“That was too close. Propriety be damned, I am notletting you out of my sight until we arrive at NinestaneCastle.”
“Who were they?”
“The Burnetts think they were just outlaws.” Hecupped her face and looked into her eyes. “But you saw whathappened. I think they were afteryou, Tess.”
She shivered uncontrollably.
“If you feel strong enough, I’d like to get movingnow. If these bastards are watching us, which I assume they are,‘twill not take them long to realize you weren’t hurt or killed inthe attack. We won’t be caught in such an unprotected placeagain.”
“I am fine.” She mustered all of her strength, andtook another look at the dying bonfire that was once a cottage. “Ihave been given another chance. I don’t want to waste it.”
CHAPTER 16
Tired and cold from the falling rain, the travelersfirst saw the tower at twilight rising drearily above the brownRiver Tweed. Ninestane Castle, situated on a muddy pile of rock ata bend in the river, did not present a picture of hospitality inthe increasing gloom, and the impression only served to heightenTess’s anxiety.
They had ridden for so long and so hard that Tesscould not tell the difference between her legs and the saddle. Shewas soaked to the skin from the days of steady rain. She was tiredand hungry. But as determined as she was to get this meeting behindher, she reined in her horse on the last hill and looked at thescenery before her. The countryside was soggy and the ground brownand slick with mud. The tower, rising above the curtain wall, wasgray and forbidding.
Tess rubbed her hand across her stomach to ease thetight knot that had gripped her insides for days.
“How are you bearing up?” Colin asked, bringing hisown horse to a stop beside her.
“I don’t know.” She couldn’t tear her gaze away fromthe formidable structure. “I suppose I’m frightened.”
“She is your mother, Tess. How could she not loveyou?”
She frowned, realizing there were no excitement leftin her. Only apprehension.
“No battle cry has been sounded, and yet you arearmed and ready,” he told her with a smile. He ran a finger gentlyover her cheeks, brushing away the droplets of rain.
There were calls from the group that there wereriders from the castle approaching. Resigned to face what layahead, Tess rode beside Colin and was soon greeted by a largergroup of Burnetts. These people were no more cordial than the onesshe had been riding beside for what felt like an eternity. With anencouraging nod from Colin, she again pushed ahead.
As they passed through a small village huddledagainst the curtain wall of the castle, Tess couldn’t help butnotice the ramshackle condition of the houses. The threadbare groupof villagers they passed stood in the rain and gawked at Tess andColin and the Macphersons, surrounded by the Burnetts as if theywere a captured enemy. Tess looked into the thin, haggard faces,and she knew that she wasn’t going to like this David Burnett.
So much of what she saw here reminded Tess of whatshe’d seen in the faces of Lindsays. There was no doubt in her mindthat this same man must have been responsible for employing Flannanto manage Ravenie Castle and its holdings.
Urging her mount up the slippery mud path to thecastle, Tess’s distress continued to grow. Lady Evelyn had alwayscomplained of her husband and her life in the Highlands, and yetthis seemed infinitely worse.
There was so much of her mother that she needed tounderstand.
“Please stay close to me until we at least see LadyEvelyn.”
Colin obviously shared her concern. Tess nodded tohim and continued up the short hill to the drawbridge spanning thepit that surrounded the castle wall.
Inside the walls of the old fortress, she peeredabout nervously at what looked to be dozens of armed Burnettsstanding guard. Despite the rain, torches had been lit and thesmoky fires filled the confines of the small courtyard. Tesssuddenly felt smothered.
A set of wooden steps led from the muddy courtyardto the main entrance of the keep, and she and Colin brought theirhorses to a halt near it.
“I believe we have arrived.” Colin said brightly,obviously trying to ease the tension. Tess didn’t miss the way hissword sat loosely on his back, though, or the way the daggers athis belt and in his boot were close at hand. She knew, however,that there was not much the handful of them could do against thisarmy of men. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he helped herdown from the horse. Her feet sank up to her ankles in the mud.
Colin must have seen her first, and Tess followedthe direction of his gaze. The willowy woman stood just under theoverhang of the main entrance, her hands folded tightly at herwaist.
A feeling of joy rushed through Tess. Eleven yearsof separation meant nothing, and she was once again a young childhungry for her mother’s affection…and for her approval. Tess forcedherself to be dignified, though, and she started toward thesteps.
Despite the mantle of fur around her shoulders, LadyEvelyn was still as thin as Tess remembered her. She couldn’t seeher mother’s eyes or the expression on her face. She had to hold ahand above her face to block the rain to continue looking up at hermother.
“Welcome, Theresa Catherine. So you havefinallycome.” Something in the woman’s tone made Tess pausebefore taking the first step. It lacked any hint of joy, and therewas a waver in it that made Tess think that perhaps she was afraid.But afraid of what? Of Colin? Of Tess herself?
She stood for a moment and stared up at thewoman and then glanced at Colin, who was still waiting to berecognized.
