The only thing the rumors had in common was that Ewan had killed Kieran.
Personally, she didn’t believe those tales for one reason and one reason only. Had Ewan MacAllister taken the life of his older brother, his other brothers wouldn’t be so close to him now. Nor would they rally to his defense when others spoke harshly of him.
Everyone with an ounce of Scots in them knew the one law that governed the MacAllister clan. To threaten one brother was to threaten them all.
A kinship such as theirs would never tolerate, let alone protect Ewan if he were guilty of killing Kieran.
And so she’d bet her life on her reasoning.
Luckily, so far she’d been right.
Ewan led her to a small stable that she hadn’t noticed on her arrival. Hidden behind a copse of trees, it had a good-sized corral that was bordered by the mountain on all but one side of it.
She glanced around with a frown. She’d left her maid and one of her father’s retainers waiting here along with her mare. Now only her horse was still present.
The other two people and horses were nowhere to be seen.
“Agnes? David?” she called, looking about for them.
Ewan scowled. “What are you doing?”
“My maid and one of my father’s men were here. I left them to travel alone to your...home.”
“Your father’s man allowed that?”
“Well, aye. He didn’t question it when I said I would go up to your cave alone.” Fear and concern knotted her stomach. “You don’t think anything happened to them, do you?”
Before he could answer, she caught sight of a folded piece of parchment tied to her saddle by a red ribbon.
Curious, she went over to it and pulled it free. She opened the letter and read it.
Nora stared at the words in disbelief.
Ewan slowly approached her. “What is it?”
“They have abandoned me,” she said quietly.
How could they have done such a thing?
Nora was completely aghast. “It says that since they delivered me into your capable hands, they decided it would be best for them to return home before someone missed them and thought they were part of my conspiracy.”
Ewan let out a disgusted sigh. “‘Tis a good thing I was here then, otherwise you would have been left to your own defenses. Were I your father, I’d have some of that man’s skin for his carelessness.”
Spoken like a less than refined gentleman. True, David should have ascertained her welfare before leaving. Still, it didn’t warrant a harsh beating.
David had always been a faithful servant to both her and her father. It didn’t make sense that he would leave without verifying her well-being.
Why had he done such a thing?
Turning his back to her,Ewan whistled for his horse and to her amazement, the beast obeyed. It trotted over to him and gave a gentle nudge to his shoulder.
He clucked his tongue at the horse and patted it gently on the nose. “Hi there, laddie,” he said softly. “You ready for a ride?”
The horse nickered, then butted Ewan’s shoulder affectionately once more.
Without a word to her, Ewan released his horse and made his way into the small barn.
She followed behind him curiously.
