"Och. I can get naught past you, can I?"
"Nay." She gave a wee half smile.
"Well, I was just thinking how graceful you are at eating, even though you cannot see."
"I've had a lot of practice." She picked up a piece of the venison and bit it in half.
A commotion began among the three guards at the entry, then one of them rushed toward the high table. "Chief," he addressed Neacal in a lower tone. "We found one of Blackburn's men lurking about in the wood.
Could it be Red Holme? Colin shoved up from his chair, ready to go choke the bastard.
"Where is he now?" Neacal asked.
"In the courtyard. We have him bound. Do you want us to put him in the dungeon?"
"Did he tell you his name?"
"Aye. Ralston."
"Ralston?" Kristina piped up, her brow furrowed in concern. "Is he injured?"
The guard looked at her in surprise.
Neacal sent a questioning glance at Colin.
"He was her guard on the journey here, and treated her well. Right, Lady Kristina?" Colin asked.
"Aye, he is a good man. I pray no one has harmed him."
"He's well enough, 'haps a few wee cuts and bruises," the guard said. "And he did ask about you, m'lady."
Colin frowned. Why? Had the guard come back for her?
"Put him in a holding cell, remove the bindings and give him fresh bread and water," Neacal said. "I'll question him in a short while."
"Aye, chief." The guard bowed and strode away.
Colin sat down again, disappointed that Red Holme was not apprehended.
Kristina turned to him. "I must speak to Ralston. He is not a bad person."
"I will go with Neacal to question him first. If he seems safe, then mayhap you can speak to him, but I make no promises."
"Very well." Kristina continued to look unsettled. She turned to her sister. "Do you think Tavia would check on him to see if he's injured?"
Colin listened in closely while sipping his ale.
"What do you know about this man?" Anna asked. "He didn't work for Blackburn two years ago, before we ran away."
"Nay. He was hired later. I know very little about him. Just that Blackburn assigned him to guard me on the way here. He got into a fight with Red Holme while protecting me."
Maybe the man wasn't terrible but… was he in love with Kristina? Why else would he risk returning for her after such a terrible battle when most of his comrades had been killed?
***
After supper was finished, Colin followed Neacal down the steps into the dungeon. Two guards, carrying torches, accompanied them. The smoke from the torches couldn't cover the dank, musty smell of the dungeon. At the bottom of the steps, they halted before the holding cell.
The man inside stood and approached the bars. He looked to be in his early twenties but, at the same time, burly and muscular.
