“It changes nothing. I have to try.”
“I thought you’d say that.” Braden sighed. “Can I add another thorn to your bramble bush, then?”
Maggie froze at his words, terrified of what he might say. Every time he got that look on his face, he tossed another formidable obstacle at her. And right now, she was tired of hurdling them. “What?”
“If you women don’t give up by the week’s end, the men will kill Lochlan and storm the kirk.”
Her jaw dropped at his words. Surely, he was jesting, but the sincere light in his eyes told her he spoke the truth. “What?”
“It’s true. Lochlan is at the castle even as we speak, tied to a chair.”
If the situation weren’t so dire, she’d laugh at the image in her head. But this wasn’t funny. Not in the least.
“Och, you men!” she snapped, angered over the thought of what they had done.
“Hate us if you must, but I canna let my brother die any more than you can.”
“Nay, and I couldn’t live with myself if they killed him.” Leaning her head back, Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head. She was weary and tired and frustrated.
When had things gotten so complicated?
Well, it didn’t change anything. It just gave her less time to work a miracle. And by God’s will, she would have her miracle. Or die in that effort.
At least four days gave her time to reach the MacDouglas.
She hoped.
“Here, take this.” She pulled the ring from her little finger that her father had given her on her tenth birthday. It was a thin gold band that had the impression of tiny wild flowers on it. All the women of the clan knew it to be hers and in her absence, they would know it spoke for her.
“At week’s end, give my ring to Pegeen and tell her to take the women home.”
Braden held the gold band in his hand. Her warmth still clung to the metal. It was such a tiny piece of jewelry, so frail and delicate, yet at the same time strong and unbending. It reminded him much of its owner.
He remembered a time, long ago, when he and Maggie had been friends. When she had actually saved him from being ambushed by a group of the clanswomen who had been lying in wait to mob him on his way to her house. Honestly, he couldn’t remember a time in his life when he hadn’t known her and her stubbornness.
He’d never before thought about just how much of his past she was. Not until he thought of her marching off to the MacDouglas and getting herself killed.
For some reason, the thought of her death stung him far more deeply than it should.
Braden handed the ring back to her. “Do you honestly think I’m going to stay behind and let you brave the MacDouglas on your own?”
“Of course. They would be suspicious of a man they didn’t know, but a woman?—”
“Would stand out mightily, since all of their women are in hiding. Is that not right?”
Maggie opened her mouth to speak, then snapped her jaw shut. She’d forgotten all about that. Her journey to MacDouglas lands wouldn’t be so easy this time. They would be suspicious of any stranger, and as a lone woman in their midst while their own women were shunning them...
It didn’t bear thinking on.
“And might I point out that if they ever figure out who you are, your life will be worthless. No doubt, they all know your name by now and curse it with every breath they take.”
“Very good points.” Her mind whirled as she sought to think of an alternative.
There wasn’t one.
She would merely have to alter her original plan of reaching the MacDouglas. “I shall have to dress as a lad, then.”
“A lad would never be traveling alone. You’ll need someone to go with you.”
