Page 79 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

She nodded.

After a minute to so, he dared peeking around the corner of the building again. Laird Shay and Larry were no longer looking his way but muttering between themselves again. Larry’s hand had been hastily sewn and bandaged up, though he held it outward, clearly still in a lot of pain from the injury Gilchrist had caused. Shay carried himself a little taller, apparently having recovered fast.

He walked off in the opposite direction and Larry followed behind him, muttering and shuffling his feet.

Gilchrist sighed with relief.

“They have left the road clear, but we’ll have tae go fast.” He encouraged Kyven back into the saddle and pulled himself back up on his horse.

“Why are they here?” she murmured.

“I reckon Shay brought us to the border between his clan and me brother’s because he thought he’d be safe there, taking us intae his own clan, but when it all went wrong, he kenned there was only one way fer me tae run.” He sighed and steered the horses out of their hiding place. He encouraged Kyven to keep her face averted as he peered around the street.

Fortunately, Shay and Larry were stepping into a tavern, not looking their way.

“Shay kens these lands well enough. He also kens this is the only road tae the castle. I suggest we ride fast fer a while tae put as much distance between us as possible.”

“Aye, all right.”

He steered his horse to the end of the track road out of town and Kyven followed. Only when he was certain they were clear of being seen from the tavern’s windows did he flick the reins and urge the horse to canter. They rode fast down the road and up into the mountains, far beyond the town.

They rode for another hour at least, sometimes fast, other times moving slowly, but they never stopped. Even when they grew hungry, Kyven pulled the muslin packs out of the saddle and they shared the food while on the horses, not daring to get down and rest, in case their pursuers caught up with them.

Gilchrist only slowed their pace completely when he could saw a very familiar town in the distance, nestled between two mountains. The spires of the castle reached up toward the grey clouds high above. The grey turrets were familiar, as was his brother’s standard, the flag rippling in the wind. On either side of the castle were two small lochs, the water surface half iced over in the cold and reflecting the image of the castle.

“Is that it?” Kyven asked in awe. “Aye, it is a beautiful place.”

“Aye, it is.” Gilchrist agreed with a nod. His stomach was trembling now, because he was about to see his brothers again.

“They’re yer brothers,” Kyven murmured, clearly able to read his thoughts without him having to explain himself. “They’ll forgive ye. Trust in that.”

“I pray ye are right.” Gilchrist flicked the reins as he clamped down on his nerves and rode toward the castle.

No more words passed between them as they reached the town and then moved up to the castle. It grew steadily taller the nearer they got, the castle walls reaching high into the air. The town was set back a little distance from the main castle, with a vast lawn stretching between them and a brick gatehouse looking over the track road which led up to the curtain wall.

“Ho, who goes there?” the castle guard called from the gatehouse, making Kyven flinch behind Gilchrist.

Bringing the horse to a halt, Gilchrist angled his head around in the saddle, meeting the gaze of the man who was poking his head out of the gatehouse window.

“Oh.” He looked as if he had been shot in his shock, his eyes wide. He stood straight so hurriedly that he struck his head on the top of the window frame.

He recognizes me.

“Go in, sir. In, in,” he waved a hand frantically. “Both of yer brothers are there.”

Gilchrist’s stomach tightened once again at this news. He nodded his thanks and rode on, moving the horse much slower now.

“Are ye all right?” Kyven whispered as they moved up the track.

Gilchrist couldn’t answer her, for to assure her he was fine would be a lie.

He concentrated instead on the people congregating around him. Left and right, people were recognizing him as they passed within the curtain walls. Guards and soldiers came to take a look at him, laundry maids too, even some of the gardens and groundskeepers. One guard was so shocked, he fell over a low lying wall, not looking where he was putting his feet.

When they reached the center of the courtyard, such a silent crowd had gathered, Gilchrist and Kyven could move no further. He stepped down from the saddle and reached up to her, helping her down too.

“Aye, warm and welcoming, isnae it?” she whispered wryly, clearly taking in all of their suspicious gazes.

He nodded in agreement and turned to face the guard stood at the door of the keep.