Consciousness returned, and with it came the awareness of a sticky wetness seeping onto his face. He felt the stabbing pain and put his hand up, feeling the blood oozing from a wound on his head.
Stephen opened his eyes, feeling the burning throb of the cut on his arm as Angus kneeled over him, tying his arm with a bandage. The fuzziness in his mind cleared, and with it came the blinding reminder that Juliette had been taken.
He tried to rise, but Angus and Dougal held him down. “Easy lad. Let me finish binding this,” Angus said.
“Juliette?”
“They took the lass. Did you get a look at them?”
“MacAlpins.”
“Aye. I thought as much,” Angus replied, tying a knot in the bandage he put around Stephen’s head. “There you go, lad. ’Tis the best I can do until we get you home.”
“Help me up,” Stephen said, closing his eyes and gritting back the pain.
“You dinna plan to go after your lass now, do you?” Angus asked.
“Aye, as soon as I can stand.” With Angus’s help, he rose, wobbling, to his feet. “Was anyone else hurt?” he asked, looking around at his men.
“No,” Dougal said. “They were gone by the time we got there. We came as soon as we heard your lass scream.”
“We canna go after her now. We will need more men,” Angus warned.
“I ken they have taken the lass for ransom,” Dougal said. “They willna harm her.”
“Aye,” Angus said. “She will be well cared for.”
“I am no worried about that as much as I am worried they will try to marry her off to one of their own,” Stephen said.
“Considering the way she feels about you, she wouldna allow that to happen. Dinna fret, lad. Your lassie is smarter than you credit. She will find a way to hold them off. Mayhap we could trade Edith for her.”
Stephen saw Angus’s smile and knew he was trying to lighten the situation. He grimaced, fighting back dizziness, refusing to acknowledge the truth of Angus’s words.
“I suppose the best thing would be to return to Craigmoor…at least for now,” Dougal said. “It’s only a half day’s journey from here.”
“Aye, I ken that would be wise, considering Stephen is bleeding like a lanced boar and can barely stand. I ken it will be a while before he will think with a clear head. A week of rest will serve him better than rash actions.” To Stephen he said, “Dougal is right, lad. The MacAlpins willna harm the lass. She is worth more than a year’s reiving.”
“I willna wait,” he said. “I will go after her now. I only need time to gather the men. I am fine,” Stephen said and fainted dead away.
Stephen spent the next week at Craigmoor Castle, recovering from his wounds.
Hearing of their laird’s condition, the men were worried, their faces grave. The MacAlpins had taken their chief’s lass. They would not rest until they had the lass back. Knowing the Black Scot would have need of them when he was better, his men readied themselves, honing their skills with the same steadfast devotion they gave to caring for their weapons.
As the week passed, Stephen tried more than once to go after Juliette. The first time, he was too weak and passed out. The second time, he pulled the stitches from his arm. The third time, he punched Dougal in the jaw. The fourth time he found himself tied to the bed. His bellowing rage assured the Gordon clansmen that their leader was on the mend. Their spirits lightened.
Their chief would soon be strong enough to go after his lass.
On a mist-shrouded morning Stephen and his men set out for MacAlpin land. They had spent the previous evening in the chapel, listening to the minister’s prayers for the safety of their hides and the success of their mission. If all went well, they would retrieve their lass and be back at Craigmoor within a few days, ready to celebrate a wedding.
They had ridden less than half a league in a heavy mist that turned to rain, when a rider suddenly emerged from the thick mist before them, surprising Stephen, who reined in his horse with such sharpness the black beast reared, pawing the air.
“Who goes there?” Stephen shouted.
“A MacAlpin,” the man called back.
Stephen drew his claymore with a woosh, hearing a similar sound as his men did the same. “You are a little beyond the boundaries of MacAlpin land. Are you lost, or a fool?” Stephen answered.
“Neither,” the man answered. “We are on our way to Craigmoor Castle. We have business with the Black Scot.”
“And what business would that be?”
“We wish to return something that belongs to him,” the man replied, coming closer.
A long column of riders emerged from the mist behind the rider. Stephen recognized Robert MacAlpin in the front. Juliette rode beside him.
The MacAlpin drew rein when he saw Stephen. “We have something to return to you, Stephen.”
Stephen looked at Robert, then rested his gaze upon Juliette, satisfied that she looked well. “So I hear.”
“May we come forward?”
“You may send the lass forward,” Stephen said. “Return her and you may go in peace, with no bloodshed.”
“I would have a word with you before I hand the lass over to you,” Robert said.
“And you think I should trust you?”
“Do you have any choice? You want the lass, I ken.”
“Aye,” Stephen said, then he nodded and rode forward, meeting Robert MacAlpin at the midpoint of the clearing between them.
“Are the MacAlpins now taking women into battle to act as their shield?” Stephen asked.
Robert smiled. “I canna blame you for thinking that, lad,” he said, “for if I told you the truth, you wouldna believe it.”
Stephen remained silent.
“After we took the lass from you at the abbey, we were attacked by the MacBeans. Seems they thought they had a claim upon the lass as well.”
“Go on.”
“My only son and heir, Calum, was wounded. The blow would have been a mortal one, if your lass hadna ridden her horse into the MacBean deflecting his blow. While we continued to fight, she stanched the bleeding and bound Calum’s wound with her petticoat. If it hadna been for the lass, he no would have lived.”
“And you rode all the way over here to tell me that?”
“Aye, and to bring the lass back to you.”
“You are returning her, simply because she saved Calum’s life?”
Robert looked a bit uncomfortable. “Weel, that and the fact that…God’s bones, lad, I dinna ken the lass was so much trouble. She has a tongue on her, she does. In truth, I never knew anyone who could talk so.”
Stephen was finding it hard not to laugh. So, the MacAlpins found her to be a troublesome lass. At least he spoke the truth. But a MacAlpin was a MacAlpin and could not be trusted. Stephen forced a stern countenance. “So, you are bringing the lass back?”
“Aye, with my blessings.”
“And how much do you ask for your kind gesture?”
“You wound me, lad. I ask nothing in return. In truth, I only wanted to show my gratitude, so I granted the lass anything she wished, thinking she would wish to be re turned to her family in England. To my surprise, she asked to be taken to you at Craigmoor.”
His words pleased Stephen, but still he did not trust him. “What is your real motive, Robert?”
“As God is my witness, I came only to give the lass safe conduct to your keep.” With that, Robert turned in his saddle and waved Juliette forward. A moment later, she galloped up to them.
She smiled when she reached Stephen’s side. “I did not think I would have the good fortune to see you so soon. How have you been, m’lord? Are you recovered?” she said, her gaze traveling over him, as if each part of him were dear to her.
He smiled back. “Well enough,” he said, returning her inspection. “And you, lass? Did they harm you in any way?”
“I am fit, as you can see, m’lord. They extended every kindness to me.”
“Except the kindness of leaving you in our care to begin with.”
“Well, they regret that bit of doing and are anxious to make amends. Have they not shown it by this gesture?”
“I will answer that if we make it as far as Craigmoor without being attacked from the rear.”
Robert laughed. “You are a distrustful lad, but I ken the way of it. Take your lass. She has already formed an attachment for you. God knows, I heard of it often enough.”
MacAlpin laughed and whirled his horse around. A moment later, he joined his men at the edge of the clearing. The sun broke through the mist, striking his red hair and turning it the color of fire. As he rode past, the MacAlpin warriors turned and followed him into the trees.
Stephen looked at Juliette, thinking he had never seen anyone who more resembled a drowned rat, or anyone more dear to him.
She put a hand to her wet head. “I fear I am a mess, m’lord. It is not how I would have desired you to see me for the first time in many long days.”
He kept his mouth tight, but knew the pleasure he felt at the sight of her showed in his eyes. “Are you trying to tell me that you missed me?”
“Yes, m’lord. That is exactly what I am saying. Did you not miss me as well?”
“Aye,” he said. “I found I didna enjoy stripping for my bath half as much as when there is a certain lass about to spy on me.”
“Then I shall endeavor to spy on you often.”
“I shall give you the opportunity soon.”
“It cannot be too soon to suit me,” she said, seeming to take delight in Stephen’s laugh.
“Am I to believe Robert then? Is it true you fair talked the MacAlpins to death?”
“I fear that is the truth, m’lord, but it was not without a purpose. The MacAlpin is not much of a talker, you see. He rarely says a word until after the evening meal.”
“Aye, Angus says he is like a bagpipe. He never talks ’til his belly is full.”
She laughed and he found himself drinking in the beloved sight of her. “I have missed you, Juliette.”
She smiled. “But you said I was a troublesome lass,” she replied.
A smile played about his mouth. “Aye, that is the part I missed most.”
“I think we shall get along, m’lord.”
“I know we shall,” he said. Then, holding out his hand toward her, he added, “Come, lass. Let us go home.”
“Home,” she said, placing her hand in his. “I like the sound of that.” With a teasing smile, she asked, “Which way is home, m’lord?”
Stephen barely had time to nod in the direction of his men when Juliette said, “I’ll race you.” Kicking her horse into a gallop, she rode toward the group of astonished Gordons.
For a moment, he watched her ride, then he turned his horse around and dug in his spurs until the black beast leaped forward. “You are still a troublesome lass,” he called out to her.
“Aye, and you like it,” she shouted back.
“Aye,” Stephen whispered. “I do at that.”