Beneath a Highland Moon (The Highland Moon Series 1) (18 page)

Chapter Thirteen

K
ade searched hill and glen for Jillian, watching for any sign that would show him he was traveling in the right direction.
He glanced up at the sky. 'Twas already the middle of the afternoon.
With each passing hour, his fear for her safety increased.
If he didn't reach her by nightfall, there was no telling what MacRae might do to her.
He'd seen both the lust and the anger in his eyes when Kade had spoken of their coupling.
And MacRae was no fool.
He knew Kade would come for Jillian. What he didn't ken, was that Kade would follow him through the very gates of hell to get Jillian back. He could only hope that, whilst trying to put some distance between himself and Kade, he'd not yet had time to force himself on Jillian.
And if he'd already done so—Kade angrily clenched his teeth—there'd be naught that would keep Kade from wreaking his revenge upon him.

A flash
of color on the ground grabbed his attention.
He jumped down and picked it up. Jillian must have left it there for him to find.
Rubbing it between his fingers, he lifted it to his nose. Now he was certain of it. Her sweet rose scent still clung to the fabric.
He wrapped his palm around it.

He remounted
and quickened his pace.
He couldn't be too far behind them. After a few more miles, he noticed a path leading off into the wood. Fresh hoof tracks disturbed the soft earth and disappeared into the thick growth. Kade decided to take a look.
He'd gone but a few feet, when he came across strands of light hair tangled up in the briars.
She'd been this way.

Kade got down
and led his horse through the wood, closely examining the ground as he went.
There appeared to be a great deal of disturbance around a hollow log.
He squatted down and peered inside.
Jillian had hidden there from MacRae.
Her dress had caught on a splinter just inside the mouth of the log, leaving behind a tiny piece of the fabric. Thinking how frightened she must've been whilst hiding there—terrified that MacRae would find her—brought his blood to a boil.
His passionate and fearless wife was at the mercy of a brute.

After g
etting to his feet, he noticed something that sent a shiver of fear snaking up his spine. Near the log, lay a large piece of blood-soaked fabric. Kade picked it up and examined it. 'Twas Jillian's kertch. He cursed beneath his breath. When he got his hands on MacRae, he'd not live long enough to do anyone else harm.

He remounted and kept searching. Time passed, and t
he sunset coated the surrounding mountains and hills with gold. Up ahead, a horse grazed beside the path with no rider in sight. He unsheathed his broadsword, warily glanced about, and continued on his way.

When he neared
the horse, a cold knot formed in the pit of his stomach. 'Twas Jillian's mare. He leaned down and picked up the reins. Kade didn't think the horse had thrown her, for she was an excellent rider. There had to be another reason the mare was there.

If he brought her
along with him, she'd slow down his search for Jillian. But he couldn't leave her there. She was a fine mare and someone would steal her for certain. Perhaps he could find a place to leave her for a time.

A short while later,
Kade smelled peat burning and bread baking. He hurried down the road toward it, coming upon a small stone cottage. A plume of gray smoke puffed out of the chimney. A milk cow stood contentedly grazing nearby. He slid off Caesar and knocked.

A
young man cautiously opened the door but a crack. "What is it ye want?"

Somewhere inside, an infant
cried loudly and a woman tried to soothe it.
"I'm Kade MacLachlan, laird of Ravenskull. I'm in search of my wife, Lady Jillian.
She's been kidnapped by a dangerous man and I fear for her safety. Has anyone passed by recently?"

The door swung open
. "Och, Laird MacLachlan, two strangers passed by whilst m' own wife and m'self tended our crops. One was a young woman."

"
What of her appearance?"

"
Fair, with very light hair," he said, peering around Kade at Bonnie.
"'Tis the very horse she rode."

The mare must have doubled back
, if Jillian was riding her when they passed the cottage. "I came upon her a short distance from here.
She's slowing down the search for my wife.
I'll pay you well if you'll keep her here and take care of her, 'til I can send someone to fetch her."

"
Aye, laird, we'll gladly help you. There's no need for you to pay us. 'Tis the Christian thing to do."

Kad
e knew the young couple could use the funds.
He handed the man several coins and gave him the reins.
"Her name is Bonnie."

The man smiled.
"Aye, I'll take good care of her, laird. Ye can be certain of that."

"
Aye, I ken you will," Kade said, as he mounted Caesar.

"
M'laird, I've bread for yer journey," said the man's young wife, stepping around her husband standing in the doorway.
She reached half a loaf of warm bread, wrapped in cloth, up to Kade.

T
he wee family probably didn't have much more than what she'd already given him, left for themselves, but Kade knew the fierce pride of the Highland people.
If he refused the bread, she'd be hurt.
"Much thanks, good woman.
It's been some time since I've eaten."

She smiled up at him.

With a nod of thanks, he hurried off to find Jillian. He looked up at the sky. Night wasn't far away.

***

A pig squealed. Jillian stirred. There weren't any pigs in her bedchamber. It squealed again and she jerked wide awake. She wasn't in her bedchamber, but lying on a bed of hay in a shed, with her cloak tossed nearby. The air hung heavy with the scent of animals. A cow mooed in the stall beside her, pigs grunted somewhere behind her and chickens clucked above her, as they settled in to roost. Gloaming was drawing to an end. Nightfall slowly blanketed the land.

Jillian
wondered why her jaw ached so badly. Then remembered.
Gordon had hit her.
Hard. When she tried to reach up, her hand wouldn't move. Her wrists were tightly bound in front of her with a thin strip of leather that dug into her skin. Jillian raised her hands and felt the back of her head. The wound had stopped bleeding and her hair was matted with dried blood.

But w
here was Gordon?
Mayhap he'd left her there, thinking she'd be out until he returned. Jillian hoped he'd decided to go on to Edinburgh without her, but she knew the truth in her heart.
Wherever he was, he'd be back for her. And Jillian intended to make certain she wasn't around when he did.

With great
difficulty, she held on tightly to the wall of rough boards separating her from the animals and pulled herself to her feet.
Lightheaded, she closed her eyes and stood still until it diminished. She let go, and took a step. The dizziness lessened.
She took another step, refusing to give in to the overwhelming need to sit down. After a short while it became bearable, before finally disappearing altogether.
Even though her wrists were tied, Jillian managed to secure the cloak around her shoulders.

A
nxious to be on her way, she cautiously peered out.
Smoke curled up from the chimney of the tiny stone cottage attached to the shed.
Her stomach growled as the smell of fresh baked bread reached her nose.
Jillian didn't ken how long she'd been out, but if the hunger pangs in her stomach were any indication, it'd been some time. She wondered if Gordon sat inside the cottage, and if its occupants had suffered at his devious hands.

Jillian
's only hope lay in reaching the cover of the wood. When Gordon returned, he'd not be able to find her hiding in its thick underbrush—in the dark of night. But before she could reach the protection of the wood, Jillian had to cross an open meadow, with the full moon lighting up the countryside—and with her hands bound. She searched inside the shed for some sort of tool to use to cut the leather bindings. But 'twas no use. With nightfall, she could hardly see anything inside the shed.

Twisting the fabri
c of her skirts tightly around her hands, she lifted them out of the way of her feet and raced across the meadow. As she neared the wood, and with her breathing coming in short gasps, hoof beats pounded behind her. Pure terror spurred her onward. Horse and rider drew down upon her, but Jillian didn't dare look around. If she fell with her hands tied, she'd never be able to regain her footing. Closer and closer they came, until she was certain the horse's breath warmed her back. Without warning, an arm encircled her waist and swept her off the ground.

She
kicked and screamed. "Turn me loose! Turn me loose!" she shrieked, her fists hammering her captor.

"
Jilly, 'tis me," Kade said, grabbing her arms before she could strike him again. "You're safe, lass."

Jillian
immediately stilled. She reached up and touched his cheek, as if to make certain he was real. Then buried her face against his neck, sobbing. "I thought you were Gordon come back for me."

Kade held Jillian,
her body trembling and her heart beating like a drum against his chest. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed hard.
"Shhhhh, don't cry, Jilly," he said, pressing his lips against her forehead.
"Hold out your hands," he said, slipping his dirk from the sheath at his waist and quickly slicing through the bindings.

Her trembling
slowly subsided and her tears dried. "How did you find me?" she asked, rubbing her wrists.

"
When I found a piece of your dress along the road and strands of your hair tangled up in the briars. The clues you left told me I was searching in the right direction and I just kept going."

"
I knew you'd come for me."

"
You never had any doubt?" he teased.

"
Nay."

"
Why?"

"
I ken you love me."

He smiled
to himself.
Aye, he loved her.
"You seem to be mighty certain of that, lass."

"
Aye, I am," she said, smothering his face with kisses, before brushing her lips, warm and sweet, against his own.

Kade
took her face between his hands and covered her mouth with his, devouring her like a man long hungry.
After a moment of passionate kissing, he moaned and lifted his head.
"I'd like naught better than to lay you down in the middle of this meadow, and show you just how
much
I love you, Jilly, but I want to get you as far away from this place as possible.
MacRae might still be lurking about.
When I face him again, I want you elsewhere." He turned Caesar toward Ravenskull.

She leaned
back against him and rested her head beneath his chin.
"Are you certain Gordon could be nearby?" she asked, fear clear in her voice.

"
I don't ken, Jilly.
Perhaps he decided to go on to Edinburgh without you."

T
hat seemed to satisfy her.
But Kade didn't believe for a moment that after going to all the trouble to bring Jilly along, MacRae would just up and leave her behind.
He'd be back to get her.
Of that, Kade was certain.
"While in the wood searching for you, I found your kertch soaked with blood."

She nodded.
"Aye, Gordon dragged me from Bonnie. My head hit the ground and re-opened my recent injury. I used the kertch to stop the bleeding, and must have dropped it when I ran."

Anger surged through Kade
, causing his hands to close into fists. Did he harm you in any other way," he asked, holding his breath as he waited for her answer.

"
He struck me and I passed out, 'til just a while ago."

It hadn
't been the answer he sought, but still it made him want to kill the bastard with his bare hands. MacRae would've had to hit Jillian hard to cause her to black out. "Where did he strike you?"

She
lifted his hand and placed it against her face. "Here."

Kade
gently ran his fingertips over her cheek, feeling a lump on her cheekbone. He tilted her head back, hoping to get a better look under the pale moonlight. The skin surrounding her injury stood out much darker than the rest. Kade cursed beneath his breath. MacRae would pay dearly for the way he'd treated his wife. He brushed his lips across her cheek, wishing there was some way he could take away all the pain.

"
How did you ken I was at this place?"