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Aulay glanced around in time to see Jetta nod solemnly and settle on the plaid to wait patiently.
"What do you think is about?" Rory asked, moving up beside him.
"I'm no' sure," Aulay admitted. "Trouble, probably. But there is only one man, so hopefully it is no' too terribly serious trouble."
"Hopefully," Rory agreed dryly and then fell silent until the rider had reached them.
"M'laird," Simon said in greeting as he reined in. "I went to the lodge and Mavis said ye were here."
"Aye," Aulay responded. "What's amiss, Simon?"
"Yer uncle sent me to fetch Rory," Simon said almost apologetically. "Young Katie was shot with an arrow and needs tending."
"Katie the maid?" Aulay asked with surprise.
"Aye," Simon said grimly.
"I'll fetch me horse," Rory said at once and turned to hurry back to where their horses waited.
"What happened?" Aulay asked. "How did a maid take an arrow? Was it an accident in the practice yard?"
Simon shook his head. "From what I understand, she was out collecting fresh lavender to mix in with the rushes. Laird Geordie came across her on his return to Buchanan from that task ye sent he and Conran on and offered her a ride to the keep. She was seated behind him on the horse and was hit in the back."
Aulay frowned. He knew Geordie had been frolicking with the lass of late and would be upset at this turn of events.
"Who shot her?" he asked. "Was it a hunting arrow gone astray, or--?"
"I do no' ken, m'laird," Simon admitted unhappily. "I'm sure yer uncle is looking into that, but as soon as Katie was brought in, he sent me to fetch Rory."
Aulay nodded and turned to glance at his brother as Rory leapt on his horse and rode him quickly back to them. "All set?"
"Aye. Fortunately, I brought me medicinals with me today just in case the outing was too much fer Jetta," Rory said, patting the bag hanging from his saddle. He glanced toward the beach then, and said, "Mayhap ye and Jetta should return with me. Simon could go fetch Mavis and follow us."
Aulay seriously considered doing that, but then shook his head. "We would just slow ye down. Besides, the lass has no clothes to wear."
"Oh aye," Rory said, but instead of leaving, just sat there frowning.
"I promise she is safe with me," Aulay said solemnly. "I will no' take advantage o' her while ye're gone."
Sighing, Rory nodded and waited as Simon urged his horse to walk around Aulay and return to the path heading back the way he'd come. "Send for me if Jetta has a setback or ye need me."
"Aye. Safe journey," Aulay murmured and watched his brother follow Simon up the trail. Once the two men were out of sight, he returned to Jetta. Much to his surprise, she was already packing away the food. By the time he reached her, she'd finished with that and moved on to gathering the plaid Rory had laid out for them to sit on for their picnic.
"We need not leave right away if ye wish a walk or something," he said mildly as he reached her.
Jetta paused and peered at him with surprise. "I assumed something was wrong at Buchanan and you were needed."
Aulay shook his head. "Rory is the one who was needed. One o' the maids took a stray arrow in the back while outside the gates. Uncle Acair sent for Rory to tend her."
"Oh, the poor thing," Jetta said with a frown as she began to fold the plaid. "Arrows can be so difficult to remove. Pulling them back out the way they went in can do more damage than the initial injury. I found 'tis often better to snap off the end with the fletching and push the arrow through and out if possible, but if 'tis in her back . . ." She shook her head. "You can kill them trying to save them."
Aulay raised an eyebrow as he watched her fold the plaid in half and then in half again. "So ye've tended many arrow wounds."
"Aye, well, my mother taught my sister and me all she knew about healing ere she died and . . ." Jetta paused and blinked in surprise, the plaid held in her hand, folded into a fourth of its original size. Eyes wide with wonder, she whispered, "I have a sister."
"Do ye remember her name?" Aulay asked.
"I . . ." She narrowed her gaze in concentration as she tried to recall.
"If trying to remember causes ye pain, stop at once," he said with concern. "I just hoped mayhap ye'd remembered her name as ye thought on her and yer mother."
"Nay," she said on a sigh, but then brightened and smiled at him. "But you know her name and can tell me."
Aulay froze briefly, but then made himself relax and shook his head. "Ye ken Rory thought it best if ye remember things on yer own."
"Oh aye," Jetta said on a sigh and then argued, "But I do remember I have a sister. You would only be telling me her actual name."
Aulay looked away and struggled briefly with his conscience. He couldn't tell Jetta her sister's name. He didn't know it, and that was what he was struggling with. He wanted to be honest with her and tell her that he didn't know. Yet, he didn't want to tell her that, and not just because Rory thought it better she not be distressed. He also didn't want to tell her because then he would have to admit they were not married and the moment he did, he feared she would wish to leave him . . . and he didn't want to lose her.
Taking the folded blanket from her, Aulay bent and picked up the basket with the remains of their meal and murmured, "We should return to the lodge."
Jetta looked disappointed, but nodded solemnly. "The sun has gone anyway. It looks like a storm is coming."
Aulay glanced skyward to see that she was right. Storm clouds were rolling across the sky, quickly blocking out the sunlight. The day was growing chilly and by his estimation they'd be lucky to make it off the beach before the clouds opened up and dropped rain on them. Laying the plaid on the basket, Aulay carried it in one hand and with his other hand took Jetta's arm and walked her as swiftly as he dared to his horse. He would have liked to move at a jog or even a run, but walking through the shifting sands was hard work and the lass was just fresh from her sickbed.
He wasn't terribly surprised when the rain started just as they reached his mount. Aulay was surprised, however, at how hard the downpour was. Cursing, he reached for the plaid he'd set on top of the basket, and then glanced around with dismay when he saw that it was missing. Spotting it back by where they'd started, he realized it must have fallen off the basket the moment they started to walk. He almost retrieved it, but then just left it. He'd hoped to drape it over Jetta to keep her as dry as possible, but by the time he got to the plaid and back she'd no doubt be drenched through anyway, so he left it where it lay and simply handed her the basket so that he could mount. Aulay then leaned down to catch Jetta under the arms and
lifted her up before him, basket and all.
The ride back was made much faster than the ride out had been. Probably faster than it should have been even. Aulay knew he should ride with more care. A horse could lose its footing in such a storm, but Jetta had been sick for so long and was still weak enough that he was concerned getting caught out like this might set back her healing. He wanted desperately to get her back to the lodge, out of her wet clothes and in front of a nice fire as quickly as he could. He did his best to shelter Jetta with his body as they rode, but it was a futile effort and they were both soaked through by the time he reined in his mount in front of the lodge.
Scooping her up into his arms, Aulay dropped off his mount and then carried her to the door of the lodge. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to reach out and open it for him, since his hands were full. He was able to carry her straight in. Setting her down, Aulay glanced around the main floor with a scowl. Not seeing Mavis anywhere around, and not wishing Jetta to try to take the stairs on her own, he suggested she warm herself by the cooking stove and then hurried back out to tend to his horse.
The beast was huffing and stamping his feet in the pouring rain, obviously not happy at being stuck in it. He followed eagerly when Aulay caught his reins and jogged to the small stables. Both of them were relieved to be out of the storm once in the small building. As worried as he was about Jetta, Aulay did not neglect his mount. He took the time to remove his saddle and dry the beast down before putting him in his stall.
Moving to the stable doors then, Aulay opened one and paused briefly in surprise when he saw that the storm had moved on. Thunder was still vibrating overhead, and he could see shafts of lightning in the distance, but the rain itself had died or now continued elsewhere. Releasing a relieved breath, he stepped outside and closed the stable doors, then headed for the lodge.
