Highland Sparks (Clan Grant #5) (18 page)

Logan grabbed her hand, excused their absence to the others, and crept up the steps and out the front door of the great hall. He ran through the courtyard, tugging her behind him. “We’ll find somewhere in the forests to walk.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Someplace verra private?”

“Och, aye.” She gave him a wee shove from behind, encouraging him toward the stables.

As soon as they mounted their horses, they made their way out the gate. Gwyneth sighed, basking in the fresh outdoor air. “You know I am more comfortable out here.”

“Aye, ‘tis one of the reasons I love you so.”

She gave him a sly look. “Mayhap you would accept a challenge, Logan? Do you think you could beat me on horseback?”

He grinned, an evil look flashing across his features. “Lass, I would enjoy challenging you at anything.”

***

They were about to leave when a desperate voice interrupted their playful spirit. Logan turned to find the source and saw Torrian running after him and screaming. The sensation was as painful as a fist to his gut, and it threatened to take his air away. “What is it, Torrian?”

“Lily.” Torrian yelled. “She’s gone. We were playing, but then someone hit me over the head. When I woke up, she was gone.”

Logan squelched the urge to vomit. His wee Lily? Someone had kidnapped her? How had this happened? The children were always accompanied by guards when they played away from the keep. The others needed to know what had happened, but first he needed more information. He reached down and pulled Torrian onto his lap at the same time he let out his Ramsay whoop, alerting his guards they were needed. “Show me.”

They headed out to the meadow where the bairns been playing. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Gwyneth still followed, and saw she was directly behind him, Torrian’s faithful dog Growley running alongside her. As soon as they arrived, Logan rode over to the one remaining guard in the area.

Logan reined his horse next to the guard. “Ewan? What happened?”

He waited for the guard, who was shaking his head, to speak “‘Tis all my fault, Logan. Three lasses came flying into the field on horseback, two of them with naught on and big…” he glanced at Torrian, “…well, you know what I mean. We all took our eyes off the bairns. We chased the women on the horses. The two went one direction and the third went in the opposite direction.”

“And?” Logan was going to choke the man if he didn’t speak up.

“We all followed the two with naught on. They left the meadow after a while and when we returned, Torrian was on the ground and Lily was missing.”

“Where are the others?”

“I sent them to search for a trail. Lyell said he would head to the keep for more guards once they found a sign of where she went. I never saw Torrian get up, I was talking to Lyell. Then I was afraid we had lost Torrian as well.”

“The third woman. What did she look like?” Logan barked, losing his patience with the fool. There would be hell to pay. These guards had the most important job at the keep—protecting the laird’s heirs. How could they have made such a mistake?

“She was flame-haired. Lyell thought it was Iona, but I didn’t see her clear enough.”

Iona. A dead weight fell into the pit of his stomach. Iona was not right minded, and that frightened him more than anything. Visions of Lily tied up and held captive made his blood boil.

He turned to Gwyneth. “Gwyneth, take Torrian back and fill Quade in on what’s happened. Tell him everything.” He handed the wee lad over to Gwyneth.

“Logan, take me with you. I can help.”

“Nay, Gwyneth. Protect Torrian. I need someone I can count on to protect him.” He gave Ewan a pointed look before spurring his horse on. “This is between Iona and me.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Iona paced in the small cabin, staring at her captive.

“Why are you doing this, Iona? Why do you hate me so?” Lily sat on a stool at the table, her hands tied behind her back, her little feet tied together, too.

“Because, you little fool, my rightful place is at the head of the Ramsay clan with my husband. Your father should have married me, but nay, he had to marry the Grant lass. Fine, he can have the cow. ‘Tis too late for him, but ‘tis not too late for Logan. Logan is mine.”

“But Logan is in love with Gwyneth. He’s going to marry her.”

Iona marched over and yelled at Lily. “Keep your mouth shut. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

Lily burst into tears and tugged at her bindings. “Stop yelling at me.”

“All you ever do is whine, whine, whine, Lily. Well, I do not want to hear it, and I have the perfect solution…”

Lily’s eyes widened as she stared at Iona, ceasing her wails for the moment.

“Here.” Iona pulled up a stool next to Lily and set a loaf of brown bread in front of her. “Eat.”

“Nay. I can’t eat that. It will make me sick. Mama says I can’t eat any bread at all. I’ll toss it back up, I will.”

Iona screamed. “I said eat it.”

“Nay, I don’t want to be sick again. It hurts my belly. Please don’t make me eat it.” Lily’s voice had dropped to a whimper.

She’d have to make the lass sick. It would be the only way she could tolerate being around the whiny wean. If Lily became sick, she’d probably stop talking. Iona ripped off a piece of the bread and held it in front of Lily’s mouth. “Eat.”

Lily locked her lips closed and shook her head back and forth.

Iona pinched the girl’s nose until she was forced to open her mouth to breathe, and then shoved the bread into her mouth. “There, you little witch. Now eat it.”

Lily glared at her and promptly spit the bread out on the floor.

“You’ll eat this or I’ll beat you over and over again.”

Lily opened her mouth with a sob, chewing the piece of bread Iona put inside as slowly as she could.

Iona smiled and stood up to pace the room, her hands twisting in glee. “I have found the perfect spot for you. No one will ever find you and Logan will be mine.” She stopped a moment to stare out the window.

Her brow furrowed when she turned back to Lily. “Finished that piece, aye? Good, here’s another.” She forced another piece into the girl’s mouth. “I tried to talk sense into him, I did. I followed him to Glasgow, and when I saw him at the fair, I was sure he would follow me. But he had the lass in warrior’s clothing with him. There was no other way, Lily. But he loves you so. I knew I could use you as bait. I know he’ll come for you. Once I get him out here alone, he’ll see that he wants me. Then we’ll make our plans to marry and take over the keep. I’m sure he would love to be laird once I get rid of Quade.”

Lily cried, “That’s my da. Please don’t hurt my da.”

“Och, be quiet, Lily. Soon I’ll send you to your hiding place. It took me a while to get your spot arranged for you, my dear, but I am sure no one will think to look there. Then Logan will love me.” She returned to the window, her gaze crossing the landscape. “I wonder what color dress I shall wear for our wedding. Mayhap I will wear my hair up.”

She turned to Lily, who was still chewing. “And you know what else? Once I am living at the castle, I’ll take care of your stepmother and your father… Then Logan will be head of the clan, with me at his side.” Her eyes stared at the ceiling as her arms crossed in front of her chest.

“A few moons later, I’ll have to kill your grandmamma, too.” Her lower lip pushed out in a pout as she glanced at Lily and shook her head. “She doesn’t like me, which won’t do at all.” Her hand went to her face as she settled on a stool. “I’ll have to think about this. I will have to kill them in two different ways, so no one will suspect me. Poison will work verra well for one of them, but what about the rest?”

Iona moved around the cabin, lost in thought as she tried to decide what she would do next. Then she gathered her things together and threw them in a sack. Grabbing Lily by the arms, she hauled her out the door and tossed her up on the horse, mounting behind her.

Iona spurred the horse and said, “No one will ever find you, Lily. I’m sorry, but I must do this. After all, I had to get Logan out to my cottage somehow. But we don’t need you here with us. We wish to be alone. I’m afraid the wild animals will have you for their dinner tomorrow. You’ve done your job, wee one.”

Lily squealed and Iona yanked on her hair.

Leaning over the side of the horse, the wee lass said, “I don’t feel so good.”

Iona smiled. “Perfect, absolutely perfect timing.”

***

Logan tracked Iona easily until he came to a small creek. God’s teeth, but he lost her in the creek. He searched the entire area on the other side of the small river, but found naught. He couldn’t pin down any horses hooves, horse dung, anything. She had disappeared.

He couldn’t give up, not now. Not ever.

He ran his hand down his face and closed his eyes, willing a solution to come to him. He needed his tracker’s instincts to kick in, but it just wasn’t working today. His shoulders slumped, defeated by the thought of his wee niece in the clutches of a blackguard like Iona. Every minute mattered.

He was having trouble getting it together, but he had to regain control for Lily’s sake. His wee niece, whom he adored, was out there scared and probably hungry. He would find her, and Iona would never return to traumatize his family ever again. Spurring his horse, he moved on, though he was unsure of which way to go. Reaching in his sporran, he pulled out the lucky stone Lily had given him, smiling at the memory of her cheerful face, so serious about how lucky the pebble would be for him. He dutifully rubbed his fingers over the cool stone and whispered, “Which way, Lily? Which way?”

He followed his gut and took off in that direction. About an hour later, he came to a cabin and reined his horse in before he came too close. He stared at the cabin, unable to recall who lived there. Perhaps it had been deserted for a long time.

After dismounting, he crept around the back of the cottage and listened for a moment, hoping to find out if Lily was inside. He didn’t hear any sounds, so made his way to the front and opened the door.

Empty. No one was there, but his gut told him they had been here. On the table, he found a fresh loaf of brown bread, and something on the floor. He leaned over to finger the clump.

Aye, right, Lily had been here. Iona had forced her to eat bread, and Lily had spit it out.
That’s my girl, Lily. Fight.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Gwyneth brought Torrian back to the keep and informed Quade of everything she knew. It took a few moments for Torrian to repeat his story, then Quade turned and disappeared, but not before Gwyneth noticed his clenched jaw and his hands balled into fists at his sides. There would be hell to pay for those guards, she knew that. How could they have been so lax? All over two nude women? Men were fools.

She walked away from the group talking in the great hall and returned to her chamber, collecting everything she would need to find the wee lass. Logan was too attached to think rationally. He may be the best tracker in all of Scotland, but not when his family was involved. She would find Lily on her own. He needed back up, though he would never admit it. Fine. She would help him…just as he’d help her when there had been a need.

As she crept down the staircase into the great hall, no one paid any attention to her. She slipped over to the door and let herself out, thinking she was alone.

She wasn’t. Lady Arlene Ramsay exited the door behind her. Turning Gwyneth to face her, she cupped her cheeks and stared into her eyes. “Please find them. My son says none are any better than you in the wild. He says you are an expert marksman, too. My question to you is, are you capable of killing another if need be?”

Gwyneth noted the fear and worry in the lady’s gaze. Answering her truthfully, she nodded her head and stared at her feet. “Aye, I can and I will, if ‘tis necessary.”

Logan’s mother grabbed her hands. “Find her and end this. Please. Then find Logan and bring him back with Lily.” She kissed Gwyneth’s cheek and pushed her away.

Gwyneth glanced over her shoulder at her. “I will, I promise.”

The look in Lady Ramsay’s eyes spoke of her belief in her. “Thank you. Godspeed.”

***

Iona bustled around the small cabin, humming a perky tune as she puttered with the food and the candles inside. She wanted everything to be just right. Soon her fiancé would be here, he would tell her how much he loved her, and they would live happily ever after.

She sighed as she imagined how the scene would play out when he found her. First, he would throw the door open and run to her because she was so beautiful.

“Och, Logan. I have been waiting for you. What took you so long?”

With his hand over his chest, he would declare his love for her. “It doesn’t matter. I am here now. I love you, Iona. Now we can finally be together without any interference.”

Iona clapped her hands with glee. “We will live a wonderful life together. I will give you many bairns and we can move to the keep.”

He rushed to her side, grasped her hand in his, and fell on one knee in front of her. “My sweet, will you marry me? I cannot live without you by my side for one more day.”

“Aye, of course, Logan. We can marry and I will give you a special gift for a wedding present.”

His eyes shone with love for her as he stood and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What, love? Tell me now. You know the suspense will be too much for me. And we must marry right away.”

She giggled and hid her face in his chest.

“Tell me,” he grinned. “No secrets. What gift have you? Where is it so I can open it?”

“Oh, husband. ‘Tis not something you can open. My plan is to get rid of Quade and Brenna so you can be laird. Wouldn’t you love to be laird of the castle, with me as your wife by your side?”

“You would do that for me?”

“Aye.”

Logan would be so pleased that he would pick her up and spin her in a circle. “I love you, Iona. We will run the Ramsay clan better than Quade, you’ll see. How will you do it?”

“I’ll wait just a couple of moons before I set my plan in place. And no one will know.”

Iona stared into space, imagining the kiss Logan would give her once she agreed to be his wife. Someday, the minstrels would sing songs about how beautiful and clever she was, and how much her husband adored her.

Suddenly wrested from her dream by a noise outside the cottage, she stilled and listened. Someone was out there. She grabbed her knife and hid it in the folds of her skirt. Whoever it was would die soon.

***

Logan had tracked Iona to another cabin, a good distance from the first one. Why she moved around, he wasn’t sure. He crept up to the window and peeked inside. Iona was alone. Where was Lily? He didn’t like the looks of this, so he didn’t waste any time in confronting the daft woman.

He strode over to the front door and threw it open.

Iona jumped, but then calmed, a slow grin creeping across her face. “There you are. I have been waiting for you, my love.”

“I’m here, but I’m not your love. Where is Lily?” He filled the doorway with his warrior stance; his feet braced apart, his hand near his sword, ready to draw at the least provocation.

“Lily? Why do you ask me?”

“Lily. You kidnapped her from the meadow where she was playing with Torrian and Growley.”

“Nay, I did not.” Iona’s hands fisted at her hips.

Logan reached her in a second, grabbing her gown in the front and pulling her close. “Aye, you did. Now where is she? Iona, don’t play with me. If I have to beat it out of you, I will.”

She shoved at him, but he didn’t release her. Her sneer told him she had the girl hidden somewhere. “The little brat is far away from here. You’ll never see her again.”

“Iona, where is she?”

“I’ll never tell. I don’t want that whiny brat around us. You love me, Logan. Admit it. We’ll marry and I’ll kill Quade so you can be laird and I’ll be lady of the castle. You’ll see.” Her voice wavered and she reached for his face.

“Do not touch me, you daft woman.”

“Daft? I’m not daft. You are.” She tried to scratch him with her nails. “You’re the fool who can’t see how good we could be together. Give up that female warrior. Why would you want a woman who walks around in men’s clothing?”

“Because she is clever, compassionate, and kind. Unlike you. You treat everyone as if they owe you for something.”

“They do. You do. You owe me. My mother said I would marry noble blood someday. Why can’t you see it? I belong in the laird’s castle. I promised my mama when she died that I would fight to be the laird’s wife. Now I am ready to make her proud.”

Logan thought he would lose his mind talking to this daft woman. She talked in circles and she revealed nothing. He had to find Lily, he just had to. The thought of her alone out here with the wild boars and pigs made him ill.

“Marry me, Logan, and you’ll see how good we’ll be together.”

“It’ll never happen. Now, where is my niece? You’ll be hung for murder if you don’t tell me.”

“Well, I almost did murder the little brat. She argued with me about everything. She wouldn’t do what she was told, and I wanted to kill her right then.”

“What did you do to her?” He grabbed her gown and lifted her off the floor. “Did you hurt her?”

Iona tried to loosen his hands, but to no avail. “She wouldn’t do as she was told. I had to shut her up.”

“What did you do?”

“I made her eat bread, that’s all. Then I knew she would stop her whining.”

Logan let her go, tossing her back so she had to catch herself to keep from falling. He didn’t know what to do. He paced in a circle, wanting to drive his sword through her black heart, but then he still wouldn’t be able to find wee Lily. “Iona, please. I’m sure there is a man out there who would love to marry you. Tell me where Lily is.”

“I don’t want another man. I want you, Logan Ramsay. And I won’t tell you where Lily is until you marry me.” She sat in a chair and crossed her arms.

Logan placed his hands on the table across from her and bellowed at her. “Tell me where she is! I’ll never marry you. How can I marry you when you have been banned by my mother and my laird from my clan? Iona, it cannot be.”

Iona’s lower lip trembled and she turned her head to stare out the window. Her voice dropped to a whisper as the tears slid down her cheeks. “You don’t love me, do you?”

“Nay, Iona.” Logan sat in the chair opposite her. “Please. You have risked the life of a bairn. Do the right thing. Tell me where she is.”

“I can’t.”

Logan’s blood boiled, but he forced himself to remain calm. “Why not?”

“I can’t name the place. I would have to show you.” She stared at the floor in a trance.

“Then I’m begging you. Show me where she is.”

“If that’s what you wish, I’ll show you.” She nodded before she stood, glancing at him.

“You’re doing the right thing. Show me.”

She shrugged her shoulders and sighed, walking out the door.