Page 342 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Chapter Ten

Once free of the trees, Victoria sank her heels into the belly of her horse and the mare surged past Thomas’s horse into the clearing. He kept his mount at a walk, but she knew the stallion could overtake her in seconds.

Victoria breathed deep of the wind that whipped gently at the blue and red plaid cloak clasped around her neck. Peace settled around her in easy rhythm with the animal’s gait. She closed her eyes and raised her face heavenward. Thin, gray clouds inched past sunlight, yet her cheeks warmed with a delicious heat not found within the confines of Fauldun Castle. She laughed. Sunlight shone inside the MacPherson keep just as it did here, but it was freedom that made it all the more precious.

“Chérie,” Thomas called.

She sighed, her imaginary solitude gone, and glanced over her shoulder. Thomas waved, indicating she should slacken her pace. Inspiration struck, followed by a nudge from the Devil himself. With a slow smile Victoria faced ahead, hunkered down, and spurred her horse.

The mare shot forward. Thomas shouted a command to stop and hooves pounded behind her. It was a childish satisfaction—he would be upon her before she reached the trees—but she couldn’t deny the thrill of giving him a scare.

His stallion’s piercing cry jerked her head around in their direction. Thomas was turning the animal toward four men who broke from the trees to the south. Their plaid was mixed with far more red than the MacPherson plaid. Were the newcomers cousins or maybe part of the Clan Chattan Maude had mentioned?

Victoria pulled sideways on the reins, bringing her horse around in a wide circle. Thomas now faced the men, and she drew in a sharp breath at sight of the hand that lay on his sword hilt in obvious warning. She yanked her gaze onto the men. Thomas would not challenge allies. She and Thomas had left Fauldun Castle but fifteen minutes ago. What would enemies be doing so close to the keep? He glanced at her and Victoria wasted no more time. She nudged her horse and the mare lunged toward the trees.

A moment’s ride beneath the foliage brought a sharp bend in the path. She yanked the reins. The horse cried out and Victoria suppressed an urge to do the same. She was alone.

Was escape possible? Her keen eye sighted thick brush growing from the side of the mountainside large enough to conceal her and the mare. Guilt surfaced. What of Thomas and the strangers? What of them? She would be no help. In fact, she would be a liability. That had been proven on her journey home with Iain MacPherson.

She flicked the reins against the steed’s rump. The mare balked but, with a heavy hand, Victoria drove her through the dense vegetation. The branches thinned, then opened up a few feet from bushes that grew in a tenacious tangle across a rocky wall. Victoria halted, uncertain by the darkness she discerned beyond the foliage. Why wasn’t light showing through the leaves as it had through the bushes she’d seen from the path?

She dismounted and, one hand gripping the reins, parted the branches. A large cavern opened up before her. Dull sunlight filtered through from an opening in the top of the cave. Victoria stared, unable to believe her good fortune. She could remain here until all search parties had given up hope of finding her. The sound of hooves on moist ground broke the spell.

Thomas.

Indecision gripped her. The need for freedom was one thing, being alone in the wilds of Scotland was another. She’d already gotten a taste of the men who roamed the lawless countryside. Dawilneh lay twenty minutes to the north. An easy ride if she was careful. Would they lend aid or hand her over to Iain MacPherson? How long could that devil hold her? How long would Father Brennan allow it? Movement inside the cave snapped her attention to the denser shadows beyond her.

Victoria remained motionless, uncertain what creature was there, yet unwilling to give up her hiding place. A soft whimper startled her. What was this? She eased inside the cave’s mouth and squinted into the depths. Her eyes adjusted and she made out a human form huddled against the back wall. More soft whimpers emanated from the creature, and she realized it was a woman. How was it possible two women had discovered the same hiding place? Dropping the reins, Victoria started forward, but halted when the girl’s whimpers turned to a sob. She hesitated. What had the girl so frightened?

Victoria took one step forward. “Do not fear, lass.

I will not hurt you.”

The girl continued to whimper as she drew nearer. Victoria’s eyes adjusted and she discerned the tartan that hung in shreds about the girl’s shoulders and the arm protruding from a torn sleeve was swollen. Once at her side, Victoria knelt. She bit back a gasp at the sight of the bruising that marred the girl’s cheek and jaw. The lass had been badly beaten, and not so long ago by the look of the matted blood dried on the side of her mouth.

Victoria’s chest tightened. Even in the dim light she could see that one eye was swollen beyond its normal size. It had, indeed, been an animal that had beaten the poor wretch, but none other than the twolegged variety was capable of such inhumanity. Who had done this? Even her captor presented no such threat. Victoria started to ask what had happened, but the sound of approaching horses yanked her attention in the direction of the cave’s opening. She glanced down at the sudden grip on her arm.

“Shh,” she soothed. “I will see who it is.” The girl trembled.

“Nay, child,” Victoria whispered, “do not worry.

I, too, have no wish to be discovered.”

With a firm but gentle touch, she pried the girl’s fingers from her arm, then crept forward, whispering to the mare until she reached the animal. With a firm hand on the horse’s neck, Victoria edged her aside and bent low as she tried to peer out at the men who had stopped beyond their hiding place.

The thick foliage blocked her view, and the Gaelic words spoken by the men left Victoria in the dark. Her heart lurched when her protector’s voice joined the foreign babble. She quelled the urge to jump from the cave. Thomas wasn’t alone. They must wait until he returned—if he returned this way. Fear shot through her. What if the men noticed the cave opening as she had? No, she hadn’t noticed anything strange until she’d pushed her way through the foliage. Still… The conversation ceased and the pounding of horses’ hooves on the soft ground indicated the men were leaving. When Victoria could no longer hear the horses, she returned to where the girl lay shivering in the corner. Victoria lowered herself to the ground, and the girl rested her head on Victoria’s lap. Victoria laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder. She gave a small cry, and Victoria yanked her hand away.

She cursed her stupidity, then said in a gentle voice, “Lie still, lass.”

The girl did as instructed, allowing Victoria to trace fingers over shoulder and arm for injuries. No broken bones or cuts were discernible, and Victoria released a sigh of relief when it appeared her attackers had inflicted injury more in the way of the back of their hands than with any sort of weapon. She grunted. Given the girl’s size, little else had been needed. Victoria pictured her keeper, sword in hand as it had been the day she’d been attacked, only now pointed at the men who would beat a woman. Seeing them face an opponent their own size would be worth her imprisonment.

* * *

It seemed eons had passed, but Victoria estimated it to be no more than an hour when she decided to venture from the cave. She sent up a prayer of thanks when, despite a limp, the girl was able to stand. Victoria led her to the mouth of the cave where she refused to go any farther.

“They may yet return,” Victoria said. The girl began to trembling again and tried to shrink back into the shadows. “Nay.” Victoria barred her path. “They will find you. Even if they do not, do you wish to die here?” The girl paled. “You must trust me,” Victoria said. “Our safest course is to leave. Now.”

The girl slumped against her, and Victoria urged her to lean against the wall while she led the horse to her. Victoria steadied the mare, but try as the girl might she hadn’t the strength to pull herself into the saddle. With an injured arm, she couldn’t grasp the pommel, and her leg had little strength for lifting even her small weight. Left with no choice, they struggled through the foliage to the mouth of the cave. Victoria parted the bushes and scanned the area for anything that might do as a makeshift stool. She spied a fallen log. Gathering the girl close, Victoria helped her to the log. The mare proved cooperative and they were both soon mounted, the girl in front of Victoria.