Page 41

Connor

As they approached the gates, Connor noticed several people on the parapets watching. The gates were opened, and they entered the courtyard, the wounded first.

Connor spoke to Dyna and Maitland both above them as they passed through. “Two wounded and in need of tending. Alasdair, John, and Lia taken. They had too many for us. We were outnumbered. Double what we had.”

Maitland rubbed Grant’s head as the lad kicked his legs in the strapping where he sat facing out. He whined, “Wia. Wia.”

Maitland said, “I should have guessed. Grant’s been unsettled for the past hour or so. Does that take on any meaning for you?”

Connor dismounted and said, “That’s about when John was taken.

They stole him away, came out of the forest and aimed straight for him.

Lia jumped onto one of the horses to follow.

Alasdair went after him while we fought off the other two score men who appeared all down the path. Alasdair never returned.”

“Bloody hell,” Dyna said, Tora next to her.

“Don’t wowwy, Mama. Lia will save John.”

They all gave Tora their attention. Dyna asked, “And who will save Alasdair, Tora?”

Tora shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Connor asked, “Who will save Aunt Kyla, lassie?”

“Alasdaiw.”

Dyna smiled and hugged her daughter. “Does that make you feel any better, Da? John will be saved. And so will your sister. Just not yet.”

Connor shook his head. “I’ll not feel better until Glenna and Kelvan leave us alone. Tora, can you lead us to where John is? And Aunt Kyla? Are they together?”

Tora leaned against her mother. “I cannot, but he can. Lia will tell him.”

Tora pointed to Grant.

Maitland, wide-eyed, said, “Nay, he’s not going anywhere.”

They both looked to Dyna, who barked, “Bloody hell, nay!” Dyna looked to her father and said, “My bairns are not going anywhere. They’re staying inside these walls until those two bastards are gone. Do not ask me, Da.”

Connor sighed and said, “I will not. We’ll talk to her again, though. That I can promise. You and Avelina need to meet on the parapets shortly.”

“Da,” Dyna said. “You are all battle weary. Come inside. I’ll start the evening meal a wee bit early. The fish pottage is ready and so is the bread. Then you can call a meeting. There’s more wine, and Micheil brought amber brew too.”

The others came through the gates, handling their mounts with care.

Maitland said, “She’s right, Connor. Broc is the only reason Merryn hasn’t fallen off their horse. Broc, his father, and Alaric are all covered in blood. We have the outdoor wash center all set up.”

Broc dismounted and Maitland yelled to him, “Wash down all set behind the stables.” Both Clan Ramsay and Clan Grant had outdoor spots near the stables where men could wash off the blood and muck from battle, something Aunt Brenna had started years ago.

Broc and Alaric headed straight for it, but Finlay came right over to Connor. “When do we go back, Connor?”

Dyna barked, “You’ll go inside, eat, refresh, then meet after the meal, Uncle Finlay. And you’re covered in blood. Go with Broc first.”

Her uncle stared down at his plaid, then closed his eyes, but said nothing before following his son over to the wash-out area.

Connor dismounted, washed off what he could, then headed inside, greeted his wife, and went to their chamber to change his plaid and tunic. He couldn’t imagine how badly Broc and Finlay both felt. They’d left hopeful and come back as failures, basically. That didn’t happen often to Clan Grant.

Sela followed him to their chamber, hugging him from behind. “This is a new experience for you. We’ll get your sister back, Connor. I think it’s going to take a huge battle on the mainland. Alick will come through with the warriors you need.”

He wrapped his arms around his wife and inhaled her sweet scent. “My thanks to you, my ice queen. I needed your calm sense of reasoning. We’ll be back on the morrow. Our men should arrive on Ardnamurchan then. It may take two hundred to comb the area to find the bastard’s location.”

Sela stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I have faith in the Grants. Always, Connor. Anyone who can find someone as evil as Hord and his spiders can handle Glenna of Buchan.”

She helped him to dress, then led him out into the hall, the atmosphere a little more tense, but voices discussed and conjectured. Connor often thought it was what his clan did best.

Discuss, strategize, plan.

He took a seat next to Logan while Sela headed to the sideboard. Sloan joined them, bringing Connor a taste of his fine brew. “You know my sire thinks it is the best.”

“My thanks to you, Sloan. It is a fine brew. I’ll have to ask him for his secrets someday. What did you learn?”

“Mingary is deserted,” Sloan replied. “No one there at all. The drawbridge is up. They’ve found a different spot.”

Simone and Artan joined them. Artan said, “Glenna will be back. She will never sleep in some hovel. I would wager she’ll be back at nightfall.

She won’t sleep in a small cottage or a hut in the forest.” He glanced over at Simone who gave him a subtle nod.

If Connor was to wager, he would bet they would be headed to Mingary after dark.

Magni came flying out of the kitchens and landed on Logan’s lap with an oof from the injured man. “Are you going back to get Lia? Please, Grandsire?”

Logan cleared his throat. “Of course, we’re going back for Lia. But we will also get Kyla, John, and Alasdair too.”

“I know that. I just didn’t want you to forget my sister.”

“We won’t forget to retrieve Lia. Tell me what else you recall about where you were held.”

Magni scowled, then said, “She’s mean, but she’s sickly.”

“And where did you live before, Magni?” Simone asked.

“We lived on an island.”

“With your parents?”

“Aye.”

“Which island did you live on?” Connor asked, changing the subject.

“I forget.” He shrugged and hopped off his grandfather’s lap. “When are you going?”

“Probably on the morrow.”

“And you’ll stay here, Grandsire? With me?”

“I thought you wished for me to go after Lia?”

“I do, but I need you to protect me.”

“Dyna and Maitland will protect you. I may have to go find Lia. You know I’m one of the best trackers. Lia may need me.”

“But you won’t fight?”

“I won’t be swinging any swords. Riding will be tough enough for me.”

Magni hung his head but then picked it back up. “Promise to come back?”

“I promise,” Logan said. “Are you sure you don’t wish to go with me?”

Magni’s face again lit up. “I’ll wait for you, Grandda. Bring Lia home, please.” And then he was gone.

Connor shook his head. “I wish I was as busy as that lad.”

“He’ll probably change his mind again,” Logan said. “Your men be there on the morrow?”

“High sun at the latest,” Connor said.

“What time are we leaving?”

Connor said, “First light or at the return of these two.” He nodded toward Simone and Artan. “I want the information they get from Glenna, and I’d like them to come along.”

Logan grinned. “How did you know?”

Connor scoffed. “She’s your daughter, Ramsay.

” He got up and wandered across the hall toward the bairns.

He then took a chair in front of the hearth, watching his grandbairns play.

Nothing calmed him as much as that sight.

They were all too young to be thinking of anything but what made them the happiest. He sat back and took a long draw of the fine Rankin brew, rolling the amber liquid over his tongue before swallowing it and sighing when it finally hit home.

He wasn’t there long before wee Tora came over to set her hands on his knees, exactly the way she did when she needed his full attention.

“Grandda, dinnae wowwy. Alasdaiw will save Aunt Kyla. Alasdaiw and him.” She pointed to a person seated at the table, whispering into Merryn’s ear.

Connor glanced over his shoulder to make sure he knew who she pointed at.

Then Tora climbed onto his lap and cupped his face to turn him back, so he faced her directly, something she did whenever she was about to impart important information. How he adored her sweet face.

“Bwoc save his mama. Bwoc and Alasdaiw. Gwanda Alex said so.”

Then she hopped down and returned to Sandor’s side.

Connor could only pray she was right. His sister’s life was at stake.