Page 55 of Cottage in the Mist (Time After Time #3)

“So I hear congratulations are in order.” Alec Comyn walked up to the campfire where Bram, Iain and Ranald were talking.

“Aye, my cousin has seen fit to take himself a bride.” Ranald slapped Bram on the back with a beefy hand, his face split with a grin. “I assumed he’d tup the wench; I had no idea he’d up and marry her.”

“Watch your tongue,” Bram cautioned, boxing his cousin’s ear. “I’ll no’ have you talking like that about my wife.”

“Come now,” Alec said. “Seems to me like this calls for a wee dram. Or maybe two.”

Bram grinned as Alec produced a bottle and poured a measure in each of the cups they held.

“To Bram,” Iain offered, holding his cup aloft. “May your marriage bring you the same degree of happiness as mine.”

For a moment the two men’s gazes met and held—a world of meaning passing between them.

Ranald and Alec might be aware of the story behind both Katherine’s and Lily’s strange appearances, but neither of them could truly understand the sheer magic of it.

Nor the accompanying fear that at any moment it might be snatched away.

Alec waited until they’d all drained their cups and then filled them again, lifting his high. “To Lily.”

“To Lily,” the others echoed as Jeff emerged from the edge of the woods.

“Why are we toasting Lily?” he asked, pushing his hair back from his face.

“Bram has wedded and bedded her,” Ranald said, the crooked smile still fixed on his face.

“I beg your pardon?” Jeff asked with a frown. “I thought the two of you weren’t speaking.”

Bram felt some of his elation vanish as he recognized the concern in the other man’s face.

Lily had said that they were just friends.

That Jeff was in love with his wife. God’s blood, the man had said as much himself.

But suddenly Bram wasn’t as certain. “We had a long talk. Among other things. And all is well between us. Better than that, in truth. Last night we pledged our lives to each other.”

Jeff studied him carefully for another moment or so, and then his lips turned up into a smile. “Then I can understand the cause for celebration.” He took the cup that Alec offered and lifted it toward Bram. “To you and your Lily. She loves you more than you know.”

“Ach, I think I’ve an idea of it now. And more importantly, I realize just how much I love her.”

“Then what are you doing lollygagging around here with us?” Ranald asked. “Go to your woman, man.”

Bram shot a questioning glance at Iain.

His cousin smiled. “Go on with you, then. We’ve an hour or more until we’re ready to go. Time enough for fighting. Take a moment and savor what it is you’re fighting for.”

Bram handed Ranald his cup and turned toward the woods just as Dougan Macniven burst into the clearing. “Frazier’s escaped,” he bellowed without pretense.

In an instant, anger replaced jubilation and Bram swung to face the man. “What do you mean he’s escaped? I thought you had men guarding him.”

“We did,” the big man replied, a great gash gaping above his left eye. “But they took us by surprise.”

“They?” Alec asked, as he and Iain moved to flank Bram on either side. “How many were there?”

“Three,” Dougan said. “Two of them caused a distraction and I’m sorry to say we fell for it. While we fought them off, the other man snuck in behind and managed to free Frazier. By the time we realized the ploy it was too late; they had us by the bollocks. Killed Timothy and knocked me out cold.”

“How long ago?”

“I dinna ken.” The man blew out a long breath, swiping at the blood dripping into his eye. “Long enough to get away, I’m afraid.”

“Bloody hell.” Bram’s eyes moved toward the woods and the river. Lily . He started forward, then froze as his worst nightmare materialized in the form of William. He was limping, and even from here, Bram could see the sorrow on the young man’s face.

“She’s gone,” William gasped as he stopped in front of Bram, bent at the waist as he struggled to breathe. His plaid was stained with blood, and he held a hand to his side.

“Are you injured, lad?” Alec asked, coming forward to offer an arm.

“I’ll live,” William said. “All that matters now is Lily.”

“Is she… is she…” Bram couldn’t bring himself to say the words, and he felt Iain’s hand on his shoulder.

“Nay,” William was shaking his head. “She lives. But they’ve taken her.”

“By God, I swear I’ll cut my uncle’s heart from his body if he hurts a hair on her head.” He jerked free of Iain’s grasp and turned toward the horses.

“Hold.” Iain’s voice held him in place, if only because he knew his cousin would never do anything that would endanger Lily. “We need to understand what’s happened before we take action.”

“It’s clear enough to me,” he barked, agony searing through him like a brand.

“The bloody Comyns let Frazier get away and now, no thanks to William, he has my wife.” From the haze of his rage he saw William flinch and, despite his despair, knew a moment of regret.

“I’m sorry. I’m angry. I dinna mean to lash out at you, lad.

I know you wouldn’t have let them take her if there was anything else to be done. ”

William still looked miserable, but Bram knew there was nothing else he could say that would ease the lad’s remorse. Still he had to try. Had to at least be honest.

“If this is anyone’s fault, ’tis mine. I should never have left her.”

“You couldn’t have known that any of this would happen,” Alec said, his expression as grim as Bram’s no doubt was. “I would ne’er have expected them to have the bollocks to come right into our camp.”

“We were vigilant, Alec, I swear it.” Dougan looked to Bram. “And we fought with valor. ’Twas just too much of a surprise.”

Bram nodded, unwilling to totally absolve the man, yet certain even so that none of it had been intentional. “It still remains that they have Lily and we have to go after them.”

“Agreed,” Iain said. “But we cannot go off without knowing the whole truth.” He turned to William, who was being patched up by Geordie. “Tell us exactly what happened.”

William swallowed as the healer tied off the bandage, then turned his attention to the assembled men. “I was standing at the edge of the trees. Lily was dressing and I dinna want to see… I mean, she needed her privacy.”

“And then?” Ranald asked, his frustration clearly matching Bram’s.

“She was putting on her boots—her back to me, and then someone grabbed me. I tried to fight back, but there were three more of them and I knew I dinna stand a chance.”

“And Lily?” Bram asked, pacing in front of the fire.

“She’s a brave one, yer wife. First she argued with the man.”

“Frazier?” Alec interjected.

“Aye. He wanted the ring. But Lily said she’d given it to Bram.

” He cut his gaze to Bram’s hand and the silver ring he wore.

“Frazier was none too happy. But he said that Malcolm would have to do with her instead.” William blanched.

“I tried again to fight my way free. I was still in the bushes; Lily couldna see me. And before I could do anything to get away, the man who held me stabbed me. I managed to twist away, but in so doing, I fell and hit my head. The last thing I remember is Frazier saying he would make use of having Bram’s bride. ”

“And how long ago was that?”

William glanced up at the sun. “Too long, I’m afraid. They’ll have made good time. I heard horses. I’m sorry, Bram. I’ve failed you. And worse, I failed Lily.”

“What’s done is done,” Iain said. “What matters now is that we take action to get her back.”

“Unless I miss my guess, they’ll be headed for Malcolm and Dunbrae,” Ranald interjected.

“That’s only about an hour’s ride from here,” Alec confirmed.

“Then what the hell are we waiting for?” Bram asked, already signaling for his horse. “The bastards have my wife. We haven’t a moment to spare.”

“You realize we’ll be riding into a trap,” Iain said. “Malcolm will be expecting you to try and rescue her.”

“Aye, that I do.” Bram clenched his fists. “I can’t ask you to risk your lives for me and mine. Not like this. But you have to understand I canna sit back and let my uncle threaten my wife. Even if it means my death.”

“We ride with you.” Ranald’s tone brooked no argument. Behind him, Bram could see the Mackintoshes already beginning to ready themselves for battle. “Iain just wants you to be aware of the facts.”

“Even if your uncle knows for certain that you’ll come,” Alec added, “he canna be sure that Iain’s men will follow you. And he definitely willna believe that mine will ride with you as well.” At that, he too signaled his men to ready themselves.

Bram’s heart threatened to leave his chest and despite his anguish and fear, he felt humbled. These men—his family and Lily’s—were willing to risk everything on their behalf. Lily was right; despite all that they’d lost between them, they’d found not only new family but friends as well.

Bram took the reins of the horse Dougan brought him, swinging up into the saddle as the others mounted around him. He turned his mare to the northeast. Toward Dunbrae. To his wife—to Lily. And as he rode from the clearing, Bram prayed that he wasn’t too late.

Lily awoke to the pungent smell of sweat and urine. Combined with the wracking pain in her head, the odor had her stomach churning. Her eyes flickered open and she gingerly touched her head, her fingers coming away sticky with blood. For a moment, memory failed and then she remembered.

Frazier.

She jerked upright, her stomach revolting with the sharp motion, but fear was a stronger motivator and she scooted across what appeared to be a straw-covered floor until her back was firmly against the room’s stone wall.

A fire flickered in the grate on the opposite wall, pale sunlight streaming in through two narrow oblong windows.

Lit torches sat in bronze sconces at equal distances around the room, the fire doing little to alleviate the chamber’s gloom.