Chapter Fifteen
Kristina gasped and covered her eyes with both hands as tears welled. Had that burst of light been real or in her imagination only?
"What is it?" Maili asked urgently.
Kristina lowered her hands, blinking away the burning tears, but the light was gone. Only darkness surrounded her again. "A brief flash of light."
"In truth? Maybe 'tis a sign." Maili moved to the bed beside her. "Let me see if I pick up anything for you." After holding both her hands for a few seconds, Maili said, with a smile in her voice, "Oh, you and Colin share a magnificent and special love."
Kristina's whole body flushed as conflicting emotions swirled within her—joy for the love but sadness because she could not grasp hold of it.
"You ken this, do you not?" Maili released her hands.
Kristina nodded, blinking back tears.
"Why do you cry?"
"I want my eyesight back more than anything, for then I could…" She snapped her mouth closed. Even though Maili was a new friend, mayhap Kristina was saying too much. Did she really want everyone to know the situation with her and Colin?
"Aye, go on," Maili urged.
"Anna knows this, but no one else. Do you promise to keep it a secret?"
"Of course. I consider you a sister also, just as I do Anna."
"I appreciate that." Kristina blotted at the renewed tears that threatened because of Maili's kindness. "Well, the truth is… Colin asked me to marry him—"
Maili gasped, then giggled. "Oh, that's wonderful."
Kristina held up her hand. "I have not finished. 'Twould be my fondest wish to marry him, but I refuse to do so without my sight."
***
On horseback, Colin, Bryce and ten of their clansmen followed the tracking dog, a small terrier. The dog took a meandering path through the leaves and pine needles, his nose to the ground. Colin had cut off a piece of the prisoner's doublet sleeve for the dog to sniff occasionally. But there was a good chance it wouldn't work, for the other men in the gang might not smell like the archer. He hoped their scents were somewhat alike since they were accomplices. Aside from that, it had rained the previous night, which had likely destroyed any scent left on the leaves or ground.
Although Colin had spent several hours by his father's bedside the night before, he could not sit still during the day. All the waiting and wondering drove him mad. Besides, he had to find the bastards responsible.
Much as he would love to capture the group of outlaws, especially their leader, even this victory would not help his father recover. Only God could help him now.
This morn, Da had shown no improvement, nor did he appear to be any worse. Deidra continued to apply the poultices and do all she could for him.
Once Colin had fully explained to the healer that if the injured archer died, they might never find the man behind his father's ambush, she had agreed to help him. She'd removed the arrow from his thigh, stitched him up and applied a poultice. Her helper had given him a cup of tea to ease the pain and help him sleep. But the man had been out of his mind with fever this morn. His recovery was uncertain. Even during his moments of awareness, he had not revealed any names or information that would help Colin find the rest of the outlaws.
Now, Colin observed the gray terrier as it trotted through the wood. Something shining brightly on the ground in a small patch of sunlight caught Colin's attention.
"What is that?" After riding closer, he leapt down from his horse and picked up the gleaming object—a golden earring, the sort that dangled, coin shaped with an embossed flower and a small red stone in the center. Kristina's earring!
"Saints!" he hissed.
"What is it?" Bryce dismounted and moved closer to see what lay in his palm.
"I think this is Lady Kristina's earring. Damnation! That means…" Colin's chest felt crushed of a sudden. "Red Holme." He'd stolen Kristina's earrings from the pouch.
Cursing, Colin shoved his hand through his mussed hair and stared toward the heavens, feeling as if a spear had gutted him. "Red Holme shot Da."
Colin glanced around the wood, seeing no one, then muttered a curse. Why had he not sent a missive to his father warning him Holme—or rather MacKillican—was back? He had not considered that the bastard would come to Rhodie. Colin had assumed he would lurk at Bearach and continue trying to kill him or to capture Kristina again.
"Red Holme?" Bryce frowned. "Who's that?"
