Holme picked her up and carried her across this chamber of the cave, then again dragged her along the slightly taller passage. She heard no one. Were any of Colin's men around? She again attempted to scream and yell, but the only sounds she could utter were loud moans. Not loud enough to carry very far.
Holme picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and slapped her derriere. "Be quiet."
She wanted to call him every vile name she could think of.
He carried her out into the fresh air that smelled of pines. She heard no sounds other than the wind hissing through pine needles, distant bird calls, and a few rocks clattering beneath his feet.
She beat her bound fists against his back, but he kept walking, very briskly, and it seemed he was climbing a hill or mountain. Every time she hit his back, he gave her arse another stinging slap. Tears of frustration dripping from her eyes, she dropped still.
Where was Colin? Had he drowned?Dear God, please keep Colin alive and protect him!
***
"Rusty! Come quick!" Warton's gruff voice yelled the words as Colin became aware. He felt like a numb block of ice being dragged by the arms, face down. He couldn't draw breath.
He gasped violently.
Water gushed up from his lungs and poured out his mouth. His body convulsed into a coughing fit.
Warton lowered him to the ground. "What happened, sir?"
Shivering, Colin coughed a few more times and gulped great breaths of air into his stinging lungs. Kristina popped into his mind, and fear for her racked his body.
"Kristina!" he roared then shoved to his feet. "Holme is in the cave with her."
"Damnation!" Warton's eyes widened. "Can you walk?"
"Aye. Go! We must stop him from capturing her!"
Warton ran up the hill, yelling for Rusty and the others. Colin followed but after a few yards started coughing again. Stopping, hands on his knees, he rested for a moment, breathing deep. Thank the saints Warton had pulled him from the river. After gaining enough breath, he climbed the hill, although at a slower pace than Warton.
At the cave, he went inside, finding Warton waiting by the passage. "Ethan is checking the other two chambers."
Colin bent and progressed through the passage to the second chamber. 'Twas still near dark as midnight in here. "Kristina?" he yelled.
He heard Ethan crawling along the narrower passage from the third chamber, weapons clanging against the stone. "No one is in there, sir."
"Hell! He took her."
"I found your plaid and weapons." Ethan handed him the items.
"I'm glad. I'll need them." It sickened him anew that Kristina couldn't use his plaid at the moment. Was she cold? In pain? Had Holme hurt her?
They quickly made their way back to the mouth of the cave. Colin sheathed his weapons and belted his plaid into place. 'Twas filthy with the dirt from the cave, but he didn't care.
"Holme wouldn't have thrown her in the river, would he?" Warton asked. "I didn't see her."
Colin shook his head. "Nay. The bastard's abducted her."
"Up here!" Rusty called from near the top of the rocky hill. "I heard the lady trying to cry out."
"Damnation. That bastard best not hurt her," Colin growled.
They ran up the hill toward Rusty, and Lawrie joined them.
"What did you hear?" Colin asked.
He pointed. "I was a short distance down there when I heard a moaning sound from up here and rocks clattering. I followed the sound, but didn't see her."
