4

Ewan stared at the woman before him, and

it was all he could do not to shake her senseless. The little chit had audacity, he’d hand

her that. He didn’t know what hold she had

on his son, but he’d soon get to the bottom of

it.

Even Alaric seemed under her spell, and

while he could understand it, because Lord,

the lass was bonnie, it annoyed him that his

brother sought to defend her against him.

She turned her chin up farther in defiance

and the light caught her eyes. Blue. Not just

blue but a brilliant hue that reminded him of

the sky in spring just before summer took

hold.

Her hair was bedraggled but the curls

hung all the way down to her waist, a waist

he could span with his hands. Aye, his hands

would fit nicely in the curve between her

hips and her breasts, and if he slid his hands

up just a bit, he’d cup the generous swell of

her bosom.

She was beautiful. And she was trouble.

She was also in pain. She hadn’t faked

that.

Her eyes dimmed and he got a better view

of the shadows that surrounded them. She

was trying valiantly to hide her discomfort,

but it radiated from her in almost discernible

waves.

Her questioning would have to wait.

He raised his hand and motioned toward

one of the women gathered on the perimeter.

“See to her needs,” he ordered. “Have a

bath drawn. See that Gertie prepares her a

plate of food. And for God’s sake, give her

something other than Cameron’s colors to

wear.”

Two of the McCabe women hurried forward and each took an arm of the woman

still standing by Alaric.

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“Careful now,” Alaric cautioned. “Her injuries are still paining her.”

The women removed their hands and instead gestured toward her to precede them

into the keep. She looked nervously around,

and it was clear she had no desire to go in.

She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth

until Ewan was sure she’d draw blood if she

didn’t cease.

Ewan sighed. “I’m not ordering your

death, lass. You asked for a bath and food.

Are you questioning my hospitality now?”

She frowned, and her eyes narrowed as

she gazed sharply at him. “I asked for a horse

and food. I’ve no need of your hospitality. I’d

prefer to be on my way as soon as possible.”

“I’ve no horses to spare, and furthermore,

you aren’t going anywhere until I’ve sorted

this entire matter out. If you have no wish

for a bath, I’m sure the women would be

happy to show you into the kitchens so you

can eat.”

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He finished with a shrug that signaled he

didn’t care whether she bathed or not. That

had been Alaric’s idea, but didn’t all women

jump at the chance to wallow in a tub of hot

water?

She pursed her lips as if to argue but evidently decided restraint was a better idea. “I’d

like a bath.”

He nodded. “Then I suggest you follow the

women upstairs before I change my mind.”

She turned, muttering something under

her breath that he didn’t catch. His eyes narrowed. The contrary lass was sorely trying

his patience.

He looked around for his son only to see

him running behind the women toward the

keep.

“Crispen,” he called.

Crispen turned around, anxiety over being

kept from the woman etched on his small

brow.

“Come here, son.”

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After another moment’s hesitation, he

launched himself toward Ewan, and Ewan

caught him up in his arms once more.

His heart raced frantically as the sheer relief of holding his son again overwhelmed

him. “You frightened ten years off me, lad.

Don’t ever scare your father like this again.”

Crispen clung to Ewan’s shoulders and

burrowed his face into Ewan’s neck.

“I won’t, Papa. I promise.”

Ewan hung on to him far longer than necessary, until Crispen wiggled to be set free.

He hadn’t thought to see his son again, and if

Alaric was to be believed, he had the woman

to thank for it.

He looked over Crispen’s head to Alaric,

demanding answers from his silent brother.

Alaric shrugged.

“If you’re wanting answers from me,

you’re looking to the wrong person.” He gestured impatiently at Crispen. “He and the

lass refused to tell me anything. The cheeky

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little brat demanded I return them both to

you so that you could protect her.”

Ewan frowned and looked Crispen in the

eyes. “Is this true, son?”

Crispen looked decidedly guilty, but determination sparked in his green eyes. His

lips twisted mutinously, and he tensed as if

he expected Ewan to launch into a tirade.

“I gave my word,” Crispen said stubbornly.

“You said a McCabe never breaks his word.”

Ewan shook his head wearily. “I’m beginning to regret telling you of things a McCabe

doesn’t do. Come, let’s sit in the hall so you

can tell me of these adventures of yours.”

He leveled a glance at Alaric, silently commanding his presence as well. Then he

turned to Gannon. “Take your men and ride

north to find Caelan. Tell him Alaric has returned Crispen home. Return as quickly as

you can.”

Gannon bowed and hurried away, shouting orders as he went.

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Ewan set Crispen down but kept a firm

grip on his shoulder as he herded him into

the keep. They walked into the hall amid a

chorus of cries and exclamations. Crispen

was soundly hugged by every passing woman

and slapped on the back by the men of the

clan. Finally Ewan waved them away so they

were left alone in the hall.

Ewan sat at the table and patted the space

next to him. Crispen hopped onto the bench

while Alaric sat across the table from them.

“Now tell me what happened,” Ewan

commanded.

Crispen looked down at his hands, his

shoulders drooping.

“Crispen,” Ewan began gently. “What else

did I tell you McCabes always do?”

“Tell the truth,” Crispen said grudgingly.

Ewan smiled. “Indeed. Now begin your

tale.”

Crispen sighed dramatically before saying,

“I snuck out to meet Uncle Alaric. I thought

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I’d wait at the border and surprise him when

he came home.”

Alaric glared across the table at Crispen,

but Ewan held up his hand.

“Let him continue.”

“I must have gone too far. One of the

McDonald soldiers took me and said he was

going to take me back to his laird to ransom

me.”

He turned pleading eyes on Ewan. “I

couldn’t let him do that, Papa. It would

shame you, and our clan can’t afford a

ransom. So I escaped and hid in the cart of a

traveling merchant.”

Ewan tensed in rage at the McDonald soldier, and his heart clenched at the pride in

his son’s voice.

“You could never shame me, Crispen,”

Ewan said quietly. “Now go on with your

story. What happened next?”

“The merchant discovered me after a day

and he chased me out. I didn’t know where I

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was. I tried to steal a horse from men who

were camping but they caught me. M—I

mean she saved me.”

“Who saved you?” Ewan demanded.

“She saved me.”

Ewan swallowed his impatience. “Who is

she?”

Crispen fidgeted uncomfortably. “I can’t

tell you. I promised.”

Ewan and Alaric exchanged frustrated

glances, and Alaric raised one eyebrow as if

to say I told you so.

“All right, Crispen, what exactly did you

promise?”

“That I wouldn’t tell you who she was,”

Crispen blurted. “I’m sorry, Papa.”

“I see. What else did you promise?”

Crispen looked puzzled for a moment, and

across the table, Alaric smiled as he caught

on to the direction Ewan was headed.

“I just promised I wouldn’t tell you her

name.”

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Ewan stifled his grin. “All right, so continue with your story. The lady saved you. How

did she do this? Was she camping with the

men you tried to steal the horse from? Were

they escorting her to a destination?”

Crispen’s brow creased as he struggled

with whether he could divulge such information without breaking his promise.

“I won’t ask her name again,” Ewan said

solemnly.

Looking relieved, Crispen pursed his lips

and then said, “The men took her from the

abbey. She didn’t want to be with them. I

saw them bring her into the camp.”

“God’s teeth, she’s a nun?” Ewan

exclaimed.

Alaric shook his head adamantly. “If that

woman is a nun, then I’m a monk.”

“Can you marry a nun?” Crispen asked.

“Why on earth would you ask a question

like that?” Ewan demanded.

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“Duncan Cameron wanted to marry her. If

she’s a nun, he can’t, can he?”

Ewan straightened and shot Alaric a fierce

look. Then he turned to Crispen, trying to

keep his reaction calm so that he didn’t

frighten his son.

“The men you tried to steal the horse from.

Were they Cameron soldiers? Were they the

ones who took the woman from the abbey?”

Crispen nodded solemnly. “They took us to

Laird Cameron. He tried to

make … her … marry him, but she refused.

When she did, he beat her badly.”

Tears welled in his eyes, and he made a

fierce expression to hold them back.

Again, Ewan glanced over at Alaric to

judge his reaction to the news. Who could

this woman be that Duncan Cameron wanted

her badly enough to steal her from an abbey?

Was she an heiress sequestered there until

her marriage?

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“What happened after he beat her?” Ewan

prompted.

Crispen swiped at his face, leaving a trail

of dirt over his cheek.

“When she came back to the room, she

could barely hold herself up. I had to help

her to the bed. Later a woman woke us and

said that the laird was in a drunken sleep

and that he planned to threaten me to make

her do what he wanted. She said we had to

escape before he awoke. The lady was afraid

but promised me she’d protect me. And so I

promised her that I would take us here to

you so that you could protect her. You won’t

let Duncan Cameron marry her, will you,

Papa? You won’t let him hurt her again?”

He gazed anxiously up at Ewan, his eyes so

earnest and serious. He looked so much

older than his eight years in that moment, as

if he’d taken on a great responsibility, one far

greater than his age warranted, but one he

was determined to follow through with.

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“Nay, son. I won’t allow Duncan Cameron

to harm the lass.”

Relief flooded Crispen9;s expression and

suddenly he looked extremely weary. He

swayed in his chair and leaned over on

Ewan’s arm.

For a long moment, Ewan stared down at

his son’s head, resisting the urge to run his

fingers through the unruly tresses. Ewan

couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride at the

way Crispen had fought for the woman

who’d saved him. According to Alaric,

Crispen had bullied Alaric and his men the

entire way back to the McCabe keep. And

now he was bullying Ewan into keeping a

promise Crispen had made in the McCabe

name.

“He’s asleep,” Alaric murmured.

Ewan carefully ran his hand over his son’s

head and held him solidly against his side.

“Who is this woman, Alaric? What is she to

Cameron?”

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Alaric made a sound of frustration. “I wish

I could tell you. The lass wouldn’t say a word

to me the entire time she was with me. She

and Crispen were as tight-lipped as two

monks with vows of silence. All I know is

that when I found her, she was severely

beaten. I’ve never seen a lass abused as she

was. It turned my stomach, Ewan. There’s no

excuse for a man to ever treat a woman such

as he did. And yet, as badly injured as she

was, she took on me and my men when she

thought we were a threat to Crispen.”

“She said nothing the entire time she was

with you? Let nothing slip? Think, Alaric.

She had to have said something. It simply

isn’t a woman’s nature to be silent for prolonged periods of time.”

Alaric grunted. “Someone should tell her

that. I’m telling you, Ewan, she said nothing.

She stared at me like I was some kind of

toad. Worse, she had Crispen acting like I

was the enemy. The two whispered like

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conspirators and glared at me when I dared

intervene.”

Ewan frowned and drummed his fingers

on the solid wood of the table. “What could

Cameron want with her? Furthermore, what

was a highland lass doing in a lowland abbey? Highlanders guard their daughters as

jealously as gold. I can’t see a daughter being

packed off to an abbey days away.”

“Unless the lass was being punished,”

Alaric pointed out. “Maybe she was caught

out in an indiscretion. More than one lass

has been wooed between the sheets outside

the sanctity of marriage.”

“Or maybe she was a difficult harridan her

father despaired of,” Ewan murmured, as he

remembered how difficult and recalcitrant

she’d been just moments ago. That scenario

he could believe. But again, she would have

had to have committed an egregious sin for a

father to send her so far away.

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Alaric chuckled. “She’s spirited all right.”

Then he sobered. “But she protected Crispen

well. She put her body between him and others more than once, and she suffered greatly

for it.”

Ewan mulled on that truth for a long moment. Then he looked up at Alaric again.

“You saw these injuries?”

Alaric nodded. “I did. Ewan, the bastard

kicked her. There were imprints of a boot on

her back.”

p height="0em" width="1em"

align="justify">Ewan cursed, the sound

echoing across the hall. “I wish I knew what

her connection to Cameron was. And why he

wants her badly enough to abduct her from

an abbey and beat her senseless when she refused to marry him. Why he’d then think to

use my son to sway her.”

“It would have worked, too,” Alaric said in

a grim voice. “The lass is very protective of

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Crispen. If Cameron had threatened him, she

would have consented. I’m positive of that.”

“This presents a problem for me,” Ewan

said quietly. “Cameron wants her. My son

wants me to protect her. The lass only wants

to be gone. And then there is the mystery of

who she is.”

“If Cameron discovers her whereabouts,

he’ll come for her,” Alaric warned.

Ewan nodded. “So he will.”

The brothers’ gazes met and held. Alaric

nodded his acceptance of Ewan’s silent declaration. If Cameron wanted a fight, the

McCabes would be more than willing to give

him one.

“What about the lass?” Alaric finally asked.

“I’ll make that determination once I’ve

heard the whole story from her,” Ewan said.

He was confident that he could be a reasonable man, and once she saw how reasonable, she’d cooperate fully.