I might love her.He squeezed his eyes shut and muttered a curse beneath his breath. Having never experienced the emotion before, he knew not what love was. He was like a blind man blundering through a forest, stumbling over rocks and fallen trees. He hoped he didn't happen upon a bog or river and drown… figuratively speaking, of course.
Frowning, he recalled that he still didn't understand the secrets he glimpsed lurking in her eyes sometimes. AtDraughon, he would try to uncover them. And after he broke the betrothal to Lady Elena, he might consider…Nay, don't even think it.He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose. He was not yet ready for marriage, was he?
Too antsy to remain still, he shoved himself to his feet and strode outside. After he relieved himself behind the bushes, he washed his hands and face in the icy stream, then checked on Devil, grazing with the rest of the horses and two of the guards watching over them.
After speaking to the two men, he drew the cool morning air deeply into his lungs, trying to dispel the damnable raw emotions churning within his chest. Was this what Lachlan had experienced when he'd married Angelique, and then Dirk when he'd tried to keep away from Isobel after he'd rescued her? Damnation, no wonder they'd been grumpy and temperamentalarses.
After breaking their fast on the day-old bannocks, Rebbie and their whole party quickly mounted and headed south again. Calla was withdrawn and quiet, and his irritable father looked as if he'd gotten little sleep on the hard-packed floor of the ruin.'Twasobvious they all simply wanted the trip over with. Rebbie knew he did.
When a light rain started an hour later, it only added to their misery. But at least their wool plaids and Calla's wool cloak would shed some of the water. Getting wet wouldn't affect him much, but Calla might not be as used to it. He hoped she didn’t catch anague.
The closer they rode toDraughonVillage, the tenser he became, expecting Claybourne and his men to leap from the wood on either side of the trail and attempt to snatch Calla away from him. He didn't know what the bastard might do next, but Rebbie sensed that he wasn't finished in his efforts to get his hands on Calla.
Chapter Fifteen
Having gotten little sleep the night before, Calla caught herself nodding off behind Rebbie, despite the rain. The horse's rhythmic gait further served to lull her to sleep. She blinked hard, not daring to shake her head for fear it might start hurting again.
Giving in, she leaned her head againstRebbie'sback and locked her hands in front of him.Ahh, he felt so warm and strong. She just wanted to lie on him and sleep.
A man called out and she awoke, surprised to find they were already atDraughon'sgates and the low light of evening barely penetrated the thick clouds overhead.
"Oh, thank the saints," she whispered. No run-ins with Claybourne. She prayed her son was here atDraughonso she could see him immediately. Although, if he was, there was also the danger Rebbie or his father might see the family resemblance. Her stomach clutched with anxiety.
Rebbie patted her hands and, once the gates were opened, they all rode into the courtyard.
Lachlan emerged from the castle. "Glad you made it so quickly."
Rebbie leapt from Devil's back and reached up to help Calla dismount.
"Did Claybourne have my son?"
Lachlan shook his head. "Nay. He lied to you. The lad is still with his uncle,Glenhaven. We paid him a visit to be certain."
"Oh, thanks be to God," Calla whispered, relief near making her weak in the knees.
"We were unable to find Claybourne between Tummel andDraughonVillage," Lachlan said. "He and his men were probably hiding out in the wood somewhere. We arrived atBonnyridgebefore he did and once he showed up, I questioned him. He said he didn't have your son and that I was welcome to search his home. Which we did, and didn't find him. Then we went toGlenhaven, and I saw him with my own two eyes. A handsome lad." Lachlan smiled.
"Oh, he is. And I thank you. I must go see him soon." Calla missed her son terribly.
"I'll take you tomorrow," Rebbie said. "Once you've rested up."
A shock went through her. "Nay, you don't have to do that. I'll go in Barclay's coach."
"I want to take you." Rebbie shrugged. "I'd like to meet the lad."
Oh, dear heavens. To tell himnaywould make him highly suspicious. "Very well, then," she said hesitantly. "I thank you."
He nodded and looked over her shoulder. She turned to find Angelique approaching. Happy to see her friend, Calla embraced her.
"Thank the saints you are safe. Come inside where you can put on some dry clothes and rest. You must be exhausted. Lachlan told me you received a terrible head injury in that skirmish."
"Well, aye, somewhat." She glanced back at Rebbie and he gave her a nod, along with a serious look. What was going through his mind? And what on earth would he think when he saw Jamie? Would he see his own brown eyes looking back at him?
***
Claybourne sat behind his polished oak desk and the two servants, a husband and wife named Daniel and Betty Kerns who used to work at the Stanbury Estate, were ushered into his marble-tiled office. Wide-eyed, they gaped about the room. He smiled, certain they had seen few places as splendid as his new manor house.
His plan for snatching Calla off the street hadn't worked. Nor had the kidnapping at Tummel Castle. He smirked, remembering how easy she'd been to manipulate after he'd told her he held her son captive. He hadn't of course, but the lie had almost worked. If not for that damnable Rebbinglen.
