Page 22

T he dark night began to glow with lanterns as more villagers were roused and Watchmen galloped toward the cottage from their posts around the village.

Crystal put her cloak closer over her nightdress that was splattered with blood. There was a chill in the air and her nightdress didn't do much to keep her warm. Jamie led her over to the group of gathered people who stood in the lane away from the cottage.

"Someone has attacked this lass in the night. What has happened to the guard I posted here?" he asked the group. "Has anyone seen Mark?"

A murmur of voices rumbled through the group, but none seemed to have seen the young guard.

"Spread out and see if we can find him," Jamie suggested.

"Over here," a villager shouted a few minutes later.

They all moved to the back of the cottage. Mark lay on the ground out cold.

"He's alive. Looks like he's been hit with something, see the blood trickling down his temple?" Jamie said. "Someone fetch some water to pour on his face."

"I'll go," Angus said.

Rory and Shaw rode up to the group. "What's happened?" Rory asked as he slid off his mount.

"Crystal was attacked inside Courteney's cottage. It seems that whoever it was knocked Mark out before breaking inside," Jamie said.

"Is the lass alright?" Shaw asked, looking at Crystal.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm alright. I had the dagger Jamie gave me and I defended myself."

"What attacked you?" Rory asked.

"T'was no demon, of that I can assure you," Jamie said.

"What? How can that be," the crowd of villagers murmured in shock.

"The lass was able to injure her attacker. The blood on the dagger was human, not demon," Jamie explained to the gathered crowd.

Rory leaned in and asked, "Where did you strike him, lass?"

"I… if I remember, I slashed across his cheek and maybe his arm or chest I'm not sure," she said.

Just then Angus splashed a bucket of water on Mark's face. He sputtered and coughed as he woke. Jamie knelt down beside him. "Mark, are you alright? What happened?" Jamie asked.

"I… everything went black. I came back here to relieve myself, then something struck me." Mark held his head and winced in pain.

"Aye, did you get a look at who did it?" Jamie asked.

"No, afraid not, they were behind me," Mark said.

"Alright listen, this is our chance to put an end to this. The attacker cannot be far. It's only been a short while. We are looking for a man with a fresh gash to the face. Go spread out. Shout if you find him," Jamie shouted to the villagers.

"Light some torches. Go in groups," Rory called out as they began to disperse.

"Rory, report this all to Brendan, once you have done that, head out to the patrols and let them know what we are searching for."

"Aye, on my way," Rory remounted his horse and galloped away.

"Shaw, take Mark inside and see to his wound, then stay inside the cottage, in case the attacker comes back," Jamie said.

"Aye, consider it done," Shaw helped Mark to his feet.

"And what about me?" Crystal asked.

Jamie looked at her and then back to Shaw and Mark. "Shaw wait one moment. Lass, go inside and put some clothes on. You will come with me," he said.

"Alright, please don't leave me," she said, her fear rising at being alone in the cottage.

"I wouldn't dream of it, lass," Jamie said. He gave her a look and for a moment Crystal thought he might kiss her, but the moment passed.

"I'll try to be quick," she murmured as Jamie followed her in.

He tried to fix the busted door back into place. He kept his back to her as she stripped out of the cloak and nightdress, then put on her blouse and gown, then pulled on her stockings. "Nearly finished, lass?" he asked.

"You can turn around, just need to put my boots back on, and my cloak."

Jamie reopened the door and Crystal lit a couple more candles so that they could see to clean Mark's wound. "Bring him in," he said to Shaw.

Crystal quickly built the fire back up, then poured some water into a kettle that had been on the counter.

Once the fire was going, she hung the kettle up over the flames to warm it.

She found an extra wash rag in the drawer of the wardrobe and handed it to Shaw.

When the kettle was warmed she filled the wash basin with it.

"Once you see to his wounds, blow out the candles and wait here," Jamie said, reiterating his previous order.

Shaw nodded. "I'll put the fire out again too."

Crystal had her gaze on the ground as she went outside. Something glinting in the moonlight caught her eye. "Stop," she murmured.

Jamie stopped. "What is it, lass?"

"I see something. Let me get a candle." She went back inside the cottage and came out with a lit candle.

She returned outside and strode toward the right.

"Look." She pointed at a splatter of blood in the dirt next to some boot tracks.

She and Jamie followed them. They headed in the opposite direction from the town, around the group of cottages. "What's back there?"

"That's where Angus keeps his livestock," Jamie said.

"I think my attacker went that way."

"Tis a good hiding place and only one way to find out. Good work, lass," he said. "Let me fetch my horse, then we'll go after him."

She grinned, feeling good that she had managed to do something useful. "I'll return the candle to the cottage."

A few minutes later, Jamie helped her to mount.

He climbed on behind her, and set the horse in motion.

"Let's search around the livestock and see if we can find your attacker, lass," he said softly in her ear.

It gave her chills to think that she would be looking for the man who attacked her, but she felt some comfort in the fact that she was with Jamie and that many of the villagers were also looking for the man, along with a large group of Watchmen.

She hoped that this was the end of it after tonight.

The terror could be over if it turned out that her attacker was the same one who murdered Maeve and Billy.

Jamie kept the horse's gait to a slow walk. She was sure it was so they wouldn't spook the attacker as they got closer to him. Ahead of them, Crystal pointed out a group of villagers. Jamie approached them, three men and two young teenage boys who held torches.

Jamie quietly said, "Follow behind me, we might need your help. I think the lass's attacker made his way to the livestock enclosure, but I don't want to spook him with noise. Stay quiet, understand?"

"Aye, we will follow you, Jamie," the eldest of the men said.

Slowly Jamie urged his horse toward the enclosure, but before he got too close he dismounted and handed the reins to Crystal.

He whispered, "If anything should happen to me, you ride hard back to the cottage to Shaw."

"No I won't leave you," she whispered in protest.

"Do as I say, lass" he commanded and his expression brooked no argument.

She nodded and remained on the horse, clutching the reins tightly. She didn't know how to guide the horse exactly, but figured she'd ridden with him enough to know the basics of what to do, though she might not end up going in the proper direction.

Jamie slowly stalked toward the shelter in the enclosure. Over her shoulder Crystal could see the group of men gaining on them. She turned back to Jamie. He drew his sword and got close.

Just then she heard a guttural scream as a large man charged at Jamie tackling him to the ground. "Argh."

"Jamie!" Crystal shouted. She saw Jamie roll out from under the large man and being wrestling with him. She shouted at the group of men with torches. "Come quick! He's here! He's here!"

The group of men started running toward them. Disobeying Jamie's orders, she slid off the horse and ran toward Jamie.

"I'll get you, you bastard!" the man shouted.

Crystal knew that voice well and a chill traveled through her body. The man who had attacked her had been Cameron Gilroy. The same man who had accosted her in the bar, twice.

"Cameron, give yourself up. You can't run," Jamie said as he slugged Cameron across the face.

Crystal drew closer and could see that Cameron was bleeding on his cheek, where she'd cut him. It confirmed to her that he was her attacker.

"It's Cameron Gilroy," she said to the group of men as they approached.

One of the men turned his back to her and put his fingers in his mouth and released a very loud whistle that echoed over the fields. The others waved the torches from side to side as a signal to anyone who might be watching.

Jamie punched Cameron in the gut. Cameron grabbed Jamie's arm and pinned it to the grass. Jamie used his knee to whack Cameron in the chest and get his arm loose. They went on like this until Jamie pushed his fingers into the gash on Cameron's cheek.

"Argh. Damn. Ah!" Cameron screamed as he held his cheek and rolled off of Jamie.

Jamie got to his feet and the other men grabbed Cameron's arms and legs, pinning him to the ground.

Jamie caught his breath and Crystal rushed into his arms. "I'm glad you're alright," she said.

Jamie held her by the waist. "I thought I gave you an order?"

"You did, but I'm not someone you can order around," she replied.

Jamie smiled at her, but just when she thought he would kiss her, he looked over her shoulder. She turned to see the rest of the villagers and the Watchmen approaching to arrest Cameron for the attack on her.