Page 49 of Highland Steel

“I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but Lockie is my family. I’ve lost so many I loved that I cannot lose him, too. And if Ranulph really did kill my sister like everyone says, what’s saying he won’t kill the baby, too?”

She had a point, Logan realized. And he didn’t like the idea of anyone killing an innocent baby.

“I was hoping you could convince the rest of your clan to help us retrieve my nephew.”

“Och, lassie, ye have no idea what ye ask.”

Her demeanor changed quickly, going from happy and hopeful to sad and sullen instantly. “Well, if you don’t want to help me, then just say so. I don’t know why I thought I could count on you in the first place. I thought I meant something to you, but now I see that all I am to you is a roll in the bluebells and nothing else.” She stood up and searched for her weapon belt and sword.

“Wait, Rhoswen, that’s no’ it at all.” He jumped up as well. “Ye dinna understand. Somethin’ happened between the MacKeefes and the Drummonds years ago and there was a battle and lots of lives were lost. We’re enemies now. I canna put my clan in danger.”

“What happened?” she asked, strapping on her weapon.

“It doesna matter.”

“It does to me. Now, tell me.”

Logan let out a frustrated breath and figured he might as well tell her before she became any angrier with him.

“It was about five years ago,” he told her. “I met a bonnie lassie on the road in need of help. The wheel on her wagon broke and I fixed it.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” she asked impatiently.

“Be still. I’m gettin’ to that.”

“Go on.” She looked down and slowly buckled her belt as he continued.

“I didna ken it at the time, but she was Ranulph Drummond’s daughter. Well, she was thankful and kissed me and ye ken what happens when I start kissin’ a bonnie lass.”

“I don’t care to hear about your escapades with other women.” She turned to go but Logan reached out and grabbed her by the arm.

“Please dinna go,” he told her. “It is important ye ken what happened so ye understand why I canna go to the Drummond Clan.”

“Why? What happened?”

“We made love, and had a secret tryst for months before her faither found us in the act one day.”

“Along the road?” she asked snidely.

“In the back of the wagon, but it doesna matter. What matters is that I let down my clan.”

“By bedding a girl? I don’t understand.”

“I had with me the lucky sword at the time since it was my turn to wear and guard it. The MacKeefes never lost a battle when we had that sword.”

“So, are you saying something happened to it?”

“To get to my point, Drummond was furious to find us. He ended up stealin’ the sword, and tried to kill me. But Ilona – that was his daughter’s name – tried to stop him, gettin’ in between us.”

“So she died?” asked Rhoswen in astonishment.

Logan nodded. “I was careless and stupid. A young lassie died, and we lost the lucky sword, all because of me.”

“Didn’t you try to get the sword back?”

“We did. Actually, that is when the MacKeefes and the Drummonds went to battle. But the Drummond Clan won because they had our lucky sword.”

“You don’t really believe a sword can be lucky, do you?”