Page 100 of A Rogue in Firelight

“I am not surprised, I will say that.”

“And he is Lord Darrach, so you may call him that.”

“Nor does that surprise me either.” She studied Ellison for a moment. “I suppose he is a good man, if the Muir lads trust him. They are a good lot, them.”

“He is a very good man, Mrs. Barrow.”

*

“Glenbrae,” Aleck said,breathing hard. In a damp plaid, hair slicked with rain, he radiated urgency. “We need your help. Now.”

Alarmed, Ronan gestured to Donal, rushing toward them. “Bring the lad a dram. Then saddle horses. We will need them. Aleck, what happened?”

“Geordie,” Aleck went on breathlessly, “wounded sore. We went to Darrach Castle—to the caves there. But he was attacked. We took him to Invermorie and I rode here for you fast as I could.” He took the dram from Donal with a nod of thanks.

“Who attacked him?”

“I am not sure. So much blood.” He touched his head. “Mairi Brodie is with him.”

“Is it mortal? I will come straight away.”

“I do not know, but you must come, aye. There is another problem.”

“What else? You went to Darrach to check the caves?”

“Aye, to count the whisky cache we keep there by the waterfall.”

“I know.” Last year, Ronan and the Muirs had moved twenty kegs and a dozen casks of whisky to the Darrach caves, where they were sure to be safe.

“We found nothing there.”

“Nothing? No whisky?”

“Gone. We thought we were mistaken in the dark, as the caves are numerous, so we split up, west and east, to be sure.”

“There is a honeycomb of caves there. Easy to get confused. Did you find it?”

“We had the cave, but found it empty.” Aleck swallowed the last of the dram. “We could not find it. Just a few crockery jugs and broken wood from the crates. And footprints all around.”

Ronan sucked in a breath. “What happened to Geordie?”

“He had not come to meet me, so I went out and walked about, called, and then heard some sounds. I ran, and saw him lying there, wounded.”

“Shot?”

“Stabbed, it seems, and clubbed on the head. I ran for Grandda. He was waiting for us with the cart. We did not want him to risk the climb, see.”

“Aye. And you and Rabbie took your brother to Mairi? Good.”

“First we put him in the cart, then I ran for Tam Comrie, the groundskeeper at Darrach. He and his wife are still there, even without a laird there now. Rabbie wanted to know if Tam had seen anyone. Tam came to Invermorie with us. But the whisky is gone, sir.” Aleck breathed hard, rubbed his wet, dirty face. “I am sorry!”

“Not your fault. We must find it, though. When was the last time the whisky was seen there?”

“Grandda gave it a count not a month ago. But there were footprints about, and dragging marks. Someone else was there tonight.”

“Then it has not been gone long, and has not gone far. Can you ride?”

“Now? Aye.”