capped her hand over Bonnie's nose and held her breath, hoping they'd not been found out.
The rider's horse suddenly came to a halt, and she heard the swoosh of a weapon being quickly drawn. Icy fear twisted around her heart. Moonlight glinted off of steel, as Will slowly pulled out his own sword.

"
Show yourself, whoever you are," called out a voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

Neither of them moved.

The rider urged his horse closer.
Against the moonlit sky, Jillian saw the outline of his weapon, raised for battle, and began to shake.
She reached inside her bodice and slipped her
sgian dubh
from its sheath, tightly wrapping her fingers around the hilt.

With a battle cry, Will rushed the rider.
With him on the ground and the other man on horseback, Jillian knew he had next to no advantage. She knew his intent was to protect her.

Jillian closed
her eyes, praying, as she listened to the two men doing battle above her.
Then all became silent.
She huddled against the grassy bank, trembling.
Tears ran down her cheeks.
Will was more than likely dead, and 'twas her doing.

T
he rider's feet struck the ground. "I ken there's someone else there, for I caught the eye shine of two horses. I also ken you're either a child or a female.
Otherwise, your friend here wouldn't have come at me alone.
Come out now, or I'll come get you."

Jillian sta
yed put.

"
He's still alive, but if you don't come out, I'm going to slit his throat. If you doubt my word, listen closely."

"
Nay," Jillian screamed, quickly slipping her
sgian dubh
back into its sheath, before she climbed up to the road, bringing Bonnie with her. "Leave him be."

"
Well, well, it seems that my luck may have changed."

Jillian
gasped.
No wonder his voice had sounded familiar.
'Twas Gordon.
"I-I-I…. thought," she stammered, backing away.

"
You thought what?
That your new husband had taken care of me?
When I left him, he was surrounded by four of my best men.
Who kens?
You could even be a widow by now."

She shook her head, fighting back the fear that threatened to render her completely helpless.
"Nay, he's a skilled and seasoned warrior.
He still lives. I ken this."

"
Perhaps he does, but as you can see, I managed to escape capture.
In fact, 'twas you who helped me."

"
How did I help you?"
She had no inkling of what he spoke.

"
After I learned of your escape, I searched every inch of your room, 'til I found the way you'd gotten out.
I told no one of what I learned. And when the right time came, I made use of my knowledge. I've been on my way to Ravenskull ever since."

She was confused.
"Why would you go to Ravenskull? You surely ken that you'd soon be captured there."

"
Och, to find you, of course.
I'm taking you with me."

Fear washed over Jillian and her body shook
. "Why would you want to do that?"

"
There are many reasons, but the first and foremost is revenge. Under pretense, you taunted me with your body and then left me, knowing how badly I wanted you for myself.
MacLachlan bragged about how sweet you were lying beneath him. It angered me greatly. I wonder how he'll feel when he learns I've had you, which I plan on doing very soon.
And you not only wed, but persuaded MacLachlan to reclaim Lochstorm on your brother's behalf, leaving me with but the remainder of my dead wife's wealth on which to live.
The title I've dreamt all my life of holding is gone, because of you and that cursed savage."

At
the mention of Kade, she almost burst into tears. How she wished this was a bad dream and that she was lying safely in his arms back at Ravenskull.
She glanced over at Will, who had yet to move. "I must see to his injuries," she said, taking a step toward him.

Gordon roughly
grabbed her arm.
"Never mind him. He's most likely already dead. We must leave here.
If MacLachlan yet lives, he'll not be far behind. And
I'm certain by now he's figured out that when I left Lochstorm, I headed for Ravenskull to get you."

She trie
d to pull away, but he held on tightly to her arm.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, kicking him in the shins and striking him across the face with her free hand.

Seemingly ignoring the pain she inflicted on him, h
e chuckled, a deep, evil sound.
"You will," he said through clenched teeth, or I'll make good on my earlier promise and slit the man's throat." He said, dragging her to her horse.
"Get on," he ordered, keeping a tight hold on the reins.

After forcing Jillian
upon her horse, he made the mistake of turning his back on her.
She grabbed her
sgian dubh
and buried the blade into his shoulder, quickly pulling it out.

He
yelped with pain and grabbed her hand that still held her weapon.
She refused to let go and fought him, then he twisted her arm 'til she thought 'twould surely break.
Her fingers opened of their own accord, sending her only weapon to the ground.

"
You bitch.
Do something like that again," Gordon growled, "and I'll not hesitate to slit your throat as well." He tore off a piece of his shirt and stuffed it over the wound. "Should I slit his throat, just to prove my point? If he's not already dead, he'll certainly be then."

"
Nay." She quickly shook her head.
"I'll go with you." Jillian prayed Will still lived, and that someone would come across him soon.

"
I thought as much," he said, getting onto his horse. "I had expected it to take some time for me to find you alone at Ravenskull. You saved me a lot of waiting by being here."

Why hadn
't she listened to Kade? "Where are you taking me?"

"
Edinburgh. I wish to gain passage on a ship to France."

With him holding
tightly to her reins, Jillian had no choice but to follow along behind him. She glanced over her shoulder at Will. He'd not moved since Gordon had cut him down. If he were dead, his blood would not only be on Gordon's hands, but on her own as well.

"
What is it you want with me?" she asked, almost afraid to hear his answer.

"
Och, you'll be most useful to me, Jillian, both as a hostage to provide a shield of protection, should that savage catch up to us, and to satisfy my needs 'til I reach Edinburgh."

Jillian felt sick.
The thought of him intimately touching her sent a wave of terror through her. "You're surely aware that I'm no longer a virgin," she said, hoping that would somehow deter him wanting her. "There's also a good chance I'm carrying Kade's child."

He chuckled, a deep, fiendish
sound. "Of course you aren't a virgin. You're now experienced enough to ken
exactly
what I want from you. As for the bairn—" He shrugged. "No matter.
When you die, it'll die along with you."

Fear hung over Jillian like a large stone, ready to fall and crush her at any moment.
She had to find some way to get away from Gordon.
He'd gone completely mad. She'd die before she let him bed her.
If only she hadn't lost her
sgian dubh
. She felt so helpless without it. Once they'd traveled far enough away from Will, so he'd be safe from Gordon's threats, and dawn arrived, she'd flee.
'Til then, she needed to memorize the direction in which they rode. No easy feat by moonlight.
Aye, Kade was alive. In her heart she kenned it to be truth, even though Gordon said he was likely dead.
He'd come for her.
Jillian knew this as surely as she knew the sun would rise. But what if he couldn't find her?

***

The first light of dawn rested just below the horizon.
Kade and Galen had ridden all night to reach Ravenskull before MacRae, stopping but long enough to rest and water the horses.
Near halfway to Ravenskull, they spotted someone lying beside the road.
Suspecting it the trick of a highwayman, they unsheathed their weapons, and rode slowly forward, watchful for any sudden movement.

"'
Tis Will," Kade said, quickly jumping down from his horse. "And he's lost a lot of blood." A puddle had formed in the dirt beneath him. "Will, can you hear me?" he said, gently shaking him.

Will groaned and moved his
arm.
That's when they saw the stab wound beneath his ribs.
"I'm sorry, laird.
I couldn't keep him from taking her."

Kade frowned.
"Taking who?" he asked, afraid in his heart that he already knew the answer.

"
Lady Jillian. We'd finished letting the horses drink from the stream, that's when I heard a rider coming. I told her to keep quiet, but her horse whinnied. I tried to fight him off, but he was sitting a horse at the time and I wasn't."

MacRae
. Anger and fear for Jillian's safety knotted in his stomach. He swallowed hard. He had to get her away from MacRae. And if he failed? Kade clenched his teeth. He didn't intend to.

Galen
helped Will sit up, and gave him some water.
"What were you doing out here."

He coughed and grabbed his side.
"Lady Jillian insisting on meeting the laird at Lochstorm and asked me to take her. At first, I refused, knowing he wouldn't like it, but she threatened to go alone if I didn't go with her.
A lot of good I did her."
He winched as they helped him to his feet.