Page 15 of The Guardian’s Bride (Highland Secrets #3)

F og and rain rolled in, and with it came the pirates.

Rowena saw the other ship emerge through a curtain of mist as it sailed into the firth from the North Sea. A bolt of alarm shot through her and she stood, sensing a threat, looking around for Aedan and Brian, who stood talking with the captain at the other end of Lauder’s longship. She waved, called out, but they did not turn immediately.

She had been watching the thick, pale fog float on the whippy surface of the water under darkening clouds while Brian’s longship sailed into the heart of the firth. Miserable, she chewed on dried ginger and trained her gaze on the tall mast at the center of the low-slung, clinker-built longship.

The other stable element nearby was Aedan MacDuff, who stood strong and still as he spoke with Sir Brian and Tom Robertson, the captain, and even as he took a turn at an oar with the crewmen. He was becoming a reliable anchor in her life; without him she felt a bit afloat herself on the ship.

Now she saw the other longship, larger and coming fast as it plowed through the waves toward Lauder’s vessel.

“Aedan!” she called over the sound of wind and waves. He turned and she gestured. Seeing the other ship, he spoke to Brian and the two of them made their way toward her better vantage point.

“The flag it carries is not English, nor one I recognize,” Aedan said. “Nor does the prow carry a dragon’s head, so it is not Viking—but the legendary Viking dragon ships have not attacked Scotland in living memory, I think.”

As the ship swerved its course to sail closer, Brian swore. “Pirates! They sometimes prowl these waters, but usually at dusk. The fog makes them bolder today.”

Her heart slammed as the ship came into sharper view and she saw several men lined up in the larger ship, bows at the ready. Behind her, Tom Robertson called out and the oarsmen rowed harder, alert to danger.

Then several of the pirates raised nocked arrows. Now the ship was so close that a tall man could leap from one vessel to the other. At Aedan’s quick signal to her, Rowena backed into the shadow of the prow, while Aedan and Brian placed hands on the hilts of the daggers at their belts.

Suddenly ropes soared across the gap between the two ships and iron hooks caught the side of Lauder’s boat, claws sinking into wood. The longship lurched and was pulled close, bobbing on the waves as the two boats nearly knocked against each other.

Rowena felt her stomach sink, sour with fear and renewed nausea. She clutched the rim of the prow and watched as Aedan strode to the side, hand on the hilt of his dagger. Brian Lauder came with him, while Tom Robertson called again for the crewmen to pull hard, though just eight oarsmen manned the twelve-oared boat on this trip. The longship jerked, held fast by the hooks, as wood pierced by iron cracked with a sickening sound.

“Hold!” Robertson ordered.

Rowena felt ill again with the lurching motion of the boat. She sank to a bench, limbs trembling, fear adding to nausea as the smaller longship bobbed in the water.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Aedan bellowed, as two of Lauder’s oarsmen left their benches and tried to pry the claws loose without success.

The boat dipped again as three pirates stepped over the gap and into their boat, hands on daggers. Behind them, archers trained arrows on the longship.

“What do you want?” Brian repeated.

“Whatever you have, sir,” said the older of the invaders. Broad, gray, and gruff, he kept hold of his dagger’s hilt. “Whatever you are carrying, give it over now!”

“Who the devil are you?” Aedan growled.

“Meikle John Reid,” Tom Robertson said. “A pirate in these waters. Out of Flanders now, but an Aberdeen man, if I am not mistaken.”

“That is so,” Reid replied proudly.

“A Scotsman? Why attack your own?” Brian demanded.

“We do what we must,” Reid answered smoothly. “Just out looking for goods to trade. No harm will come to you—or yours.” He looked at Rowena, turned back. “Give over your goods and coin. Give us your names, too. You might be useful to us.”

One of the pirates came forward and grabbed Brian by the neck of his tunic, holding the tip of the blade at his throat. Reid trained his dagger point on Aedan, while the third crossed to Rowena. Though she backed away, he took her arm in a rough grip.

With a growl, Aedan surged forward. Reid’s blade went up, and an arrow swooshed to slam at his feet. He stopped, glowering.

“I am Lauder of the Bass Rock,” Brian gasped, with a blade under his jaw too. “We are only traveling for the day to get supplies in Dunfermline. We have no cargo.”

“But you have fat purses and a pretty lass,” Reid said. “If you have nothing else of value, we will take those.”

Dizzy, heart slamming, Rowena strained against the man’s grip on her arm, but felt faint suddenly. She saw Aedan send her a keen glance, then away.

He reached into his sporran to remove a cloth pouch. “Take this. Let the lass go.”

Reid snatched it, weighed it in his hand, looked at Lauder. “And you?”

Rowena knew Brian had enough coin to purchase grain, foodstuffs, and more. She watched anxiously, aware that Tom and the crew were still and wary.

“Come on,” Reid said, and Brian untied the leather pouch beneath his cloak. It jingled as he handed it over.

“All I have. Now be gone.”

“Or what?” Reid looked at some wooden boxes. “What is in those crates?”

“Vestments for the bishop of Dunfermline and his priests,” Brian said. “Gifts embroidered by my wife. No use to you.”

Reid nodded, turning. “This your wife?”

“Mine,” Aedan snapped. “Leave her be.”

“Pretty thing.” Reid went closer. Rowena leaned away. The boat seemed to spin under her feet. “Give us your purse, hinny.” He stretched out his hand for the pouch at her belt.

When she did not answer, he snapped the cord that attached it and took the purse. She launched forward with a cry, reaching for it, though the other pirate held her back. The Rhymer’s charm stone was in that pouch—she could not lose it.

Seeing that, Aedan roared but could not move, for another dagger was pointed at his throat now.

John Reid laughed, holding the bag out of her reach. “Something precious in here?” He opened the gathered neck of the bag to look at its contents. “The wee vixen wants her scissors and ribbons and—what, flowers? And a wee jewel!” He plucked up the charm stone, polished and glossy. It winked in the cloudy light.

“Give that to me!” She stretched out her free arm.

“Not a chance, darlin’.” Reid slid the things back into the pouch and tucked it inside his shirt.

“Give it to her! Take this instead,” Aedan barked, sliding a hand inside his plaid and the neck of his tunic, extracting a second pouch of leather. Tilting his head away from the point of the blade, he held it out. “Have it, you bastard, and leave us be.”

“Take that,” Reid told the man beside Aedan, who grabbed it. “We will have all this and the lass too, since you have little else to offer and I am not in a killing mood. This fog depresses my spirit, but this bonny lass will cure it quick enough.”

Aedan was fuming now. Rowena saw the rising temper in his flared nostrils, pulsing jaw, eyes flashing dark and dangerous.

“Leave!” Aedan boomed. “We must get my wife to town. She is ill and needs a physician. Leave her be, or regret it!”

As he spoke, his tone fiercer than she had ever heard from him, she felt a new wave of dizziness as the ship swayed. Her legs weakened under her and she set her free hand to her chest, again feeling faint.

“That fine woman? What could be wrong with her?” Reid asked.

Rowena bent over as the contents of her stomach erupted, spewing over the man holding her arm.

“That,” Aedan said.

Recoiling, the pirate released her just as Reid whirled. Aedan shoved the man beside him, grabbed the man’s dagger, and launched for Reid. Throwing himself on the older man, he slammed him down to the curved floor of the longship.

Unable to stop herself, Rowena retched again, this time covering the boots of the pirate beside her. He yelled and jumped back, losing his dagger. As Aedan pinned Reid down, Brian jumped on the third pirate. At the same time, an oarsmen leaped on the distracted man beside Rowena. A couple of other crewmen followed, jumping into the fray to help subdue the three pirates.

Now arrows sailed through the air like needles, punching into the ship, clattering on wood, a few striking crewmen. Swift and sure, Aedan rolled Reid and dragged him upright to use him as a shield against the arrows. That quelled the barrage as Reid’s men halted, uncertain. Aedan dragged the man to the side.

“Take your men and go now, if you want to live!” he shouted, grasping Reid by the neck of his shirt, arching him backward.

Dropping to her knees, dizzy and weak, Rowena hunched beside a crossbench and watched Aedan and John Reid grappling, pressed against the boat’s curved side. Hearing a clunk, she saw something drop out of Reid’s shirt as he moved—one of the pouches. Another pouch fell away as he pushed Aedan, whose plaid came loose. He kicked it away, twisting to keep his hold on John Reid.

Cautiously Rowena crawled toward the purses to try to recover them while no one was looking. All around, men shoved and shouted; a moment later she heard a great splash as someone pitched over the side into the water. Looking up, she was relieved to see Aedan still in the boat, holding Reid partly over the side. Now another man went into the water—a pirate, she saw, heaved over by Tom the captain.

Easing forward, she grabbed the two fallen pouches, feeling the weight of coins. Both were leather—her embroidered bag was not there. Subsiding between two benches, she peered out, wanting to be sure Aedan was safe.

Amid the chaos, oarsmen worked to loosen the grip of the iron hooks pinching the side of the boat, freeing one, then the other. Then Tom Robertson sliced through the lashing ropes. The boat surged free.

Rowena nearly tumbled to the floor with the sudden motion, still dizzy. A few feet from where she crouched, Aedan and Reid struggled, the older man shoving hard, twisting about. Then Aedan grabbed Reid’s shirt as they pitched over the side together.

As they disappeared, Rowena screamed, her voice lost in the commotion. Tom Robertson shouted to his men, only five or six scrambling to the benches.

“Row! Row!”

The crew pulled and the boat launched ahead, and Rowena stood, shouting to Brian, hoping he had seen Aedan in the water with the pirate leader. She ran to the side of the boat just as Brian shouted to Tom to halt the oars.

Any thought of the Rhymer’s guardian stone left her. She thought only of the man lost under the water’s tumultuous surface. Sinking to her knees, she stretched out an arm and cried out his name.

Aedan submerged again as Reid dragged on his shoulders for purchase as both struggled. Water enveloped him, slowing time. Hearing a siren’s voice, he saw light above, and pushed away from Reid, who floundered and came up too. Aedan rose out of the water, gasping, sputtering, to see the long curve of the ship’s side ahead. For an instant, he saw Rowena, her face a pale oval, dark hair streaming as she leaned over the side. He powered toward her as Reid came up, pulling at him. Aedan kicked him away.

“A ship! A ship!” the pirates were shouting from their ship. “John! Come back!”

Confused, Aedan swerved to see another ship approaching through the fog. This was no longship, but a large galley with forecastle and broad square sail, the sort sailed by English. Even so, he was relieved to see it.

Reid noticed it too, turning to swim for his boat. The mere sight of another ship, let alone an English war galley, was more than enough to send them on their way.

Sputtering, Aedan swam toward Lauder’s ship as someone extended an oar toward him. He reached, missed, as a wave rocked through and lifted him, then slapped him down again. Sinking and rising, he reached again for the oar tip and missed.

Someone dove in and swam toward him—Brian, he saw, emerging to grab his arm and pull him toward the ship. Within moments, Tom Robertson reached down to help both men back inside. Collapsing in the belly of the boat, Aedan felt the ship lurch as Brian clambered in too, both of them sinking to the deck, coughing.

“My thanks,” Aedan gasped, sitting up, shoving back wet matted curls.

“I saved a sheep once, why not save you,” Brian said breathlessly. They came to their feet, dripping, laughing. Aedan glanced around to see Rowena standing apart, watching, a hand to her chest, face pale.

Hearing shouts, he looked where Brian pointed to see Reid’s ship sailing eastward and away. Then he searched for the galley that had sent the pirates scurrying off, and saw it approaching through thinning drifts of mist.

“Look,” he told Brian. The broad English sail bore three huge lions, and the mast carried Edward’s red and gold flag. Men onboard the ship wore red surcoats over chainmail. He also noticed bows, arrows, glinting swords, tall pikes.

“English.” Brian groaned. “Whoever sails there, we owe them our escape.” He went to Tom, who was calling out to the oarsmen to row hard and away.

Hearing Rowena’s voice, Aedan looked down to see her beside him. He opened his arm and she came into its circle. He did not care who saw that or what they thought. He just needed her close.

“Aedan,” she said on a little sob, holding up his discarded plaid. Lifting on her toes, she draped it over his wet shoulders. Welcoming its warmth, he leaned his cheek on her head, then saw Brian Lauder’s glance. Smiling, his friend looked away quickly.

“Are you harmed?” Aedan asked her. “Are you ill?”

“Better now that you are safe.” She put an arm around him as if to support him, but he knew her need for an anchor too. “Do not worry about me,” Rowena went on. “Your cheek is cut and bleeding! And that eye may turn black.” She touched his cheek, fingers gentle.

“Eh, he got worse than me,” he said as her hand came away with blood. His cheekbone ached, he realized. “It is naught.”

She traced cool fingers under his eye. “I should tend to it.”

Angled away from the view of others, he took her hand and kissed it. She blinked, a blush seeping into her pale cheeks. Cradling her hand in his, he felt affection pour through him.

“I should see to the others,” she said, pointing toward two men who sat at the side of the boat. Brian crouched beside them.

“You should.” He let go, and she crossed to kneel with them and talk quietly.

If she felt unwell, she did not show it now, though Aedan saw how drawn and pale she was. Perhaps her empty stomach helped; he nearly laughed, recalling what had happened. Then he realized she felt better because the needs of another had eclipsed her own. A deep fondness flowed through him again.

Suddenly he remembered what he had tried to do when struggling with John Reid. He patted his soggy tunic. Her purse—where was it? During the fight, he had grabbed Reid’s shirt for the pouches the man had stuffed there.

Just before they tumbled into the water, he had managed to grab her purse and drop it inside his tunic above the cinch of the belt. But in that fierce dunking, it could have been lost in the sea.

Feeling a lump caught in a tangle of wet cloth against his lower back, he groped and brought it out. Rowena’s soggy embroidered purse, closed tight by wet, knotted cords, threads seeping dye. He breathed out, relieved. Alas, his pouch and Brian’s too were either lost in the water or in Reid’s possession now.

Approaching Rowena, he waited while she fastened a makeshift sling on an oarsman’s arm. Rising to her feet, she gave Aedan a shy smile. He extended his hand, and her expression turned to delight.

“My purse! How did you get it?” She tugged at the knotted wet string.

“Took it off that rascal as we went overboard. Else the fishes would have it.”

“The stone!” She drew it out of the wet sack, crystal gleaming, silver washed bright. “I do not know how to thank you.”

“I told you if all went wrong, I would be there for you.” A smile played at his lips.

She laughed. “You did. Wait here.” She stepped away, bent beside a bench, and returned holding something in her hands. As a wave slapped the boat, she tilted, caught herself. Aedan took her arm as she handed him two leather pouches. “These dropped on the deck while you and that man fought.”

“What luck!” He hefted the pouches in his hand. “This one is mine, and the other is Brian’s. Excellent. Once more, I am in your debt.”

“I just happened to see them fall. But I did not see your other one.” She looked about. “I hope it did not have anything of value.”

“Some coins, a pilgrim’s shell, simple things. This is the important one. Gold coins, and a key I could not lose.”

“You traded that purse to help me. I am the one indebted to you again.”

“Fortunately for you, I am a courteous knight.” He gave her a lopsided smile.

“Thank you.” Resting a hand on his arm for balance, she rose on her toes to kiss his bruised cheek. Yet as he looked down, she came up, and their lips met.

The boat seemed to rock under him, and his fingers tightened on her arm as his lips moved over hers for a moment, the surge in his body stronger than that of the sea.

“Oh!” she said, dropping down.

Astonished too, he was silent, feeling his heart somehow widen. He looked into her beautiful gray eyes and saw starlight and silver in them. “Rowena—”

“Sit down, Aedan MacDuff, and let me look at your eye.” When he sat, she leaned to look, fingers cupping his cheek. “Is there an apothecary in Dunfermline?” she asked.

“Is your stomach unwell?”

“I will be fine once we are on land. I want to find something to soothe your cuts. My purse—the herbs were drenched.”

“At Castle Black, my sister and aunt may have what you need. But I will be fine by then too.” Something went topsy-turvy within, and he realized it might be his heart as he looked in her eyes. “Besides, Lady Rowena has secret healing ways, I think.”

“She does.” She lowered her hand and stepped back, and Aedan rose to his feet. Then she kissed her fingertips and touched them to his cheek. “There. My cure.”

Aedan laughed softly. “That ought to do it.” Wanting to truly kiss her, a delightful lunacy in the aftermath of excitement and her faery-like touch, he heard Brian call out.

“Aedan!” Brian hurried toward them. “The galley!”

He had forgotten about the other ship, thinking only of the girl. Whirling, he saw the English galley closer and very large, wide sail billowing, flag whipping on the mast. Several men stood within. The one by the prow shaded his eyes against the cloudy sky. His blue surcoat was unnaturally bright in the fog.

Aedan groaned. “Malise Comyn.”