Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A n hour after Domhnall had left, Katherine slipped through the corridors of the castle and made her way into the courtyard. The previous day, she had made discreet inquiries from the servants as to whether anyone might be travelling into the village that afternoon. Trusting that her question was an innocent one, the servant girl she had spoken to had told her that a carriage travelled to the village every day to pick up any supplies they need.

It had been just what Katherine wanted to hear, and now, with the hood of her cloak up, she lingered around the stables, watching the stable hands readying the horses and attaching them to more of a cart than a carriage. She eyed the vehicle carefully, noticing the layers of sackcloth lying on the base of it.

It is hardly ideal, but it will have to do.

Several moments later, a man climbed up on front, and with a light flick of the reins, the horses slowly walked forward. Katherine scurried past low buildings, following the cart as she went. Around her, people were busy with their duties, and thus, paid her little attention, much to her relief.

As the cart continued its approach to the gate, she made a dash for it. If she left it too late, the guards at the gate would see her. With her heart thumping in her chest, she dropped her head, clambered onto the cart, and hurriedly pulled the sackcloth over her body.

She then held her breath.

The cart stopped at the gate as the guards spoke to the man for a moment, and then, to her relief, the cart trundled on. When she was certain they were through the worst of it, she let out a heavy breath, though her heart was still thumping in her breast.

The journey took some time, with her rocking back and forth and being entertained by the man whistling a tune. As they travelled, she thought about what she would say to Reginald when she saw him. Clearly, he was still adamant for his plan to go ahead. But things had transformed, and she had no idea how she was supposed to change her brother’s mind. Telling him that she was falling for the laird just wasn’t going to do it. Nor did she have any evidence that Domhnall had not been their father’s murderer. So, then, what was she supposed to say?

Her mind was still trying to work that out when the cart came to a stop. She waited for a few moments, before tentatively lifting her head. Peeking through the sackcloth, she noticed a row of low houses. Looking further up the road, she caught sight of the village folk. There were women laughing and talking, children playing, and men in animated conversations. At the sight of them, another thought quickly passed through her mind.

I need to be on the lookout for “Fin”. He’s the last person I want to run into.

Slipping from beneath the sackcloth, she scurried off the cart, and, trying to look as normal as possible, continued on down the cobbled street at a normal walking pace. While it had been terrifying, she couldn’t help feeling a little proud of herself for managing to complete such a dangerous endeavor. Since being in Scotland, her life had certainly become a lot more exciting.

A young lass gave her directions to the well, and having arrived at it, Katherine could only wait. Her brother would be there soon, but rather than feel relieved, she realized that she actually felt nervous.

Behind her, the sound of rustling branches took her off guard, and stepping back, she watched her brother and three other men walk out from the trees.

“Katherine,” Reginald said. “It is good to see you.”

His tone and expression were as cold and distant as ever, which came as no surprise. Her brother would never change.

“Hello, Reginald,” Katherine replied, eyeing the men standing alert and protectively behind him.

“Have you had any success in your search?” he asked, forgoing any pleasantries and getting straight to the point.

Katherine shook her head. “I have not. There is nothing in his study, nor have I garnered anything derogatory from those who reside in the castle. In fact,” she hesitated, feeling the nerves rise within her, “there are only good reports from those that know him.”

Clearly, Reginald sensed her wavering, for his next words were a little harsher. “You must maintain your resistance to his charms, sister. These Scots are cunning, and will try anything to sway you from your path. Remember, you have a duty to your family, to your country.”

Katherine had known it was never going to be easy, but she was a little surprised that her brother discounted her words as though she had not spoken. Besides that, he also looked unusually agitated and jumpy.

“I am confused why you wanted to meet after only one week of me being here, Reginald. Surely, you understand it is going to take more time than that to garner the evidence that you need.”

He snarled, while at the same time, looking about him. “I do not like the idea of you having to be in that castle any longer than necessary.”

But his words didn’t feel like they rang true. She couldn’t say how she knew that, it was just a feeling in her gut. It seemed that her intuition had been working overtime these last few days, and no less now than before. Something seemed to be amiss, but she could not imagine what it was.

“I will return to the castle and continue to look,” she replied.

There was no point in telling Reginald that she no longer believed the laird had killed their father. It was clear her brother was not willing to hear it.

“Yes. The sooner the better. I don’t want Laird MacLeod to see you out here.”

“How could he?” she asked, her suspicions growing at every second.

“Because he is in the village, sister.”

Katherine’s eyes flew wide. “How could you possibly know about?—”

A heart-stopping cry of pain suddenly carried across the air, and gasping in fright, Katherine turned to see where it had come from. At first, she could see nothing, but the cries continued, and desperate to help someone in trouble, she ran from the well and back onto the road.

Gasping in terror, she quickly came upon a sight some way down the road that scared her to death, for there was Domhnall being attacked by a large group of men. Men she recognized. Reginald’s men.

“No,” she screamed, continuing to run toward him.

Reginald was close on her heels, yelling at her.

“Stay back, Katherine. Stay back or you will get hurt.”

But she didn’t care about being hurt. She had to stop them. Forgoing her own safety, she continued on, for she was still some distance away. She had to help him, to save him.

Hardly thinking about how ridiculous her thoughts were, she reached the men attacking the laird and ran straight into the fight. In seconds, one of the men struck her with such force, she was lifted off her feet. Flying backwards through the air, she landed heavily on her back. As air was forced from her lungs, her head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and a searing pain pierced through the back of her skull.

Domhnall had been fighting them off at her approach, but upon seeing her hurt, he let out a mighty roar. His fists swung with such strength and speed that she could hardly keep her eye on them. Unleashing a rage she had never before witnessed, he cut through the men like they were nothing.

Their bodies flew through the air, and even in her injured state, now feeling dizzy and sick, Katherine could hardly fathom his terrifying strength. It was not natural. Not for any man. So astonished was she, that she barely acknowledged her brother and those who had arrived with him, running back into the dense trees from whence they had come.

Domhnall still fought, but distracted as he glanced over at her, he did not see one of his attackers struggling to his feet behind him. With a sword held high, he ran towards the laird, piercing his side.

“Argh,” he screamed.

Spinning towards his assailant, Domhnall grabbed him by the throat and head, and snapped the man’s neck as though it were a twig. The laird’s face was twisted in rage as he scanned all around him, but it became clear that any of those he had not managed to kill had, instead, escaped his wrath by scarpering into the trees.

Only then did Domhnall rush to Katherine’s side.

“Katherine,” he breathed, cradling her with a tenderness that contrasted starkly with the violence she had just witnessed. “Oh, me God, Katherine. I thought they had killed ye.”

Tenderly pulling her into his muscular chest, he gently rocked her back and forth, trying to offer her comfort. After a moment, he pulled her from him and gazed caringly down at her. With his hands still stained with the blood of her brother’s men, he reached up and caressed her cheek.

“I thought I had lost ye,” he whispered. “I can hardly believe ye are still here and alive. Thanks be tae all the gods fer sparing ye.”

As stunned as she still felt after what she had just witnessed, Katherine gazed into his eyes and saw a vulnerability she hadn’t known the laird was capable of. He had fought to protect her. His rage, and the massive bloodshed had all been for her.

Earlier when he had kissed her, Katherine had known deep down that her feelings were growing, but in that very moment, she came to a conclusion she could never have imagined.

She was falling in love with Domhnall McLeod.