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But even as she kissed him, deep in her heart, she knew she was right, and that if there was any chance of getting away permanently from Struan and avoiding bloodshed, she would have to take matters into her own hands.

The following morning, though she woke up alone, Arne appeared in her chambers while she was putting the finishing touches to her appearance for the day. They embraced and kissed in greeting, though they had spent the night making love and sleeping in each other’s arms.

“Yer braithers want us tae attend the council meetin’ after breakfast,” he told her. “They’re gonnae be discussin’ what’s tae be done in more detail. Are ye ready tae come down fer somethin’ tae eat and tae go tae the meetin’ with me?”

Raven thought about it and quickly came to a decision. She saw no point in sitting in on the meeting when she was certain her own plan—the one she was convinced was the only way forward—would not even be considered. Though she wanted to be with Arne, she shook her head. “Nay. Go on without me. I think I’ll go fer a walk and try and clear me head a bit while ye’re at the meetin’. Ye can tell me all about it later. But I’ll come and have breakfast with ye first.”

They went down to the great hall and breakfasted with Everard and Maxwell. “We didnae get round tae talkin’ about it last night, but what’s all this about us bein’ uncles now, Sister? Is it true ye have a bairn between ye?” Maxwell asked them, his face animated.

Raven smiled, her heart bursting with pride and joy to be able to tell them all about Thorsten. She could see Arne felt the same, and they smiled at each other and held hands under the table as they talked about their love for their son and how much they missed him. Watching Arne’s pleasure light up his features as he spoke about Thorsten left her feeling overwhelmed with love for him.

“I cannae wait tae meet the wee fella,” Maxwell told them, grinning widely. “I’m thrilled tae have me sister home safeandtae find out I’m really an uncle tae boot. ’Tis the best thing ever!”

“Aye, and the same goes fer me too,” Everard chimed in cheerfully. “I bet he’s a right sturdy wee man. I hope that when all this is sorted out, we can meet him.”

“I hope so too,” Raven said, looking at Arne questioningly. He smiled at her and nodded. She was elated when he said, “I’m sure that can be arranged.”

When they were done with breakfast, she kissed Arne as they were about to go their separate ways.

“I thought I’d take a walk intae the village and see if I can find ye some more clothes tae wear,” she told him, nonchalantly, although she had decided to go there in the hope that the castle was being watched by Struan’s men and that someone would approach her, seeing her alone. She still believed that the only solution was to go back to Barra and convince her husband that she had died escaping yet again.

He looked alarmed and tuned to Everard. “I’m nae happy about her goin’ out of the castle. It is too dangerous.”

“Aye, I agree,” her brother said.

“Please Everard. Ye ken the village will be safe in daylight, and the market will be bustling with peoples. Ye can send whoever ye like tae protect me and I will be careful. I need tae get out and away from all these dreadful thoughts. I promise ye I will nae be gone long,” Raven begged.

Everard was silent for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. “All right, I’ll assign some men tae guard ye, Raven. We cannae take any chances with yer safety. We have tae assume that MacDonald has his spies watchin’ the castle. He’ll likely find out ye’re here before long.”

Arne did not look at all convinced but it was Everard’s responsibility so he could not insist any further, lest he seem disrespectful towards his host.

“Very well,” Raven replied, grateful and filled with guilt at the same time.

“Here, ye’ll need some money,” Arne said. He pulled some coins out of his pocket and gave them too her. Everard and Maxwell did the same.

When she came out of her chambers a short while later, dressed to go out, she found three guards waiting for her in the hallway. She nodded at them in thanks. They followed her at a polite distance as she left the castle and made her way in the chilly spring sunshine along the busy road to the village, which was only ten minutes’ walk away.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The market was in full swing when she got there, and the place was packed with shoppers browsing the many colorful stalls surrounding them. She wandered about, lingering to look at a few bits of clothing, some warm woolen stockings for herself and socks and gloves for Arne. She came to a larger stall that was selling other items of clothing and began browsing through the wares.

It was while she was standing there, sorting through the men’s waistcoats that she felt someone come and stand next to her, brushing up against her arm.I kent it!She could hear their breath in her ear. She turned slightly and saw a tall man in a long, hooded cloak, his face obscured. She waited on tenterhooks until a low, deep voice hissed at her from the depths of the hood.

“The Laird MacDonald sends his greetin’s, melady. He asked me tae tell ye that if ye want tae see Thorsten alive again, then ye’d best come tae the old kirk at the end of the village at midnight tomorrow. Make sure tae come alone, and dinnae say a word tae yer braithers or MacLeod about it, or the lad will die.”

Raven stood open mouthed, her blood turning to ice as she listened, each word a blade in her heart.Thorsten! He has Thorsten!She knew what she was doing would be far from easy, but just hearing that was enough to take her breath away. She was so frozen in fear that when the man suddenly walked off and disappeared into the crowd of shoppers, she could do nothing for several minutes but stare after him in horror.

Then, she looked over at the guards, who were waiting for her less than twenty yards away. She could tell they had heard and seen nothing of what had just happened. And what could they have done? Nothing. Because if they had heard the man’s threat and acted upon it, Thorsten would have surely died as a consequence.

She felt the need to get back to the castle as soon as she could. She hurried back, with the guards following behind, her mind whirling with the thought of Struan having her boy. She had no doubt he would carry out his threat to kill him if she did not give herself up.

Arne can never ken! Once he finds out, he’ll go mad and insist on storming the island tae get Thorsten back. He could get both of them killed! I dare nae tell him.

At the same time, she knew she needed help. As soon as she got indoors, she went to find her brothers. She found them together in Everard’s study. When she knocked and Everard invited her in, she was relieved to find Arne had gone to do some training with the MacNeil soldiers. She quickly explained to Everard and Maxwell what had happened at the market. The only thing she left out was the time and place she was supposed to go to the rendezvous.

“Please, I beg ye, say naethin’ tae Arne,” she pleased with them. “I dinnae ken what he’ll dae.”

“All right, I dinnae like it, but we’ll say naethin’ fer the time bein’,” Everard finally agreed.