Chapter 13

“Easy, lad. Ye cannae just ride o’er them,” Sigimor said as he grabbed the reins of Brian’s mount to halt his cousin’s attempt to gallop off.

Brian nearly yanked the reins back but good sense pierced his fury. Sigimor was right, although he would prefer to cut out his own tongue before telling his cousin that. Fergus’s report of what was happening to Arianna but a short ride away had blinded him with fury. He was also angry with himself for attempting to charge over the land with nothing but his fear for Arianna to lead him. It was only Sigimor’s calm leadership that had kept him on the right trail.

From the moment she had been taken, he had had to struggle fiercely against the fear for her and the fury against himself for not keeping her safe. Worse, there had been no sign that it had been a carefully planned attack. Lucette and his men had simply stumbled upon the prize they had been scouring Scotland for. Brian could not help but take the blame for that upon his shoulders. He had known Lucette was out there somewhere, that the man had too much knowledge about the places Arianna might go to seek safety, and he should have taken more care with her.

“How long do ye intend to wear that hair shirt?” asked Sigimor even as he signaled his men to dismount and secure the horses.

“I should have stayed with her,” Brian said as he dismounted and tugged his mount deeper into the shadows of the trees, securing the reins to a low-hanging branch. “I kenned that Lucette was aware of where Arianna might run to yet I left her to try to see exactly where the fool was. I kenned he was on the same trail. I didnae need to see that with my own eyes.”

“Nay, ye did. He might ken where she will go but he doesnae ken the exact path or even have to take it.”

“Nay, it didnae matter. Since they were nay anywhere in sight or riding up our arses, I could have let it be.”

“Nay, ye couldnae have and ye will ken it when ye clear your wee head. Hold,” he snapped when Brian opened his mouth to continue the argument. “Someone approaches,” Sigimor said, and drew his sword. “One. Coming slowly. Hide.”

Brian joined the others in slipping silently into the shadows. A man rode into the small clearing where they had all stood but a heartbeat before and Brian immediately recognized him as Sir Anton, one of Lucette’s men. Staying close to his cousin, he stepped out into the clearing while Sigimor swiftly snatched the reins from the surprised man’s hands and held a sword on him.

Sir Anton slowly raised his arms. “I am not your enemy,” he said.

“Nay? I saw ye with Lucette,” said Brian. “Ye ride with the pig. Has he sent ye to watch for us?”

“No. The fool, he does not think to look for anyone to follow or hunt for the Lady Arianna. He holds the same blind contempt for the lady as his brother did, and for all who live in this country. I but try to make my way home.”

“Ye are leaving his service?”

“I was never in his service. I was asked by the Lady DeVeau to join them on this journey and one does not refuse the DeVeaux, not if one is married to one of their women. I intend to get home now. I will collect my family and retire to the lands my father holds. I am nay sure I will be in danger but I am thinking the Lady DeVeau is as bad as so many others in that family.”

“It might help if ye stop bleeding first,” said Sigimor. “Anger your fool of a laird, did ye?”

Sir Anton frowned at Sigimor for a moment and then said, “Ah, you speak of Lucette. Oui, I angered him. I did not like what was being done to the woman, to the Lady Arianna. I had not understood all that was planned when I began this journey. I was standing on the shore of this land before I knew the truth.” He shrugged and then winced. “I was believing I was trapped but I change my mind. I think they will all die here and that means I can leave.”

“Get down. We will bind that wound and I will tell ye how to get to a ship.”

“This is most kind of you.” Sir Anton started to dismount and faltered, requiring Sigimor’s aid. “You are most kind, sir. I am thinking I chose the right time to leave this place. I am right, oui ? You will kill them all?”

As Sigimor tended to the dagger slash on the man’s side, he said, “I believe my cousin here wants Lucette dead but, if the others fight, they will die, too.”

“Lucette is not a man any will grieve for. Not even his mother, I think.”

“What were they doing to the Lady Arianna?” demanded Brian, praying the man would say something to prove Fergus was mistaken in what he had seen.

“Beating the truth out of her.”

“Stand back, Brian,” ordered Sigimor. “Ye are scaring the mon.”

Brian abruptly noticed that he was looming over the man, his sword pointing at Sir Anton’s throat. He slowly stepped back and sheathed his sword. There was no question in his mind that the man spoke the truth, that Sir Anton was no more than a man who found himself caught up in something he did not approve of and was trying to get out of it.

“Tell me what made ye risk your life and stand against Lucette and the DeVeaux,” he demanded.

“First I am refusing to kick the Lady Arianna when she is unconscious on the floor,” Sir Anton replied. “Then I make a complaint when Lucette keeps slapping her even when she had no chance to answer the question he asked. I see that he likes it, oui ? He is much liking the causing of her pain. He stabbed me. Then I begin to realize he means to kill the two boys when he gets them and I did not come here to slaughter children. He means to kill the woman, too. I walked away for I now understand and will have no more part of this. I will go home now. I will pray that this ends it and none return to tell of how I walked away. I do not wish to die for this travesty.” He moved to remount, his movement somewhat more graceful now that his wound had been tended to. “They are not far ahead of you.”

“We ken it,” said Sigimor, and then told the man how to reach a port and a ship home. “Get your wife and bairns and get as far from the DeVeaux as ye can. The ones here willnae be going home and that might irritate their kin. Ye dinnae want to be close at hand when they hear the news. And there is also the chance that Lady Arianna’s kinsmen will nay be pleased with how she has been treated and look for some revenge. Ye truly dinnae want to get caught in that.”

Brian watched Sir Anton ride away and then looked at Sigimor. “Why did ye help him?”

“Mon needed it,” replied Sigimor. “’Tis easy for the ones with nay power to get pulled into things they dinnae want to do by the ones who hold the power. Sir Anton finally found the spine to risk his life to say nay and then to walk away. Didnae seem right to cut his throat. Now, let us go and get your lady.”

“They are beating her, Sigimor,” Brian whispered, fighting the urge to run to where they held Arianna. Only the knowledge that such a rash act could get her killed held him back.

“Aye. Fergus told us that but, mayhap, ye needed it said again, aye?” Sigimor slapped him on the back. “Rein yourself in, lad. Now ye have had two people tell ye she is still alive and verra close at hand.”

As his cousin silently directed his men toward where Lucette and his men were holding Arianna, Brian wondered why he had no urge to lead. This was his battle. He had taken on the duty of protecting her. She had been taken while in his care. The lead in any attempt to rescue should be his place.

He immediately told himself not to be a fool. Sigimor was good, as good as anyone in the MacFingal clan. It was a wise choice for Sigimor to lead them because he could keep calm no matter what they saw, no matter what they found. The emotions churning inside him told Brian that he was not fit to lead anyone anywhere at the moment. It would take but one look at an injured Arianna to make him act recklessly, to have him thinking of nothing else but the need to get to her and cut down any man hurting her.

Slipping through the trees and shadows as silently as his cousins, Brian struggled to firmly leash his fear for Arianna. Cold blood and a clear head were needed to successfully rout an enemy. It was even more important when rescuing someone, for unthinking, blind rage could easily get the captive one was trying to rescue killed instead of freed. Brian silently swore to himself that, even if they did not get Lucette and all his men this time, he would be satisfied by simply freeing Arianna. He could make the ones who hurt her pay dearly later.

Sigimor halted and grabbed Brian by the arm when he stepped up next to him. A heartbeat later Brian understood why his cousin felt there was a need to restrain him. Arianna was on her hands and knees, struggling to stand up. Lucette stood over her, his hands clenched into fists as his men argued with him. Brian did not need to see bruises or blood to know that Arianna was hurt. It was clear in the way she moved. He clutched his sword so tightly the carvings on the hilt dug into his hand as he fought to maintain the cold calm he needed now.

“The lass ought to just stay down,” whispered Sigimor as he signaled his men to begin encircling Lucette and his men. “I think it best if ye and I run straight for her as all the others are verra close to the horses. They see us coming for them and they will try to run. We want to be verra sure that they dinnae take your lass with them.”

Brian forced himself to study Lucette’s men. They were all close to the horses. He wondered if they were thinking of deserting Lucette as Sir Anton had done.

Looking at Arianna again, Brian trembled from the strain of fighting the urge to immediately race toward Lucette and cut the man down. She was conscious. If she knew they were about to rescue her she might be able to do something to help them keep her out of Lucette’s hands until they could free her. Watching her struggle, knowing she was hurting, made waiting to act a pure torture for him.

“If she turns to face us,” Brian whispered to Sigimor, “I will show myself. I believe all eyes will be on her then, too.”

“Ah, and then she might be able to keep herself from being grabbed.” Sigimor nodded and pulled a dagger from the sheath at his hip. “Then we only need to be close enough to hurl one of these at anyone who tries to take her when they all bolt for their horses.”

“Aye, which they will do the moment they see us, curse their eyes. I doubt they will stand and fight.”

“Getting your lass away from them is all that is important now.”

“I ken it. Your men are ready?”

“Aye, they but await my signal.”

Recalling that Sigimor’s signal was a battle cry that could shake the walls of any keep, Brian almost smiled. He crouched beside Sigimor watching Arianna struggle and trying to will her to her feet facing his way. If she did not see him when he stood up, he would not hesitate to yell at her to run. His heart broke when she finally got to her feet and lifted her head. Her pretty face was battered and bleeding.

He stood up, Sigimor rising to his feet at his side. Arianna’s eyes looked swollen and he feared she could not see him. Brian glanced at Sigimor and his cousin nodded.

“Run, Arianna!” he yelled, and a heartbeat later Sigimor bellowed out his war cry.

To Brian’s relief Arianna lurched away from Lucette. Lucette started to go after her but then jerked to a halt when Sigimor’s cry tore through the air. The man stared at Brian and Sigimor in horror and then bolted for the horses his men were already scrambling to mount. Brian started after Lucette but knew he would never catch the man. He drew his knife and hurled it. A scream erupted from Lucette as the blade buried itself deep into the man’s shoulder, but fear gave the man the strength to still mount his horse and gallop away.

Brian turned away from the confusing melee and hurried toward Arianna. She had not gone far before collapsing on the ground. She was just struggling to get up again when he reached her side.

Arianna cursed her weakness as she fought to get back on her feet. All around her she could hear the sound of running feet and then the pounding of horses galloping away. There were only a few cries of pain and a brief moment of the ringing of steel upon steel. The sound of Brian’s voice telling her to run had been the sweetest sound she had ever heard, but that had not been enough to give her the strength to go very far. She could only hope that she had gotten herself far enough not to hinder what sounded like the rescue she had been praying for.

Out of the corner of her swollen eyes she saw hands reaching for her and tried to crawl away.

“Arianna, ’tis I. Brian.”

She stopped and clumsily sat down. “Brian?”

“Aye, love.”

“Are they gone? Did ye kill him?”

“Nay, I fear Lucette escaped but he rode away with my dagger buried deep in his shoulder. Unless he suffers a putrefaction of the wound, however, it wasnae a mortal blow.”

“Ah, weel, at least it will hurt him.”

Brian blinked away the tears that stung his eyes as he looked her over. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut, her lips also swollen and cut, and blood dripped slowly from a wound on her forehead. The way she swayed and trembled told him that she was very close to unconsciousness. He did not know where or how to touch her, afraid to add to the pain she was in.

“What was that terrifying bellow that came right after ye told me to run?” she asked, reaching out to him in the need to know that he was truly there. Since she could see very little, she needed to touch him.

“Sigimor.” He gently took her hand in his, careful not to touch the cuts and scrapes on her palm. “Ah, lass, he beat ye sorely. I should ne’er have left ye alone.”

“Ye needed to be certain the path to Scarglas was clear and safe. I should have hidden myself better and nay closed my eyes. Took a wee nap. Foolish.” She licked her lips and tasted blood. “Do ye have anything to drink? Cider? Water?”

Brian carefully put his arm around her shoulder and, seeing Fergus, signaled to the youth to bring him something to drink. There were two bodies before the little cottage, both of them Lucette’s men, and none of Sigimor’s men looked to be hurt. A quick count told Brian that Sigimor had sent a few of his men to follow Lucette even though they were all certain of where the man was going. Brian was not too furious over Lucette’s escape. Unless Lucette and his allies had the sense to see that there was no way to get the boys out of Scarglas, there would still be a battle to be fought, so there would be another chance to kill the man.

Sigimor crouched beside them. “I think we may need to wrap those ribs of hers tightly before we ride back to Dubheidland.”

The way Arianna had her arms wrapped around her ribs told Brian that Sigimor was probably right about that. “Do ye think anything is broken, lass?” he asked her.

“Nay, just verra badly bruised,” she replied, and attempted a smile although she was certain it was a ghastly sight. “Mayhap a wee bit rattled. He kicked me, hard, several times, but I kicked him, too. Once.”

“Good lass. I hoped ye kicked him hard.”

“I did. I am surprised he could ride a horse. I kicked him right between the legs. Suspicion he was a wee bit sore.”

Brian exchanged a grin with Sigimor and then began to unlace Arianna’s gown. Sigimor moved quickly to find something to use to wrap her ribs. It was hard to ignore her soft gasps of pain as he tugged her gown down to her waist and pulled her shift up to just under her breasts. Brian was pleased to see that all of Sigimor’s men kept their gazes averted, but it was all he could be pleased about. The massive bruises on Arianna’s rib cage made him wish he could get his hands on Lucette. Brian would make very certain that the man suffered in agony before he killed him.

Sigimor returned with several long strips of blanket. Brian clenched his teeth to hold back a demand that Sigimor get his hands off Arianna when his cousin gently explored all along her ribs, searching for signs of a break. Her hiss of pain only added to that urge.

“Naught is broken, but, as ye said, lass, they are a wee bit rattled,” said Sigimor as he began to wrap the strips of blanket around her ribs. “This will help and give them some protection from the ride back to Dubheidland.”

“But we were going to Scarglas,” Arianna said, her voice a hoarse whisper rife with pain.

“Nay, not until ye heal,” said Brian. “Ye cannae ride that far as battered and bruised as ye are.”

“That is where Amiel is going. Where they are all going.”

“If they are fools enough to try and attack Scarglas they will need more men than they have and that will take time. I am hoping that land ye think the DeVeaux want from Lucette and their need to use ye for some old and should be forgotten vengeance on your clan willnae seem so verra important once they get a good look at Scarglas.”

“’Tis more than the land. Amiel will let them have his kin, too.”

“What do ye mean?”

“Amiel said he didnae like the idea of being but one of many landed and titled Lucettes. He intends to use the DeVeaux to help him thin out the crowd.”

“Jesu.” Sigimor sat back on his heels as Brian got Arianna fully dressed again. “He means to turn the Lucettes’ worst enemy on them? To kill off his own family?”

“Aye, little by little until he is heir to it all, or most of it,” Arianna replied. “And the DeVeaux cannae get the land they want until my laddies are dead. Claud held that land himself, nay as part of an inheritance or entailment. He could dispose of it as he wished and he left it to the boys in his will, something I wasnae invited to hear read so I didnae ken it all. My bonnie wee laddies now hold what the DeVeaux want.” She panted softly in a vain attempt to overcome the pain washing over her as Brian urged her up into a seated position. “Claud made me their guardian.”

“He hung a target on all your backs.”

“He did. Aye, the DeVeaux might want to use me to avenge themselves upon my family but they also need me dead. As guardian I nay only control the lads but the land.” After pushing the last few words out, Arianna gave in to the darkness flooding her mind and escaped the pain wracking her body.

Brian felt her go limp in his arms and panicked. He pressed his fingers against her throat and used the steady throb of her pulse to push the fear away. She was better off being unconscious. The ride back to Dubheidland would prove to be a long time in agony for her otherwise.

“She will heal,” Sigimor said as he stood up.

“Ye sound verra sure of that.” Brian got to his feet, holding Arianna in his arms and trying not to jostle her too much.

“Bones are nay broken, there isnae any bad bleeding from open wounds and, although verra colorful, the bruising didnae have the look of the ones caused by something bleeding inside her.” He started toward the others who had brought the horses to them. “Jolene and the women can give her a closer look but I think we reached her in time.”

“She shouldnae have fallen into the bastard’s hands at all,” said Brian, fury at himself a bitter taste on his tongue. “If I hadnae left her ...”

“Then they would have found ye, too, and there wouldnae have been anyone to come and get help for her. Aye, ye are a good fighter, but I think e’en ye would have had a wee bit of trouble fighting off so many men. Ye had to be certain the path was clear, that ye wouldnae be riding into a trap. Ye are a clever lad. I suspicion ye will understand that soon enough if ye think on it a while.”

Brian doubted his guilt would ease much until he was certain that Arianna would heal. “What do ye think happened to the people who lived in this wee cottage?”

“They ran when they saw armed men coming,” replied Sigimor, holding his arms out for Arianna when they reached the horses.

“Ye are certain of that?” Brian asked as he mounted his horse and then took Arianna back into his arms.

“Aye. Brice found their trail. They will return as soon as they ken that the men are gone.”

A quick glance around was proof enough that Sigimor had reason to be confident of that. The two bodies were gone, taken away from the little home and left for the carrion. Since Brian saw no sign of any livestock, he knew the family had undoubtedly had some warning of the men’s approach. Isolated as the little house was, it was no surprise that the people living in it would always be alert for any sign of danger.

They started back to Dubheidland, and Brian adjusted his hold on Arianna. He hoped to save her from as much movement as possible. Since galloping all the way back to Dubheidland was out of the question, he prayed she stayed unconscious for a very long time. She would face enough suffering when they reached Sigimor’s keep and her wounds would be tended to.

“I sincerely hope you intend to kill that man,” said Jolene when she stepped out of the bedchamber where Brian had placed the wounded Arianna. “Slowly.”

“I intend to,” answered Brian. He straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall and staring at the door to that bedchamber for the last two hours. “How is she?”

“She will heal. I think many of the bruises look far worse than they truly are. Her skin is much akin to mine. I have occasionally noticed a very vivid bruise yet have no memory of any serious injury. Cool cloths and some of the salve I left by the bed will quickly bring those bruises down. She is sleeping now. She will also need a few days of rest.”

“She will have it.”

“You are dealing with a madman, you know. She told me of his plots. To unleash your family’s worst enemy upon them? To murder two innocent boys and an equally innocent woman? To kill your own brother? To plot the deaths of what might be every male Lucette who could possibly inherit something? Aye, he is definitely a madman.”

“I ken it. I also intend to make certain the Lucettes realize how fortunate they are that Amiel and his allies didnae leave this land alive.” He watched as Jolene rubbed her lower back. “Go rest, lass. I can care for Arianna now. Salve and cool cloths.” He winked at her. “Have something to eat and then go rest ere that large husband of yours comes stomping up here looking for you.”

He watched until she made it safely down the steps before he went into the room where Arianna slept. His first sight of Arianna since giving her over into Jolene’s care made his heart clench with sorrow. She looked so small in the large bed, the bruises on her face and her bandaged hands an abomination in his eyes. After changing the wet cloth draped over her eyes for a cooler one, Brian sat in the chair that had been pulled up to her bedside.

Brian knew he loved her. The emotions that had torn through him when he had thought her lost to him had made that clear, too clear for him to continue to try and deny it. It changed nothing, however, if only because he did not have any idea of how she felt about him. Worse, the fact that he had given her her first taste of passion could easily confuse her. He had thought himself in love with the first woman he had bedded down with. It was far too easy to think passion was born of something deeper, richer, and longer lasting, especially if it burned as hot as what he and Arianna shared.

Neither did his love for her change the fact that she was far above his reach. She deserved more than he could give her. He had seen enough mismatched marriages to know how discontent and bitterness could grow to turn the union into a living hell. Lady Arianna deserved a man equal to her in birth, wealth, and breeding, a man who could make her happy and content in all ways. Brian doubted she would stay unwed for long after he let her go and was sure that her family would be far more cautious in choosing her a husband this time. She would soon have all a lady like her deserved. It was only honorable to let her go, to not try to bind her to him with passion. Brian just wished he could be happier about doing the honorable thing.