Chapter Twenty-One
Annista had no desire to leave Bonnie, any more than she wanted to let Tempest out of her sight. But another of the maids came to sit with the lass and seemed inclined to provide much-needed company. Tucked into Annista’s own bed, Bonnie had calmed, though the handprint Evan had dealt her stood out on her cheek like a brand.
“Do no’ leave her, please,” Annista asked the maid, Cora.
A young woman surely close to Bonnie in age, Cora nodded soberly. “I will no’ but, Mistress, where will ye be?”
“Searching, like the others.”
“Och, Mistress, I beg ye, nay. ’Tis no’ wise.”
“I ken that fine.” Yet Annista felt driven. It was as if some intent deep inside, one perhaps as old as womanhood, bade her hunt down the source of the danger. Eliminate it.
“Only stay wi’ Bonnie,” she told the woman before catching up her cloak and leaving the chamber.
The house seemed strangely quiet, all the footmen gone, Earl MacKallan out with his men, searching. Mistress MacKallan must be in the solar. Annista did not go there.
Two of the kitchen maids did peek out at her as she exited through the back door. Dawn was just grasping the sky and the yard stood empty—only a light on in the stable. Everyone gone.
It occurred to Annista that if Evan returned now, he could do as he wished. Murder his mother, his horse. Finish with Bonnie and Annista herself. Perhaps she should stay to protect them. Could she?
Perhaps. Yet that inner drive pushed at her, relentless. She wished she had a mount. Alan would have taken Chieftain.
And she needed to find Alan.
It was that conviction that took her off, moving northward, following the same path upon which he had taken her previously. Over the field past the courtyard. Through the woodland which rattled in the dawn wind and awakened with life. To the great upland beyond.
She had her knife in her pocket and fingered the handle as she went. Could she overpower Evan if she had to? Likely not. But if it came down to a matter of life or death—
She would do as she must.
****
The sneer on Evan’s face was both a taunt and an insult. Despite what had happened up in his chamber, he did not fear what Alan might hand out to him now, certain he would win.
Indeed, Alan thought again as he raised his own fists, Evan had been sotted when they’d faced off in his chamber. Not so much now. He looked prepared to fight.
Something he enjoyed full well.
Alan could not lose this contest. He could not.
The place where they stood was wild—naught but a narrow track that led nowhere, the beauty of the land Alan loved all around. Did Evan love it too? Or did he just need to grasp? To hold?
Despite his promise, Evan swung first and Alan ducked under the blow. Well that he did, since it was a roundhouse with all Evan’s power behind it and might have laid Alan flat. He danced away before coming in with a blow to the side of Evan’s head. One that should have felled the man.
It did not, merely rocked him a bit where he stood, and Alan’s stomach clenched. This would not be easy.
Evan shook his head like an angry bull and Alan got in another blow to his jaw before ducking away again. Chieftain, spooked by the sudden furor, had moved off, the sole observer to this most primeval of contests.
And primeval it was. They traded blows, for though Alan was faster than his brother, Evan did manage to land fist to flesh, including a blow that took Alan to his knees. He rose again just in time to avoid a kick from Evan’s heavily booted foot.
No clean fight, this—at least not on Evan’s part. Thinking back on it later, Alan supposed he should have expected that. Evan never fought fair. Why suppose he would begin now?
But he was not thinking, not truly, merely answering the inner urge that told him he had to best his brother now, if any of them hoped to have a future. He went at it determinedly, landing blows to head, face, and torso. Blows that began to tell, as Evan’s returning strikes grew weaker and he began to wobble on the stumps of his legs.
Instinct it was that told Alan a punch to the throat would take his brother down. Evan’s features had gone slack and it seemed he handed out punishment by rote now.
But as Alan prepared to land his final blow, Evan’s gaze met his and Alan saw something there.
