Chapter 6 C6

Finally they reached the next chamber. Dust flew and curled around her nose as they stepped within, and she had to squeeze her nostrils to keep from sneezing.

"Over here," the woman whispered in the darkness.

Mary followed the sound of her voice until she felt the chill emanating from the stone wall.

"God be with you," the serving woman said as she ushered Mary and Crispen into the small tunnel.

Mary stopped only long enough to squeeze her hand in a quick thank-you, and then she urged Crispen into the narrow passageway.

Each step sent a fresh wave of agony through Mary. She feared her ribs were broken, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.

They hurried through the darkness, Mary all but dragging Crispen behind her.

"Who goes there?"

Mary halted at the man's voice but remembered that the woman had said Fergus awaited them.

"Fergus?" she called softly. " 'Tis I, Mary Stewart."

"Come, Lady," he urged.

She rushed to the end and stepped onto the cold, damp ground, wincing when her bare feet made contact with rough pebbles. She gazed at their surroundings and saw that the bolt-hole exited the back of the keep where there was only a skirt between the keep and the hillside that jutted skyward.

Wordlessly, Fergus melted into the darkness, and Mary ran to catch up to him. They moved along the bottom of the hillside and headed for the dense population of trees at the perimeter of Duncan's holding.

A horse was tied to one of the trees, and Fergus quickly freed him, gathering the reins as he turned to Mary.

"I'll lift you up first and then the lad." He pointed into the distance. "That way is north. God be with you."

Without another word, he lifted her, all but tossing her into the saddle. Tears crushed her eyes and she doubled over, fighting unconsciousness.

Help me please, God.

Fergus lifted Crispen, who settled in front of her. She was glad he wasn't riding behind her because, God's truth, she needed something to hang on to.

"Can you manage the reins?" she whispered to Crispen as she leaned into him.

"I'll protect you," Crispen said fiercely. "Hold on to me, Mary. I'll take us home, I swear it."

She smiled at the determination in his voice. "I know you will."

Fergus gave the horse a slap, and it started forward. Mary bit her lip against the scream of pain that battled to erupt. She would never make it even a mile.

************

Alan Woods drew up his horse and held his fist up to halt his men. They'd ridden all morning, searching endless trails, tracking hoofprints to no avail. All were dead ends. He slid from the saddle and strode forward to view the disturbance in the soil. Kneeling, he touched the faint hoofprints and the flattened grass to the side. It looked as though someone took a fall from a horse. Recently.

He scanned the immediate area and saw a footprint in a patch of bare soil a few feet away, then lifted his gaze toward the area the person had headed. Slowly he rose, drew his sword, and motioned for his men to spread out and circle the area.

Carefully, he stepped through the trees, watching warily for any sign of ambush. He saw the horse first, grazing a short distance away, the reins hanging, the saddle askew. He frowned. Such disregard for the care of a horse was surely a sin.

A slight rustle to his right swung him around, and he found himself staring at a small woman, her back wedged against a huge tree. Her skirts jumped like she had a litter of kittens hidden underneath, and her wide blue eyes were full of fear-and fury.

Her long black hair hung in disarray to her waist, and it was then he noticed the colors of her tunic and the coat of arms embroidered at the hem.

Rage temporarily blinded him, and he advanced, his sword held in an arc over his head.

She flung an arm behind her, shoving something farther between her and the tree. Her skirts wriggled again, and it was then he realized she shielded a person. A child.

"Stay behind me," she hissed.

"But Mar-"

Alan froze. He knew that voice. His fingers shook, for the first time in his life his hand unsteady around the hilt. Hell would be a cold place indeed before he ever allowed a Cameron hand on his kin.

With a snarl of rage, he charged forward, grasped the woman by the shoulder, and hurled her aside. Crispen stood against the tree, his mouth open. Then he saw Alan and all but leapt into his arms.

The sword fell to the ground-another sin of neglect-but in that moment Alan didn't care. Sweet relief staggered him.

"Crispen," he said hoarsely, as he hugged the boy to him.

A shriek of rage assaulted his ears just as he was hit by a flying bundle of woman. So surprised was he, that he stumbled backward, his hold on Crispen loosening.

She wedged herself between him and Crispen and landed a knee to his groin. He doubled over, cursing as agony washed over him. He fell to one knee and grabbed his sword just as he whistled for his men. The woman was demented.

Through the haze of pain, he saw her grab a resisting Crispen and try to run. Several things happened at once. Two of his men stepped in front of her. She halted, causing Crispen to slam into her back. When she started in the opposite direction, Gannon raised his arm to stop her.

To Alan's astonishment, she swiveled, grabbed Crispen, and fell to the ground, her body huddled protectively over him.

Gannon and Cormac froze and looked to Alan just as the rest of his men burst through the trees.

To further confuse the hell out of all of them, Crispen finally wiggled out from underneath her and threw himself on top of her, scowling ferociously the entire time at Gannon.

"Don't you hit her!" he bellowed.

Every one of his men blinked in surprise at Crispen's ferocity.

"Lad, I wasn't going to hit the lass," Gannon said. "I was trying to prevent her from fleeing. With you. God's teeth, we've been searching for you for days. The laird is worried sick over you."

Alan strode over to Crispen and plucked him off the huddled woman. When he reached down to haul her upright, Crispen exploded again, shoving him back.

Alan stared at his nephew with an open mouth.

"Don't touch her," Crispen said. "She's badly hurt, Uncle Alan."

Crispen chewed his bottom lip, and it looked for the world like the lad was going to break down and cry. Whoever the woman was, it was obvious Crispen didn't fear her.