Page 13 of The Scottish Bride

The night air was chilly, the moonlight clouded over. In the yard, servants and sentries moved about, yet Liam saw no sign of the guard assigned to the women.

If he intended to spirit them away from here, he needed to act quickly. He looked about, seeing sentries on the battlements, soldiers milling in the yard, and the brewer loading empty kegs into his cart. None looked toward the small group by the steps.

The old lady fretted about the chill air and uneven steps as she came down. Liam turned and offered his arm. “Madam, if I may.” He helped her down, and Lady Kirsten took the woman’s arm. Turning to Lady Tamsin next, he offered his elbow.

“Hands off,” the older lady barked. Liam tipped his head in apology.

“Master Harper.” Lady Tamsin looked at him. “Are we safe out here?”

“Do not fret. I will watch after you.”

“Sir.” She set a hand on his arm. “I think you are here for another purpose. Whatever that may be, if you could help us leave this place, we would be in your debt.”

“Do you want to leave now?” he whispered, bending closer to be heard.

“Very much.” She looked at him, eyes so gray and limpid, they rivaled the moonlight. He saw earnest need there. “Please.”

“What of your escort?”

“They should be here soon. I would prefer to wait outside the castle for them.”

“Aye then.” He touched her elbow lightly to move her ahead. The other women followed, the older one questioning, the younger, hushing.

The drawbridge was still open. That was luck indeed, for Lochmaben was surrounded by a moat, the open gate and drawbridge the only way out. Then he realized that the guards were waiting to let the brewer out before they shut the castle for the night.

That might be their chance.

“This way,” he said, strolling casually toward the brewer. The women followed.

“Wat of Selkirk. Is that truly your name?” Lady Tamsin walked briskly beside him. He looked down and saw her regarding him curiously. “Why do you help us? What do you want?”

Again, he recognized that blunt manner, that quick perception. He found it intriguing, even charming. “I came here to look for someone and found you. But you can trust me, I swear.”

“Where are we going?” the old woman demanded.

“Hush, my lady, please,” the dark-haired girl said.

“He is helping us, dear,” Lady Tamsin murmured.

“We do not need his help. He might be a spy.”

“Not a spy, but a friend,” Lady Tamsin said calmly.

“Hey! Harper—stop!” A guard hurried toward them, with another following.

Liam put out an arm to move Lady Tamsin firmly behind him with the others. He faced the guards. “The ladies wanted some air. The hall is crowded and smoky. I offered to escort them.”

“Escort them back to the hall and be gone yourself,” said the guard. Liam recognized him from the entrance gate earlier. “You were told to leave after supper. The ladies must return to the keep.”

“Sir, we just came out to look at the moon,” said Lady Kirsten.

“Which you have seen. Go back to the hall,” the second guard ordered. “The harper must go out the gate.”

“Let me see them to the keep.” Without waiting, Liam ushered the women along. Then he glanced back to see that Lady Tamsin had stopped. She held a hand to her throat. “My lady, what is wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, her voice strained. Then, as if rousing from a dream, she gave her head a slight shake and hurried past him.

Men in a scuffle, blades shining in the moonlight. A man collapsing, his cloaked figure a dark sprawl on the ground. Harper-knight, the harper-knight—