Portals Of Time (8 page)

Maybe we were wrong about who was in danger when the tats burned. Maybe, just maybe, they only burn when I’m in danger.
She gulped.
Lucian is not going to be pleased! Bloody hell!

Arianna glanced around but could see no escape. A devilish grin spread over Malcolm’s face.

“Did ye miss me, lass? Ye seemed ta be in a terrible rush ta meet me.”

She stiffened her spine, shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

“I was hurrying to catch up with my
Husband
...you know...the
Earl
!”
It never hurts to do a little name dropping.
She smiled smugly at him.

He never so much as flinched.

“Wed him, did ye? It does nae matter ta me. I will just have ta make ye a widow, tis all. Until then...ye will be me guest.” Malcolm snatched her from her mount, setting her before him, then rode off into the night.

All was quiet as they cautiously entered the small village. Lucian glanced about but saw nothing out of place.
It had been a ruse to get me away from the keep! Away from Arianna!
He growled in anger.

“My lord. There is naught amiss here. What trickery is this?” Lachlan asked in frustration.

Lucian rubbed his neck as it began to heat up. “Someone wished me gone so they could reach m
e
lady. She is in danger I fear.”

“Do ye think it be Maclean?”

“Aye. He would be my first guess.” Spinning his horse around he snarled, “We ride ta the Maclean’s!”

It was almost morning when Lucian called a halt to their journey to rest their mounts. They were still more than half a day’s ride to the Maclean keep. Motioning to Ian, the earl walked to the edge of their encampment.

“Aye, m’laird?”

He eyed the tow-headed lad, noting the slump of his shoulders and dark circles beneath his eyes. He was exhausted, as they all were at the moment.

“After we rest a wee bit I want ye ta go back ta Dunbar Castle and fetch the MacGregor. We may need his aide
. Tell him ta approach from the south as we hit on the north...and ye are ta stay there once the message is delivered.”

“Nay m’laird! I would help ye rescue m’lady!”

“Nay! I have another job for ye that is very important. Ye are ta keep an eye on Angus MacGregor. I do nae trust the man ta nae be involved in this.”

“But, m’laird...Angus rode out with us last eve.”

Lucian stiffened. “Are ye certain lad?”

“Aye. I saw him meself!”

He scanned the camp with a discerning eye
. There was no sign of Arianna’s brother...or any of the other MacGregor’s that had ridden out with them.

The hair prickled on the back of his neck in alarm.
Malcolm may steal m
e
bride for his own gain but Angus can only mean ta do her harm. But why?

“My lord!” His head jerked up to see Lachlan walking toward him leading a mare from his stables. “We found her over by the burn but there was nae sign of my lady. There were some tracks heading off ta the east
...mayhap a dozen mounts.”

A simmering anger began to stir in his chest as the possibilities of her fate loomed large. He spun back to Ian.

“This mount is well rested. Take her when ye leave.”

The young squire stood ramrod straight. “I be ready now, m’laird. There is nae time ta be wasted.”

He scrutinized him closely. The lad needed to test his own mettle. What better time than this? With a curt nod he gave Ian permission to go.

“We leave at first light, Lachlan. Best rest while ye are able.”

“The same could be said of ye, Lucian. Ye will do her nae good if ye are too weary ta fight.” His captain rarely called him by his
given
name unless he felt the point was important. He
was
tired, bone-weary, but he doubted that he would rest until he had Arianna back in his arms.

“If only I could. I fear for m
e
bride. She does nae ken when ta be silent and may cause harm on herself.”

“I do nae believe Malcolm will harm her.”

“Tis nae Malcolm I speak of
but, Angus...her brother. Did ye nae notice that the MacGregor’s are nae longer among us?”

Lachlan’s eyes widened as he took note of what Lucian said. “But why would he wish her harm?”

“I do nae ken. But I plan on finding out.”

They were attacked at dawn with a hail of arrows. Chaos reigned as men and horses cried out in pain
and confusion. Malcolm’s grip tightened about her waist as he issued commands to his men. Within moments, the warriors rode at them with swords drawn, cutting down the remaining men.

Malcolm knew it was hopeless when he saw Patrick fall from his horse mortally wounded. He spun his horse, and
spying an opening, tore off into the thickets. No one had seen them go, giving him a decent head start. He knew of a place to hide but he needed to draw them off in another direction first.

“Countess...be ye well?”

She did not answer him.
That’s when he noticed a warm stickiness on his arm. He chanced a glance down to find a bolt protruding from her ribs.
Nay! Lucian will kill me if she dies!
That’s when he realized how foolish his plan had been. It was not in his nature to steal a man’s wife...nor to force himself upon her. What had he been thinking? He must reach the cave and treat her wound quickly.

He reached his goal a short time later after carefully covering his tracks. The entrance was well hidden by brush, but to be safe, he traveled further in
to an inner chamber and set her gently on the ground. Before long, he had a fire warming them as he examined the wound.

Tis in there deep but I do nae think it struck anything vital.
Malcolm worked swiftly as he tended her wound.

“Anna!” Lucian shot straight up from a sound sleep.
Panic rose as he looked about the camp wild-eyed. His heart pounded in his chest
,
fear threaten
ing
to consume him.
She is hurt! I felt her pain! How can that be?
His neck was on fire, joined by a new pain in his ribs.

His men gave him a bewildered look as his outcry woke them.
This will nae do. I must gain control of myself. I can be of nae help if I
allow
fear
ta
control m
e
actions.

He stood as he commanded, “We ride!”

They had been traveling for a couple of hours
when his tracker returned.

“M’lord, the MacGregor’s be just a little ahead of us.”

“Dugal?” His dark brow rose in surprise. Surely they weren’t ahead of him.

“Nay. Tis Angus and the ones who rode out with us.”

Lucian spurred his horse to a gallop. He was anxious to discover why they were on this track.
It did not take long to
overtake
them.

“Ho Angus! What are ye doing on this trail?” He eyed him suspiciously, noting the blood spatters on some of the MacGregor warriors.

He eased back in the saddle attempting an innocent stance.

“Why I had word that my wee sister was taken and came ta rescue her.”

“If that be true, why did ye nae inform me?”

“Ye were busy,” he sneered.

Lucian spurred his mount closer, grasping Angus’ tunic.

“I am never too busy where m
e
wife is concerned!”
He snarled at the man with a look of disgust. Casting him off, he asked, “Did ye find her?”

Her brother fidgeted in his saddle as his eyes darted about nervously.

“Nay...only the young Maclean. He will nae be troubling anyone again.” His men chuckled behind him. “I be thinking that Malcolm has already carried her ta his stronghold and claimed her favors...willing or nay.”

Lucian unhorsed him in one swift blow as images raced through his head.
Nay! Even he would nae be that stupid! He may have her but he would nae take her as long as we are wed.
He kens of the curse ta the man that tries that. It would be his death. But where are they? Surely he has nae reached his keep
if he ran into Angus.
He growled at the man picking himself up off the ground.

“Ye will nae speak of Arianna with such foul words lest I cut your tongue out! Are we clear?”

“Aye,” he muttered.

“Now show me where ye found young Patrick.”

A short time later, Lucian and his men reached the battle scene. His piercing green eyes scanned the area meticulously, taking in every detail. It was obvious that Angus had ambushed the small party...which meant that he had known of their plan to steal her away.

“Bind them!” he snarled.

The sound of swords unsheathing echoed in the clearing as his men quickly disarmed the MacGregors. All were bound and sat beneath an oak in short time.

“I want ten men ta watch these blackguards while the rest of ye span out and search for a trail. They could nae have gotten far.” He turned his steely gaze to Angus. “Ye had better pray that your sister lives. If nae...”

The men had been searching for several hours when Dugal came upon the scene. He raised his brow in question when he spied his son bound.

“What goes on here? Where is the earl?”

Lachlan stepped forward.

“He is searching the thickets for my mistress, my laird. It appears that Angus had a hand in her theft.”

“Nay!” He bellowed as he shook his head. “It can nae be! Me own flesh and blood?”

“Aye Dugal. He kenned enough ta lay in wait for them and then ambush them. I can draw nae other conclusion.” Lucian was exhausted and his neck was on fire as he
returned to their camp. He knew that her circumstances were dire but he could not
locate
her.

Ian approached him with some cheese and black bread, along with a tankard of ale.

“Ye need ta eat, m’laird.”

He glanced up
then took what was offered. Taking a long pull on the ale he quenched his thirst. He spoke to him without looking his way.