A hundred feet or so away, Lachlan and hismen stopped and he murmured instructions to them which she couldnot hear.
"Laird Lachlan!" she called out andwaved.
"Release the lass at once!" Lachlan demanded."Or suffer the consequences!"
Chapter Eleven
"Non!Wait!" Camille yelled to Lachlanacross the moor, praying he wouldn't attack Dugald and his smallergarrison. "I'll go talk to Lachlan to tell him of thesituation."
"I'll go with you," Dugald said.
"Non, let me." She did not want thetwo warriors going at each other.
"Are you certain he won't harm you?"
"Of course. I live in his home. He is a goodman."
Dugald narrowed his eyes, glaring across themeadow at the Drummagans, but remained in place.
Camille urged her mare forward, while Lachlanrode out to meet her a short distance from his men. Although he wasa good-natured chief who smiled often, Lachlan now wore hisfearsome warrior frown.
"What the devil is going on, Camille?" heasked, his glower at Dugald just as caustic and cutting as Dugald'shad been.
"It is a long story, m'laird." And she didnot want him to know the whole of it.
"Did that man kidnap you?"
Camille hesitated, but found she could notlie to him. "Oui, but he is not a bad man."
Lachlan's scowl grew more ominous. "Don'texpect me to believe that. What is his name?"
Sighing, she wished Angelique were here tocalm Lachlan down. "Dugald MacKerrick. He is a chief. Promise meyou will not harm him."
"Why should I not? He took you hostage."
"It was a mistake. He thought I was someoneelse, and he's bringing me home. That's where we're headed."
Lachlan's jaw hardened, his glare sharpeningon Dugald in the distance. "He sounds like an outlaw and a brigandto me."
"Truly, he is not. We've become… friends."Heat rushed over Camille for she would hate for Lachlan to know oftheir true association.
He eyed her as if she were mad. "Did he takeadvantage of you? Did he force you?"
"Of course not. He treated me withrespect."
Lachlan considered her for a long moment, hisamber-colored eyes searching her face for the truth. "Very well,then. I'll let them live. And I'm taking you home. I brought ahorse for you to ride. Angelique is mad with worry for you, as wasI. You're like a sister to me. Angelique does not need to fash nowthat the bairn is almost due."
"Oui, I agree." Sudden concern for hercousin struck Camille. "I'm ready to go back to Draughon. But Imust tell Dugald good-bye."
Lachlan gave a brief nod and rejoined hismen. Camille rode back to Dugald. His scowl said his mood had gonefrom bad to worse.
"'Tis as I suspected," she told him. "Lachlanand his men were searching for me. He wishes to take me back toDraughon. My cousin is sick with fear for me and almost ready todeliver her babe. I must be with her."
Frowning, Dugald nodded. "'Tisunderstandable."
She searched his troubled eyes, wishing shecould read his thoughts. Wishing he would say more.
Horse's hooves thumped behind her. She turnedto see one of the Drummagan clansmen leading a saddled white horsetoward her, one of Angelique's prized mares that Lachlan had givenher as a wedding gift.
