"Aye, Grant overheard Alec Lindsay discussingtheir early departure with one of his guards."
If that was the game Alec wished to play, thebastard would regret it. Dugald turned to Owen and Rufus. "Tell allthe men to go to the livery stables and saddle the horsesquickly."
"Chief?" In unison, they frowned at him.
"Just do it." After grabbing his baldric andsword, Dugald rushed down the stairs and outside.
Morning was just starting to dawn as heslipped around the inn and into the side servants' entrance. Though'twas difficult for a man of his tall size, he moved stealthily upthe stone staircase and along the corridor where the guest roomswere. 'Haps he was daft to kidnap his own sister, but if Alec wouldnot return his treasure, he would take Alec's. 'Twas the onlyleverage he had. Aye, his sister would be angry, but if Alec wastruly a whoreson and thief, why would his sister wish to marryhim?
When a door opened, he hid in the windowalcove behind the drapery.
"The chief wishes you to hurry, LadyLindsay," the soft female voice urged. "He sent me to fetchyou."
Lady Lindsay?Dugald frowned andpeered from behind the plaid material and down the corridor. All hecould see was a drab-clothed maid waiting before an open door, thenshe disappeared inside. More maids rushed out of the room, carryingvarious small trunks. He drew back and watched them trot down thestairwell. Aye, obviously the whole of the Lindsay party was in anunnatural rush, all because Alec and Angus wished to escape withDugald's dagger. Thieves and cowards, the lot of them.
He peered out from behind the curtain again.Though the corridor was dim in the dawn light, he could easily seethe short, blond woman, wearing a dark cloak with the cowl over hersilk gown. Lady Lindsay, herself. Saints, she would be even betterleverage than Mairiana! Of a certainty, the chief would want herback, and he would find the thief with all haste in order to returnthe dagger. Dugald's muscles tensed as she walked past his hidingplace. Now was his chance.
Silently approaching Lady Lindsay frombehind, Dugald gently but firmly clamped his hand over her mouth,lifted her and carried her quickly down the narrow servants' stairstoward the side exit. Amid muffled screams, she kicked and elbowedhim. What a fiery hellion! Though he hated to terrify her and useher for leverage, he had little choice.
"Stay calm," he whispered in her ear,anticipation rampaging through him. "I won't hurt you." He glancedbehind himself. Thank the saints no one was about.
Once outside, he ran with her, along the sideof the inn and across the street to the livery stables where hisclan's horses were saddled and waiting. She was a wee, light thingbut she struggled hard, her elbows jabbing into him.
"Come." He motioned some of his men behindthe tavern next door.
"Chief?" Owen asked, wide-eyed as he took inDugald's captive. "What the devil?"
"Help me with her. Tie a gag in her mouth,"Dugald demanded, his heartrate and breathing elevated. "But don'thurt her."
"Are you certain this is wise?"
"I don't need you acting like Tòmas," hesnapped. "This is the only way to get the dagger back."
"Is she Chief Lindsay's wife?" Bradenasked.
"Aye. You and Mason stay behind," Dugaldsaid. "Braden, scribe a missive to Chief Lindsay, telling him Ihave his wife. She will come to no harm if he will return my rubydagger to Rornoch Castle. He is to only bring ten men or less withhim. Once you leave the missive, head home as soon as you can.Don't get yourselves captured."
***
Sacrebleu!He was theHighlander—Dugald—Camille had seen in the inn's common room twodays before. 'Twas true, he was a brute, as his sister hadstated.
Why in hades was he kidnapping her? Camillewas no chief's wife!
On the muddy ground, the men held her tightlyin place. One of the Highlanders tied a gag in her mouth, whileanother bound her hands in front. Panic gripping her throat, shestruggled against them, turning this way and that. 'Twas the samestark terror she'd felt when some knave had snatched her off thestreet in London the year before. But Angelique was not with her toshoot her abductor this time.
Camille would have to gain her freedomherself. What other choice did she have? If she could survive allshe'd endured in the past two years, surely she could fight her wayout of Dugald's grasp.
Damn him and his minions! No matter how hardshe struggled, she could not twist from the grip of their stronghands. Holding a rope, Dugald bent toward her ankles. Seeing theopening, she kicked at his face and her toe smashed against hisregal nose.
"Damnation!" he growled, lurching upright andwiping at his bloody nose. His glare burned through her. "Hold herankles."
A sudden wild urge to laugh in his facestruck her, but that was impossible with a gag in place. Baring herteeth, she screamed and yelled but the sounds came out muffled.
The proud laird dabbed at his bleeding nosewith a handkerchief. At least now he knew she was no helplesslittle lady.
Despite her best efforts to break two morenoses with well-placed kicks, the men finally tied her anklestogether.
"Damn you!" she tried to yell, but the wordsonly emerged as a blunted moan.
