Beneath a Highland Moon (The Highland Moon Series 1) (7 page)

"
Did I frighten you a wee bit, Ian?"

"
Aye, more than a wee bit.
What did you see, Jilly?"

"
I saw naught, but the way the mare acted told me something was there, another horse perchance.
If so, then there would be a rider as well.
I didn't wish to take any chances.
I'm very sorry about the food, sweeting."

"'
Tis all right.
We can eat at Ravenskull Castle.
Jilly, do you ken why 'tis called Ravenskull?"

"
Nay, I don't, but perhaps you can ask that question of Laird MacLachlan once we arrive there."

The
mountains grew steeper and more craggy as they neared MacLachlan land. At several points, the path between the rocks became so narrow, Jillian could've held her arms out on either side of the horse and touched the green moss growing there.

"
Is it much further? I'm getting tired of riding."

"
We should be there before nightfall, mayhap sooner."

"
Jilly, will you sing me a song?"

She chuckled.
"I'll hum you a song.
We don't need to draw any more attention to ourselves than is necessary."

After the rain
, the droplets of water covering the leaves and grass glimmered like jewels beneath the bright rays of sunlight.
Jillian quietly hummed as they rode nearer and nearer to Ravenskull.

A
sudden movement to their right caught her attention. But before she had time to react, a rider wielding a club burst from the underbrush.
He must have been the one at the clearing and had followed them along the edge of the wood.
Jillian's frightened horse lunged sideways, almost toppling them both to the ground.

"
Hold onto the saddle, Ian," she screamed. With one hand she tried to control the mare, and with the other, grabbed her
sgian dubh
.

The
highwayman swung the club and pain exploded across the back of Jillian's head.
For a moment, she couldn't see, as darkness threatened to take her down into its depths.
By sheer determination she fought off the feeling. She had to hang on for Ian's sake. If she died, the thief would make certain he was also dead.
He'd leave no witnesses. The man tried to grab the reins from her hand. 'Twas the mare he was after.
Jillian plunged the blade of her
sgian dubh
deep into his arm, and quickly drew it out.

He sc
reamed, blood staining his shirt. "I'll kill ye for that," he yelled, taking another swing at her with the club.

She
bent down sideways to dodge the blow, and the plaid slid up her thigh. Jillian quickly pulled it down, but 'twas too late.

He grinned,
and his demeanor immediately changed. "Och, a bonnie lass. 'Tis a fine prize I've found m'self." The outlaw moved his horse closer. Then grabbed Jillian by the thigh, digging his fingernails into her soft flesh to keep her still.

"
Leave my sister be," screamed Ian, hitting the man's hand several times with his tiny fist.

Jillian managed to pry away his fingers and
kicked him hard in the ribs with the heel of her boot, knocking him off balance. He tumbled to the ground beneath his horse, which quickly raced off in the opposite direction.
Jillian took that opportunity to knee her own horse into a run.
She heard a string of curses being shouted after her as they rode away.
She didn't look back. Somewhere during the attack, she'd lost her bundle of clothing—and her mother's locket.
But they had at least gotten away with their lives.

"
Did he hurt you, Jilly, when he hit you with that club?"

"
I'll be fine," she said, not wishing to worry him, but truth be known, her head ached something awful. Jillian's vision was a wee bit blurry. She squinted, as she tried to focus on the road ahead. She blinked back tears, praying she could at least hold on 'til they reached Ravenskull—for Ian.

***

Several hours had passed since their encounter with the highwayman, and Jillian's head throbbed more and more with each stride of the horse.
She reached up under the hat, finding a lump the size of a hen's egg.
Her hair was matted with blood, both dried and fresh, that slowly trickled down the back of her neck. She was thankful that Ian couldn't see the blood from where he sat.
Lightheaded, Jillian was glad they didn't have much further to go.

"
Is that Ravenskull, Jilly?"
Ian asked, excitement apparent in his voice.

"
Aye, 'tis."
The massive castle of black stone loomed before them in the distance.
It stood in dark contrast to the pale blue sky, and immense beauty of purple heather and yellow gorse covering the hills surrounding it.
The knot that'd been in Jillian's stomach all day tightened at the realization that soon she'd come face to face with Kade.
"You're to behave yourself and not give Laird MacLachlan any trouble."

"
I'll be very good. Is the laird a nice man?"

"
Aye, he was very nice when I last set eyes on him, and I'm quite certain that he still is.
But it's been some time since we've spoken," she said, tamping down old emotions as the memory of his handsome smile came to the surface.

"
I'm so very hungry, Jilly.
My stomach is growling and so is yours. I can hear it."

She hugged him tight
against her.
Jillian was sorry that Ian was so hungry.
He'd eaten naught but the tart since the night before.
"The very first thing I'll do once we reach Ravenskull is to ask for enough food to fill your belly, but I'm not certain if any place has that much food," she teased him.
"Can you wait a bit longer?"

He
smiled up at her and nodded.

As the
y drew nearer the castle, her dizziness worsened.
Clenching her teeth, she held on tight to the reins and fought off the feeling.
Jillian didn't dare give in to it now.
She had to get Ian safely inside Ravenskull.

When they reached
the gatehouse, they were stopped by two guards. "What be ye business here, lad?" asked the younger man with flaming red hair and a multitude of freckles.

Jillian
drew herself up as tall as possible.
"We've an important message for Laird MacLachlan."

The older man
rubbed his graying beard.
"What sort of message would a young lad like ye'self and that wee one there have for the laird?"
Both the guards chuckled, but kept a wary eye on her.

Jillian
reached up and removed the hat, grimacing, as it—along with several strands of her hair—tore away from the dried blood.
Raking her fingers through what hair was not matted together, she said, "I'm Lady Jillian MacRae, daughter of the recently deceased Laird Angus MacRae of Lochstorm.
The lad here is my brother, Ian MacRae, who became the Laird of Lochstorm upon our father's death. 'Tis urgent I see your laird as soon as possible."

The guards stared at her
as if she'd sprouted horns.
Without taking his gaze away from her, the older man said, "Get Logan," and the other man immediately disappeared inside the castle.

Jillian
knew of Logan, but he'd not ken her by sight. When her family had sought hospitality at Ravenskull during the snowstorm, he'd been away from the castle. She'd heard he was a good man. Her father had spoken very highly of him on several occasions.
She prayed he'd permit them entrance. Jillian was tired and hungry, and the back of her head now constantly throbbed. The dizziness was almost unbearable. Jillian didn't ken how much longer she could keep herself upright on the mare. She held on tightly, digging her fingernails into the saddle.

Ian turned his face up to hers.
"What if they'll not let us inside, Jilly?
Does that mean we have to go back to Lochstorm?
We don't have any food, and I'm really, really hungry.
I can smell bread."

Jillian
's own stomach growled as she inhaled the wonderful aroma.
"Don't fash yourself, wee one.
I ken you're hungry. We'll be inside before you ken it."

The
young man reappeared with a middle aged man beside him that Jillian assumed to be Logan, and with a female servant in tow.
The man studied Jillian a moment before speaking. He motioned to the servant. "This woman attended Laird MacRae's wife for many years.
If you're who you say you are, she'll ken."
He turned to the servant.
"Step closer and take a good look at the lass."

As she
approached, Jillian immediately recognized her.
She'd been her mother's favorite lady's maid. Her father had sent her away soon after her mother's death.
Jillian smiled down at her, fighting the lightheadedness.
"Glennis, 'tis good to see you."

Tears welled up in Glennis
' eyes as she smiled up at Jillian.
"Child, it's been a long while since I saw ye last, but I can see yer mother's beautiful face in yer own." She turned to Ian, studying him closely.
"The lad is the spitting image of his father," she said softly and turned to Logan.
"'Tis true. She's who she says she is." Glennis stepped closer to the horse and frowned. "Good heavens, m'lady, yer bleeding.
Let's get ye're inside."

"
Give me the lad," someone said from far, far away.
Jillian didn't ken what happened next, for darkness overtook her and she sank deeper and deeper into its depths.

Chapter
Five

In the great hall of Lochstorm castle, peat crackled and smoked in the massive fireplace positioned along one end of the room. Gordon MacRae sat staring into the flames stroking his beard.
He still couldn't believe that his dream of holding the title of Baron of Lochstorm was almost within his grasp. Then everyone would call him laird or they'd be sorely dealt with. He'd have to be patient, aye, but time was on his side.
Only the lad stood in his way, but not for much longer; he'd make absolutely certain of that.

As for th
e woman… He smiled to himself. He had much use for her.
His breathing grew ragged at the memory of her lush lips beneath his.
He'd been a fool for not taking her when he had the chance. 'Twas with just that intention he'd gone to her bedchamber. Instead, he'd let her soft words and shy eyes talk him out of doing so. No need to fash himself over it.
She'd be beneath him soon enough. Then he'd have his fill of her.
Gordon planned to keep her until she bore him an heir.
After that, who knew?
Just as his first wife, Ellie, had come with a large dowry, so did Jillian.
He'd made a point of finding that out.

After but a month of marriage, Ellie
's body, along with that of her young maid, had been found in the loch, beaten and battered.
They'd been seized upon by a band of highwaymen—or so they thought.
He smiled.
Gordon had received everything, including her precious jewels she'd refused to hand over to him. No woman had ever stood in the way of his getting what he wanted—and never would.

Al
l appeared to be going as planned. He should be feeling as satisfied as a mouser with a stable full of mice, but something had been gnawing at the back of his mind all day. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Frustrated, he paced back and forth. No one had set e
yes on Jillian or the lad for more than a day. That is, except for that old crone, Winnie.
She kept insisting they'd acquired some sort of sickness and should keep to their bedchambers until they were well, which, of course, had meant delaying their marriage.
He'd not wanted to become ill himself, for he didn't need to show any weakness in front of the people of Lochstorm.
Gordon hadn't argued when only the healer was allowed inside the two bedchambers.
But the more he thought about it, the more something about the whole thing seemed amiss.
Both bedchambers had been quiet—too quiet—especially the lads. Illness or not, he intended to find out what was going on.
He raced up the stairs to find Duff, the man he'd left to guard Jillian's door, sound asleep, stretched out on a settle in the corridor. Gordon kicked it over, dumping him onto the floor.

"
What the…," stammered the half-asleep man, as he slowly crawled up from the floor. "Och, I must have fallen asleep."

"
Of course you did, you fool. I give you a simple job and this is what happens. If I catch you sleeping again, it'll be out with you and with no pay. Open this door at once."

Duff
hurried to do his bidding, and Gordon stepped past him into Jillian's bedchamber. The window coverings were drawn, and he had to squint to see inside.

The old woman jumped up from the c
hair beside the bed. Jillian lay huddled beneath the covers as still as a mouse. Gordon threw open the window coverings and walked to the other side of the bed and looked across at the woman. She'd gone completely pale.

"
Please, sir, m'lady needs her rest, for she's very ill," she pleaded with him, wringing her hands.

Suddenly everything became clear.
Grabbing the top of the bedclothes, he snatched them back, exposing several strategically placed bundles of clothing. "Just as I thought. Where is she?" he shouted, slamming his fist against the headboard.

The servant
flinched, but didn't answer him.

He quickly stepped around the bed and
grabbed her arms, shaking her. "Did you hear me? Where is she?"

"
I'm not certain. I but did as I was told," she said, her voice quivering. He let go of her, and she fell across the bed.

"
Duff," he shouted," if I find out the lady walked past you whilst you slept, I'll see you hanged."

The guard
looked past him at the empty bed and shook his head. "I swear, MacRae, no one has gone in or out this door, but that one there and the healer."

Gord
on again turned his attention to Winnie. "What of the lad?"

She said naught
, and refused to look at him.

"
I'll see for myself," he said, hurrying down the corridor to the nursery. But he knew even before he pulled back the covers what he'd find there.
How the devil did they get out without my knowing?
He returned to Jillian's bedchamber.

The
old woman calmly sat on the edge of the bed with her hands folded in her lap. "Duff, take her to the dungeon. Perchance, after a couple of cold nights, with only the rats to keep her warm, she'll talk."

She got up and quietly went
with the guard.

Frustrated, Gordon was d
etermined to find out how the two of them could have escaped without anyone seeing them. He walked over to the window and looked down below. Perhaps Jillian could've climbed down, but not the child. He turned away from the window and studied the bedchamber. He'd heard stories of the tunnels at Lochstorm, but had always believed them to be just that—stories. What if they'd been true?

Beginning at one corner
of the outer wall, he searched, working his way toward the fireplace. Then he stopped and took a good, hard look at the stones. Getting down onto his knees, he ran his fingers along the bottom edge of the stones until he touched an iron latch. Grasping it, he shoved hard and a panel slid open. Pushing away the small door, he stepped into a tunnel. So, the stories were true. But she'd had help from someone other than that old woman to pull off their escape, and he knew who—Roderick.

***

Shrouded by low-hanging clouds and a thick mist, the top of the mountain range lay hidden from sight except for a few of the taller peaks sticking through here and there. Laird Kade MacLachlan looked up at the sky. Not a speck of blue to be seen there. He, his good friend, Galen MacKinnon and several members of his clan had been hunting fresh game for almost a week, and weren't due to return home for another couple of days. It'd been raining the entire time and didn't appear to be letting up anytime soon.

Kade
took a deep breath of the crisp Highland air, picking up a whiff of peat smoke carried on the wind from the nearby village. He loved the smell of pine, the bitter scent of peat smoke, and wet, decaying leaves, the sound of the wind whispering through the branches and the chattering of the red squirrels, but he didn't relish spending another cold, wet night on the ground.

T
he chestnut stallion tossed his head and stamped his foot in the mud when he caught sight of Kade coming up the hill toward him. He softly whinnied, intently watching Kade approach.

"
Good morning, Caesar. Are you waiting for a treat?" he asked, holding an apple out to the horse, who gently took it from his outstretched hand. The past hour, the rain had gone from a downpour to a steady drizzle, and the wind had picked up. Even though Caesar, along with the other horses, had been sheltered in a stand of pines, water ran in tiny streams from his coat and dripped from his black mane and tail. Scratching the big animal behind the ears, Kade thought about the day he'd gotten Caesar. He'd been a gift from his wife, Isabelle. 'Twas she who'd named him. Kade remembered cringing when he'd heard the horse's name. He hadn't been able to bear telling her he didn't particularly like it, for she'd seemed so pleased that he'd liked the horse.

Over two
years had now passed since her death, along with the wee son to whom she'd just given birth. Kade had named him Cameron and buried him in his mother's arms.

Footsteps
behind him caused him to turn around.
Galen, a man he considered to be one of his closest friends, strode up the hill toward him, tramping through the mud, water dripping from the ends of his dark, shoulder-length hair.
Kade trusted Galen with his life, and had done so on more than one occasion.

Galen shook
his head like a wet dog that'd just come inside from the rain.
"'Tis too bad Duncan and Cinead are visiting Duncan's sister in the Lowlands. They deserve to be suffering right along beside me. More than likely, the two of them are breaking their fast at the earl's table as we speak."

Kade chuckled.
"Knowing firsthand the amount of food Duncan can put away at one sitting, his poor sister and the earl are likely afraid he'll clean out their storeroom." Kade and Galen, along with Cinead and Duncan had met at university several years before and had been fast friends ever since. There was nothing one wouldn't do for the other—a fact that had been proven more than once.

"
I'm ready to head for Ravenskull. We've sent back more than enough game, and I'm tired of being wet. Would you like to come?" Galen asked, grinning broadly.

"'
Tis hard for me to believe the blood of a Highland warrior courses through those veins of yours." Kade shook his head."I ken you only too well, Galen.
A soft bed and warm lass are what you seek, aye?"

Galen
's dark brows arched mischievously. "And just what is wrong with that, my friend?" he asked, his green eyes twinkling.

"
Very well." Kade sighed. "We'll tell the others to get ready to leave for Ravenskull at once.
We just won't tell them why.
They'll think we've both gone soft—and daft. I'm looking forward to the comfort of my own bed, but first, I wish a long, hot soak in my tub to ease this cold and dampness from my bones."

"
You sound mighty old for a man of twenty-five." Galen chuckled. "What you need is a bonnie lass to take away your aches and pains."

Kade felt the old familiar pang
.
"We've talked about this before, Galen.
'Tis too soon," he said, shaking his head.
When he'd married Isabelle, through an agreement between their families, Kade hadn't loved her, but the two years they were together, a close bond had formed between them, and he had even grown to love her.
He was devastated by her death and that of their son.

"'
Tis not too soon, Kade.
I worry about you.
You don't even notice when the ladies try to catch your attention.
You could have any one of them in your bed at any given time. 'Tis as if you've made yourself believe that you don't deserve to be happy. It's been over two years since Isabelle's death, and 'tis time for you to get on with your life, which, I don't have to remind you, includes siring an heir for Ravenskull."

No man
, other than Galen, Duncan or Cinead, would've gotten away with speaking to him in such a manner, but Kade knew he meant well. "I'll take that step when I'm good and ready and not before."

"
I would ask you something, but I don't wish to seem nosey."

"
Just when did you ever let that stop you before?" He chuckled.
"What is it?"

"
Why did you never seek out the MacRae lass after Isabelle's death?
You knew she'd never wed for you said as much."

Kade
blew out a long breath, shaking his head.
"I don't ken for certain.
I guess I assumed that her feelings for me had changed by then."
In truth, if he'd gone to her and she'd rejected him, Kade didn't think he could've withstood the pain of walking away from her again.

"
What about you, Kade? Have your feelings for her changed?"

Kade
untied Caesar. "I don't ken for certain. It's been such a long time since I saw her last. I guess the only way I'll ever find out is to see her again, and I don't see that happening any time soon. If we intend to reach Ravenskull before mid-day meal, we should get started."

"
I'm ready to leave when you are.
I can already taste a slice of Cook's fresh baked bread, and Flora, the serving girl's, warm lips."

Galen knew him well enough to ken when to change the subject.
Thinking of Jillian always put Kade into a dismal mood. He'd learned over the years to quickly shove the thoughts of her away. The morning four year ago, when he'd gone into the library to ask Laird MacRae for Jillian's hand in marriage, had been one of the happiest days he could remember.
Then he'd learned of Jillian's betrothal to that scoundrel, Innes Ramsey.
The mere thought of that blackguard putting his hands on Jillian had almost sent him over the edge.
When he'd left her weeping in the great hall of Ravenskull, it'd almost killed him, for as he'd walked away from her, he'd left a piece of his heart behind.