Dusk settled over the land, lengthening the shadows and carrying the chill of night on the air.
Slumped in the saddle, Lindsey lifted her hood and drew her cloak tightly around her to ward off the cold.
Jamie’s voice came from directly behind her, startling her. “We will stop for the night and make camp by the river.”
“Nay. I would return to my father’s camp. He will need to see me if he is to be reassured that I am unharmed.”
Jamie’s tone left no room for discussion. “A darkened wood leaves many places for a villain to hide, my lady. We will stop in that clearing ahead, where I can keep watch until light.”
When they reached the place, Lindsey slid from the saddle and led her horse to the bank of the river. Kneeling, she scooped the water into her hands and drank gratefully.
By the time she had tethered her horse, Jamie had gathered enough logs for a fire. Soon the air was filled with mouth-watering aromas as meat sizzled and snapped over the fire.
“I see that a soldier in service to the queen learns to do many things for himself.”
“Aye. If he desires a full stomach and a dry bed.”
“Then I think perhaps my brothers should consider soldiering, for they have learned to do little for themselves. They expect the servants to see to their needs.”
“Your brothers were most apt pupils, my lady, when they knew your life was at stake.”
“I am glad. Though I regret that I put them through such fear.” Lindsey’s smile faded. She grew silent.
Jamie and Lindsey reclined on opposite sides of the fire, eating their fill.
From the corner of her eye Lindsey saw a slight movement in the woods. Her hand went to her dirk at her waist. But her look of alarm became a smile of surprise when she spotted the hound watching her. Tearing off a strip of meat, she tossed it some distance away, then turned her attention to her own meal. Within a few minutes she became aware that the animal was stalking closer. When Wolf snatched up the meat, she threw a second piece. Again the hound crept close and took the meat.
Lindsey found herself admiring the great, shaggy beast. His coat, though tangled, was sleek and glossy. His wary eyes gleamed with a look of danger. There was a nobility in this wild creature that oddly touched her, reminding her of the man who sat across from her.
She tossed a third scrap, closer this time, and was saddened when the hound darted away, melting into the shadows of the forest. All further attempts to draw him out of hiding were fruitless.
Jamie watched in silence. When at last he spoke there was a trace of a smile in his tone. “I warn you. Wolf has no need of humans.”
“But he took the meat I offered him.”
“Aye. So long as it was free. But when you set the price too high, he refused.”
“What price?”
“The price of his freedom. Do not think to pet him and tame him, my lady, in exchange for a little food. He can catch all the game he needs in these forests. Like all the Highland creatures, he prefers to remain wild and free.”
Aye, wild and free. Again she was reminded of the Heartless MacDonald. “But do not even the wild creatures crave affection and companionship?”
Jamie glanced at her over the rim of his tankard. “Perhaps. But not all creatures find what they crave.”
Lindsey was silent for long moments before asking, “How can he be wild if he follows you across this land?”
Jamie’s tone was pensive. “I was kind to him. He does not forget that. But he knows he can retain his freedom. I ask nothing of him.”
“Nor will I,” she said solemnly.
Jamie noted with a smile that she nevertheless scattered the remains of her dinner in the grass before rolling herself into her cloak.
Within minutes she was asleep.
Jamie drew his cloak around him and leaned his back against the trunk of a tree. The night would be long, for he intended to allow himself little sleep. But waking or sleeping, he knew his thoughts would be of the woman who shared his camp.
* * *
As was his custom, Jamie woke quickly before the dawn light had even streaked the eastern sky. He lay very still, allowing his gaze to scan the camp. The first thing to arrest his attention was the lass, asleep on the far side of the fire. Though her sleep had been disturbed several times during the night by the demons that plagued her, she was now sleeping peacefully. That fact brought him a measure of comfort.
He was surprised to see the hound lying nearby. And even more surprised to note that the animal was not asleep. Though Wolf’s head rested on his paws, his ears were attuned to the sounds of the forest; his eyes stared warily into the distance.
Jamie gave a low chuckle. Wolf, having sensed that Jamie was asleep, had assumed the role of Lindsey’s protector. Now the animal, sensing something amiss, turned its head and stared fully at Jamie. Then, without a backward glance, Wolf sauntered across the clearing and slipped into the forest. As if, Jamie thought with a smile, the creature had decided that Lindsey was now safely delivered into another’s keeping.
The slight rustling awoke Lindsey. She sat up, for the moment disoriented, and Jamie saw the trace of fear in her eyes until she caught sight of him.
“Are you rested, my lady?”
“Aye.”
Lindsey discreetly gathered the remnants of her torn bodice together. She turned her gaze toward the inviting waters of the river.
He stood abruptly. “The horses need time to forage before we begin the journey to your father’s camp. I will leave you alone, my lady.”
To give her some privacy, he led the horses some distance away. But though he busied himself with mundane chores, his gaze strayed often to the river, bathed with the golden glow of morning sun.
Alone, Lindsey removed her clothes and examined her torn and muddied gown. With great care she washed her garments until the stains had been removed, then spread them on low branches to dry.
She took several tentative steps into the river. The cool water felt wonderful against her flesh. She rubbed vigorously at the blood that caked her skin, eager to remove all traces of her ordeal. As she moved deeper into the river, the water lapped at her breasts. With a little sigh she plunged beneath the waves and came up sputtering and laughing. How wonderful it felt to be cool and clean and free of all restraint. With strong strokes she swam the width of the river and back.
A trill of feminine laughter echoed on the breeze. Distracted, Jamie turned toward the river. The sight that greeted him nearly took his breath away. Lindsey moved slowly through the shallows toward shore. A halo of golden light seemed to surround her. She was a shimmering, ethereal figure. Her hair, gleaming red and gold in the morning light, fanned out around her like a glistening veil. Her skin was as pale as the ghostly mists that danced across the lochs in the Highlands.
He knew he should turn away, for she trusted him to grant her the privacy she desired. But he could not. With a tightness in his throat he studied her as she stepped lightly from the water. He drank in the sight of high, firm breasts, tiny waist, softly rounded hips. She was perfection. And the sight of her left him shaken.
He watched as she slipped on her delicate chemise. As she tied the ribbons that held it, he found that his hands were curled into fists at his sides. The thought of untying those ribbons, of removing the lacy bit of fabric from her, had his pulse racing.
She slipped white, frothy petticoats over her head and smoothed them down over her hips, and again he was swept by a stab of desire so raw, so swift, it left him trembling. If he were less a man, he would give in to the need to go to her. But his nobler virtue would not permit it. She was Douglas Gordon’s virginal daughter. He would return her as he had found her.
She lifted her gown from its place in the sun and suddenly knelt in the grass, examining it closely. With his hands firmly clenched by his sides, Jamie forced himself to turn away. He would go below stream and take a plunge in the cool river. Hopefully the cooling water would have the desired effect.
* * *
Lindsey examined her gown. Though much of the blood had been washed away, there was no way to mend the torn and tattered bodice. She knew that the sight of it would cause her father much grief. But there was nothing to be done about it. She had neither needle nor thread. She would simply have to hide inside her cloak until she could exchange this gown for one in her trunks.
Pulling the gown over her head, she smoothed it down and gathered the torn bodice into a semblance of modesty. Over this she pulled on her cloak.
There was nothing to be done with the tangles in her hair. Running her fingers through the damp strands, she tossed her head, sending her hair cascading in waves down her back.
When Lindsey returned to the fire, Jamie had prepared a hot meal. He looked up and noted that the color was back in her cheeks. Her limp was much less pronounced, and her cloak was draped modestly around her.
All her precautions, he realized, were for naught. He would never be able to forget the sight of her as she emerged from the river. The body she kept so cleverly concealed from his sight was already clearly imprinted on his mind. An image that would torment him forever more.
Lindsey noted the beads of moisture that glinted in Jamie’s hair. As he handed her a tankard, she inhaled the clean, fresh scent of river water.
For the first few moments they broke their fast in awkward silence. It was Jamie who finally spoke.
“Your father will be much concerned.”
“Aye.” Lindsey kept her gaze averted, trying not to stare at the wide expanse of Jamie’s shoulders.
“If we do not return soon, he will no doubt send riders to fetch us.”
“Aye.” She glanced up, then, seeing his gaze fully upon her, lowered her gaze to the ground.
Jamie wished he had the eloquence of the orators at court. Perhaps then he could break through this wall that seemed to separate them whenever they tried to make simple conversation.
“Your father is very protective of you, my lady.”
He looked up to see color flood her cheeks. By the gods, he said the wrong thing. He wished he could cut out his tongue.
“I did not mean—” He stopped abruptly then tried again. “If I had someone as lovely as you depending upon me, I would be every bit as protective.”
Lindsey blushed to her toes.
Jamie tossed the contents of his tankard into the flames, feeling his frustration grow. It was impossible to talk to this female. He turned away, but her words stopped him.
“Have you no one depending upon you, Jamie MacDonald?”
He turned back. Her eyes met his for the first time. He knelt and tossed a branch on the fire. “There are many who depend upon me. But none I can all family.”
For some strange reason that eased her mind. Not that she cared whether or not he had a wife and bairns. But the thought pleased her. Jamie MacDonald was a man alone.
“But what about Brice Campbell, the Highland Barbarian? Is he not your family?”
“My foster father. He took me in as a boy when my entire clan was destroyed in battle.”
“You have no parents? No brothers or sisters?”
He shook his head.
Lindsey tried to imagine what it would be like to have no one. No adoring father. No brothers to tease, to laugh with, to weep over. She felt a stab of pain around her heart. For the first time, instead of seeing him merely as the Heartless MacDonald, she began to see Jamie MacDonald as something far different.
“And Brice Campbell? Has he a family of his own?”
“Aye. A lovely wife, Meredith. And wee bairns.” Jamie’s eyes lit, and Lindsey was amazed at how he was transformed. His voice softened. “She will give him many fine sons and daughters.”
“Men.” She laughed, and the sound of her laughter warmed him. “You sound just like Donald. He thinks every female in our village would like to give him children.”
“I do not know about men like your brother. Perhaps,” Jamie said carefully, “he will find a woman who will make him forget all the others.”
“Now you sound like Father.”
Jamie shrugged. “I know only that Brice and Meredith were a most unlikely match.”
“A pity. I hope they managed to find a little happiness.”
“You misunderstand, my lady. Although they seemed an unlikely match, the love they share is there in their eyes for all to see.”
Jamie tossed the rest of the branch on the fire and went to fetch the horses. Alone, Lindsey pondered what he had just said. Love. What a strange, unpredictable emotion. Though her father and mother were from far different clans, one warlike, the other peaceful, theirs had been a great love.
She shook her head. She would never understand such things. And she doubted she would ever have to deal with such confusing feelings.
She watched as Jamie returned, leading their horses. He held her mount as she pulled herself into the saddle.
“We should reach your father’s camp before the sun is directly overhead,” Jamie said, leading the way.
As they moved out, a gray, shadowy figure slipped through the forest, keeping them always in sight.
* * *
Jamie’s thoughts grew dark as they neared the camp. This band of highwaymen was cunning. They had probably been cheating and robbing travelers along this route for many years. For every villain he had captured, there would be five more hiding in the forest. If he were to capture all of them, he would first have to catch their leader. One name sprang to mind. Ian MacPherson. Though Jamie had not spoken of it to Lindsey, he was certain that MacPherson was the leader of the band of cutthroats. He prayed that the Highlanders in camp had been quick enough to prevent the escape of that scheming villain when he had come to demand a ransom.
Jamie’s hands tightened on the reins. He wanted only a few minutes alone with MacPherson. And the one called Argus. Never again would they inflict their pain on a helpless woman. And never again would they spread fear and loathing among the people of this region.
Seeing Jamie’s dark mood, Lindsey rode beside him in silence. There was so much about this man she did not know. He seemed reluctant to reveal even the smallest details. His life as an orphan, or years spent with Brice Campbell. Both Brice and Jamie were legends in this country. And both men, she thought with quickening pulse, were close friends of the queen.
Her musings were interrupted by the sharp tang of wood smoke.
Jamie touched a hand to her shoulder to warn her of approaching danger. As they entered the forest, they could make out the shapes of men in the distance.
At the sound of a familiar voice, Lindsey slid from her horse and broke into a run. The men in the camp paused in their work to look up. One figure separated himself from the others.
“Lindsey. Praise heaven.”
At her father’s words, Lindsey flew into his arms. She was swept up in a fervent embrace as a great sigh of relief issued from deep within him.
Her four brothers converged on her from different points around the camp, wrapping their arms around both their father and sister. It was a most joyful reunion as they laughed and kissed and hugged. Everyone was talking at once, with no one making any sense.
When at last they had all embraced, Douglas held her a little away, studying her through narrowed eyes. “Are you truly unharmed, daughter?”
“Aye, Father.”
From his vantage point, Jamie watched the way the lass held her cloak firmly around her, shielding her bruised flesh from her father’s view.
“We were greatly relieved when Neal found us in the forest to tell us that you were safe,” Murray said. He turned to Jamie with a solemn look. “When I first heard that my brothers left Lindsey alone with you, I was not happy, for my sister is a sheltered maiden.”
“Murray,” his father said, touching a hand to his son’s arm.
“I understand your fears,” Jamie said quickly. “You have every right to feel as you do about your sister. But I assure you that she has been returned to you as I found her.”
“And I,” Douglas said with fervor, “am grateful to you, Jamie MacDonald, for leading my sons to the villains’ camp. I would entrust my daughter to your care at any time.”
Jamie accepted the man’s outstretched hand and grasped it firmly. “I know how you suffered at the loss of your daughter, Douglas. I am grateful that we arrived in time to save her.” He glanced around. “Where are the prisoners?”
“They escaped.”
Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “All of them? How could this happen?”
We woke this morrow to find them gone. The guards we had posted were all dead, their throats slit.”
Jamie’s countenance grew dark with fury. “How many men have we lost?”
“Six,” Douglas said.
“Six men.” Jamie grew silent for a moment, then said sternly, “And their leader? Were you able to capture him when he came demanding the ransom for Lindsey’s safe return?”
“He never showed himself,” Douglas Gordon replied.
“He never came. But how could this be?”
The old man shrugged. “Something must have happened to change his plans.”
“Aye. But we will continue to watch for him,” said a voice behind Jamie.
For a moment Jamie stood frozen to the spot. He refused to turn. He knew that voice. Knew the face he would see.
Fury churned within him, making his blood boil. How could this man stand among them, feigning innocence?
Carefully schooling his features, Jamie turned slowly and found himself face-to-face with Ian MacPherson.