Debbie Mazzuca - Lord of the Isles

“Aye.” Her eyes met his, and he grinned. They passed smal clusters of men gathered around the campfires. Their conversations ended the moment they saw Ali. They looked at her as though they’d seen a ghost. She was, at least to them—the ghost of Brianna MacDonald. As they approached a large tent, one of the men rushed LORD OF THE ISLES

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forward. “My laird . . . Laird MacDonald.” He tapped on the canvas.

“What are ye disturbin’ me fer now?” The flap flipped open and a gray-haired man unfolded his large frame. Piercing blue eyes set in a handsome, aristocratic face stared back at her. The man let out an anguished cry and fel to his knees, clutching his chest. “Brianna.”

Chapter 21

Rory glanced up from the battle plans he, Aidan, Iain, and Fergus charted. “Mrs. Mac, sorry we’ve missed the evenin’

meal havena’—?” The anxious look in her eyes brought him up short. He laid his quil on the desk. “What is it?”

She twisted her apron in her hands. “’Tis Lady Aileanna. She’s no’ in her room. I havena’ seen her al day.”

A smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he thought of Aileanna’s earlier threat. “She’l no’ stay away much longer. Daylight’s fadin’ fast. Doona’ fret, Mrs. Mac, Cal um and Connor are with her. Mayhap she spent the day with Mau reen.”

The older woman gave him an odd look, obviously won

dering at his lack of concern. “Nay, I asked Robert and he says she was with Maureen early this morn and has no’

been seen since. And she sent Cal um back with wee Jamie, told him to keep an eye on the MacLean, she did.”

Rory tried to ignore the knot of unease in his gut.

“We’ve been at this long enough.” He pushed back his chair. “The three of you get somethin’ to eat and I’l look fer Aileanna.” And when he found her, she’d learn he was none too happy with her wee game.

“Nay, I’m goin’ with you,” his brother said, a look of 250

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concern in his eyes. “She shouldna’ be roamin’ around on that foot of hers.”

“Aye, I ken that, but she’d no’ listen. She’s a stubborn wench.” He sounded defensive, but his brother seemed to suggest Rory didn’t concern himself enough with Aileanna’s welfare.

Aidan clapped him on the shoulder. “I think I’l keep ye company. The lass is always good fer a laugh.”

Rory didn’t have to wait for Fergus to offer his assistance. The man was already out the door, muttering as how he’d warm her arse if she’d gotten herself in a fix. If Rory’s wor

ries weren’t getting the better of him, he’d have laughed. He combed the area around the loch while the others searched the keep and questioned anyone they came upon. When they met back in the courtyard the sun had set, dusk closing in on them. The three men shook their heads at the question in his eyes and he saw his own growing fear re

flected in his brother’s.

Mrs. Mac and Mari waited anxiously for them on the steps to the keep. “You didna’ find them?”

“Nay.” He turned to the men at his back. “Gather as many as you can and we’l search the woods around the Chisholms’. It was the last place anyone had seen them. We’l need the torches,” he said, scanning familiar shad ows that now seemed sinister. He struggled to slow the pounding in his chest and gather his control before the others realized the panic that al but consumed him. Where are you, Aileanna? he silently asked, as though their bond was strong enough no words needed to be spoken. She would hear him, and lead him to her side. He could sense her before she came into a room, aware of her presence from a distance. Why then did he not feel her now?

He would not let himself consider the reason.

“What’s happened?” Cal um joined him as Fergus, Iain, and Aidan arrived with torches and more men. LORD OF THE ISLES

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“’Tis Aileanna. She’s missin’,” Rory said tightly. His anger at the man for leaving her with only Connor was tempered by his knowledge of Aileanna and how difficult she could be when her mind was made up. Cal um bel owed a curse. “I shouldna’ have listened to her. I didna’ want to leave her, but she seemed more concerned I keep watch over the MacLean after we crossed paths.”

“Crossed paths? Did he do somethin’ to make her feel he was a danger to her?” He heard Fergus and Iain mutter ing at his back.

“Nay, a few words is al , but his companions were unsa

vory, to say the least.”

“Bring MacLean to me,” Rory yel ed over his shoulder.

“The man is in his cups. Best we look fer yer lady now and have someone see to him while we’re aboot it,” his cousin suggested.

Aileanna’s and Connor’s names echoed in the stil ness of the damp night air. As they approached the Chisholms’, there was stil no sign of them, no answering response. Cal um and Aidan accompanied Rory to question Mau reen and Robert.

“Doona’ tel me she’s yet to be found?” Maureen placed a hand to her mouth, eyes wide with worry. Rory shook his head, watching as spheres of light danced in the smal copse of trees to the left of the cottage.

“Did she say where she was headed, Maureen?”

“Nay, I told her she’d be wastin’ her time seein’ to the others. A bunch of fools if ye ask me, and if one of them has done her harm . . . I’l . . .” Her soft brown eyes fil ed with tears.

Robert wrapped an arm around his wife and kissed the top of her head. “She’s verra fond of yer lady.”

“I ken she values yer friendship as wel , Maureen, and I 252

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thank you fer givin’ it to her.” He heard his brother cal out to him and cut his questioning short.

“Please tel us as soon as ye have word,” Maureen cal ed after him as he ran toward the woods.

“’Tis the wee stick we made fer her,” Cal um said as they approached Fergus and Iain, who held the piece of carved pine in his hand.

Rory’s heart pounded in a panicked rhythm at the grim expressions on the two men’s faces. “What is it?”

“Blood.” Fergus led them to the spot, shining his torch over the forest floor. Rory crouched by the patch of moss. He cut it away with his dagger and brought it to his nose to sniff, cursing when he smelt the al -too-familiar coppery scent.

“Anything else?” Dread crept into his soul and his voice.

Fergus lay a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Aye, lad, there’s signs of a struggle.” He waved his torch to a place deeper in the woods. “There were at least four of them. I’m thinkin’ Aileanna and Connor and two others. The ones who took them had horses.”

Terror for what might have happened to her nearly brought Rory to his knees until rage melted the icy tenta cles of fear and exploded inside of him. He would find Aileanna, and whoever had stolen her from him—was dead. Wound so tight he thought he would explode, Rory slammed his fist into a nearby tree.

“Ali’s strong, and verra canny. She’l get away from who

ever has her. She escaped the tower, didna’ she?” His brother tried to ease his worry, but beneath his encouraging words Rory sensed his fear as easily as he sensed his own.

“Fight, mo chridhe. Fight and I wil find you,” Rory murmured. He gave a curt nod to Iain, unable to say any thing. If he gave his rage free rein he would be no good to Aileanna.

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* * *

Cal um and Aidan brought Cyril to the hal as Rory re

quested. Sitting in a chair, the man’s head lol ed. Rory planted his foot on the edge of the seat and kicked it over.

“Sweet Jesu’, brother,” Iain gasped.

Rory ignored him and fisted a hand in the front of Cyril’s tunic. Lifting him from the floor, he dangled him in the air.