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T hirty-one

C HASE CONCENTRATED ON the trail ahead, ducking the occasional low-hanging branch. He did his best to ignore the warning tingle running up the back of his neck, and kept a sharp eye out. Something didn’t feel right.

His thoughts continued to wander back to the castle they had departed early this morning, to the woman whose safety was his biggest concern.

Halldor had assured him the tower had been completely empty when he’d slipped over to check on the success of their plan.

That surely meant Christiana had gone with the Tinklers when they spirited Bridget off the castle grounds.

And he knew for himself that the Tinklers’ wagons were gone when they’d headed out the gates of Tordenet.

It was good. It was all good.

Now if he could just convince himself of that.

Ahead of him, Ulfr held up a hand as he reined his mount to a walk.

“We’ll rest the horses here for a few minutes and let them have their fill from the stream.”

It was as they’d done all day. Push the animals, slow them to walk, push the animals, give them a short rest. He climbed off his mount, suspecting the repetitive schedule was as much for the endurance of the riders as it was for the horses.

He shouldered between two of those riders to lead his horse to the fast-moving waters, wondering once more at their number.

“There are twelve of us. Seriously, does it take twelve heavily armed men for a two days’ ride to deliver an invitation?”

“Are you daft, man?” the soldier nearest him asked. “You ken it’s no the invitation, but the refusal of it that requires our number.”

“And our arms,” the one on the other side of him added.

A few feet behind him, Ulfr spoke up.

“Had you been present for the briefing rather than trying to raid the kitchens to satisfy yer empty belly, you’d have heard our orders along with the others. We’re to return with the Sinclair heir, whether or no he wants to accompany us.”

So now he was to become a kidnapper. Great.

He glanced toward Hall, recognizing his own feelings reflected in his friend’s solemn expression.

“Have the Sinclairs done something to us to warrant this?” Perhaps he was jumping to conclusions. After all, once he lost trust in Torquil, following the laird’s orders had become much harder.

Ulfr shrugged, pushing by him to lead his mount to the water. “Our lord simply wishes to ensure the support of the Sinclair laird come spring, when we march against Castle MacGahan.”

Kidnapping and conscription. Thank God he’d managed to get Christiana away from this. All he needed now was to find the perfect opportunity to make his own exit.

“Seems kind of harsh to me,” he said as he backed his mount away from the stream.

“No half as harsh as he is to the maids he takes to his bed,” the man beside him muttered.

“What?” Could it be that the woman he’d seen this morning wasn’t an isolated case?

“It’s no his fault they can none of them satisfy him, Fergus.” Artur led his own mount forward. “No matter how much they may look like her, none of them will actually be her, so he’ll no ever be pleased no matter how good they are between the sheets.”

“Look like who?” Chase asked, his stomach knotting with suspicion. He knew all too well who this morning’s victim had looked like.

Several of the men around him chuckled as if he asked what was plainly known to all.

“Yer still new to Tordenet,” Artur observed, moving to stand beside him.

“It’s well known among those of us who’ve lived our lives under the MacDowylt that our lord has always had an unnatural desire for his sister.

I’ve heard tales that say the auld laird himself had seen it, and it was that as much as anything what caused the bad blood between father and son. ”

“That’s enough of yer blether,” Ulfr cautioned as he climbed back into his saddle. “Yer little better than the old crones in the kitchens, the way you run yer mouth. Mount up, all of you. We’ve a long way to travel before we lose the sun’s light.”

“It would appear you made the right decision,” Hall murmured from beside him.

Absolutely. Getting Christiana away from that monster was the smartest thing he’d ever done.

Ulfr moved ahead, putting distance between them by the time Chase climbed into his saddle.

“Say what you will.” Fergus drew even, speaking over his shoulder to Artur. “I figure one day our laird will stop asking for those maids and he’ll satisfy himself with that which he really desires.”

“In truth,” Artur replied. “Wouldna surprise me to find he did that exact thing after we found her sleeping in the old chambers this morning. He sent Ulfr and me away quick enough once he saw it was her, he did, and shut himself inside the room with her.”

They found Christiana in the keep? Chase jerked on his reins, pulling his horse to a stop, his stomach knotting in fear. She hadn’t escaped with the Tinklers. She’d never left the keep.

“Keep moving,” Hall hissed close at his side.

“Didn’t you hear what—” Chase could hardly force the words from his mouth. Torquil had found her because he had left her there alone. It was his fault. He should have insisted that she leave when he did. He should have followed her and made sure she got out of the keep.

“I heard well enough.” Hall cut into his recriminations, jerking the reins from his hands.

“We’ve less than an hour before sunset. When we’ve the cover of dark, we’ll make our move.

If we ride through the night, we’ll be back at Tordenet before the sun fully warms the day. Patience, little brother.”

Hall was right. Another hour wouldn’t change what had already happened and risking a fight, outnumbered as they were, would be foolish.

He needed to get back to Tordenet in one piece.

One pissed-off, ass-kicking piece.