Page 18 of McKenna’s Honor (The Clan MacDougall #4)

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A frown formed on Daniel’s face when he saw that Lady Arline had slumped over on her mount, hugging the black mare’s neck. A gently born woman such as Lady Arline was not accustomed to thundering across the country, through valley and glen, streams or forests. The journey was taking its toll on her.

He was not angry with her for falling asleep. He was instead angry at the circumstances that had put the girl in this situation. Daniel pulled his horse as close to Lady Arline’s as he could and carefully took her mount’s reins. He brought both horses to a slow stop so that he would not frighten her, causing her to tumble from her mount.

Moonlight shone down on her dark auburn locks casting streaks of silver through her hair. She was a beautiful young woman and he wondered silently what it was like for her to be married to such an auld man as Carlich. The auld man was not long for this world, even Daniel could see that. Mayhap, he thought, her next husband would be closer to her own age.

Though he had done his best to not surprise her too much, she woke with a start as soon as she felt them come to a stop. Her eyes flew open as she quickly scanned her surroundings, forgetting for a moment just where she was.

“I am so sorry, Daniel!” she exclaimed. “I did not mean to fall asleep. Why have we stopped?”

Daniel smiled, taking note that her words sounded slurred, tired. “M’lady, we stopped because ye fell asleep. It will do no one any good to have ye collapse from exhaustion. We can stop fer an hour or two so ye can rest.”

Arline shook the cobwebs from her mind. “Nay, we’ll not stop, Daniel. We must get to Stirling before dawn breaks.”

Daniel let loose with an exasperated sigh. “But m’lady, ye’ll do no one any good if ye fall asleep in front of the Stewart!”

“Is this not the day that your chief is set to hang?” she asked him sternly.

“Aye, but dawn is hours away, m’lady. And we be no’ far from Stirling now. ’Tis why I suggested we stop and let ye rest.”

While she could appreciate his concern over her wellbeing, she had made a promise not to be a bother to him or his men. Though it might very well have made sense to stop and rest, her conscience would not allow it. Every fiber of her being was telling her to get to Stirling as soon as possible. There would be time for rest later, after she had met with Robert Stewart.

“Nay, Daniel, we cannot stop now. I promise I shall rest after I do what my husband has asked that I do.”

He had to admire her determination. “Have ye ever met Angus McKenna, m’lady? Or Duncan?”

Arline leaned over and took the reins from Daniel’s hands. “Nay, I have not,” she answered as she tapped the flanks of her horse. Daniel remained close by as they kept the horses moving at a slow pace.

“Angus be a good man, m’lady. He, all of us, will be forever in yer debt."

She felt rather uncomfortable at his proclamation. “I do not do this so that people will be indebted to me, Daniel.”

A warm smile came to his face. “Aye, I ken that, m’lady. ’Tis one more reason why ye’ll always be held in high esteem amongst our clan.”

Arline was about to protest further when a shout of warning came from ahead. A moment later, flaming arrows began to land all around them, startling horses and riders alike. She had no time to react as her horse began to scream and rear itself up. A flaming arrow had hit the mare in the center of its chest!

With sword drawn in one hand, Daniel was able, with the other, to scoop Lady Arline from her mount before the horse could rear again. Her mare screamed in agony and the smell of burning flesh stung their senses. The beautiful animal reared again before taking off at a full run.

Daniel held on to Lady Arline rather precariously around her waist for a moment before setting her astride in front of him. Arline grasped the horse’s mane tightly and held on for dear life.

The sound of metal crashing against metal, cursing, yelling and grunting broke through the night. Horses screamed as more flaming arrows lit the night sky before finding their marks in men and horses alike.

Bile rose in Arline’s throat as the smell of burning flesh and blood found their way to her nostrils. Daniel had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist and held the reins betwixt his teeth as he fought off a mounted attacker to their right. Arline felt the rush of air as the tip of the attacker’s broadsword whooshed by her leg. With his free arm, Daniel fended the man off with his broadsword. As the attacker lifted his weapon over his head, preparing to send it crashing down on Daniel’s head, Daniel swept his sword across the man’s arm and sliced his throat. Blood sprayed from the gash, landing across Arline’s face, arm and leg.

Her heart pounded fiercely against her breast while visions of her own death whirled in her mind. She closed her eyes, but could not block out the sounds as the battle wore on. She felt Daniel’s grip around her waist tighten as he spun the horse this way and that. He grunted and thrust, guiding the horse with the reins he still held in his teeth.

She realized that Daniel would not be able to fend the attackers off for long with the use of only one arm. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and scanned the glen for either a place for her to hide or an opening for them to escape.

Bodies, dead or dying, littered the ground. Horses kicked and screamed, writhing in pain from the flaming arrows. Arline imagined no crueler fate could befall such beautiful animals and she cursed the attackers under her breath.

Daniel knew his first thought must be of Arline’s safety. He had to get her to Stirling. But it was getting too difficult to battle the onslaught of attackers with just one free arm. Daniel had no doubt that the attackers were here for one thing and one thing only: Arline. Who they were or how they had found out about their mission to get her to Stirling he did not know. He prayed there would be an opportunity to sort that out later. For now, he had to protect her. If he could not defend himself, he could not defend Lady Arline.

His men had apparently come to the same conclusion as Daniel. Within moments, at least thirty of his men made their way through the attackers and came to surround him and Lady Arline.

Sweat poured into Daniel’s eyes. He wiped his face against his shoulder as he tried to gain a better look at their surroundings.

David suddenly appeared beside them. He could see that blood covered both Daniel and Lady Arline. “Are ye hurt?” he shouted over the din of the battle. As the warriors stood surrounding Daniel and Lady Arline, they heard the sound of a familiar battle cry.

Daniel shook his head no as he studied the battle before him. “Nay,” he shot back. “But they want the lady.”

David gave a quick nod before bringing his horse as close to Daniel’s as he could. “Get on,” he commanded as he stretched out his arm.

Arline did not question his direction. She thrust her arm out and grabbed his just below his elbow. In one fell swoop, David swung her around and up to sit behind him. He did not need to tell her to hang on. Her arms went around his torso where she laced her fingers together and held on as tightly as she could.

David shouted a command before kicking his horse into a run. Arline closed her eyes again, praying with all her might that they would survive this night.

As they raced across the glen, Arline squeezed her legs tightly against the saddle and clung to David. Blood rushed in her ears and drowned out the din of battle and the horses as they ran across the land.

This was not the kind of adventure or excitement she had anticipated when she had agreed to go to Stirling. Nay, she had thought it might be fun to sleep out of doors under the stars and quiet moon. Being chased across the country by a group of men apparently wanting to kill her had not been even a remote thought.

With her eyes closed, she could not see what might be happening around her. But she could hear and feel . She felt the horse’s hind legs burst with energy just before it jumped, or rather flew as if it had sprouted wings! Her stomach plummeted to her toes as she had the unexpected sensation of flying through the air. Time seemed momentarily suspended as she gasped and tightened her hold around David’s waist. They landed without incident a short time later and the horse continued to speed across the land.

I’ll never, ever, ever complain of boredom again! I’ll never allow myself to daydream of adventure again! And I’ll not let go of David until we reach Stirling.