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Kieran stood still a moment, staring at the ground before putting both hands to his head in a gesture of pure helplessness.

“What in the hell happened?” he hissed.

William didn’t want to voice the possibilities. They were too disturbing and he didn’t want to invite panic, not at the moment.

Kieran walked over to his horse and wearily leaned on the animal, his arms stretched across the saddle. The sounds of the night drifted across the cold air, and William kept straining his ears, listening for a scream somewhere in the distance. But he heard nothing and found he was numb with shock.

“If we have a son we are going to name him Alec,” Kieran said faintly.

William stirred in the saddle. “After your brother? He would be pleased.”

Kieran nodded. “I wish Jemma could have known him.”

William cocked a slow eyebrow. “They would have killed each other, Kieran. Alec was the most arrogant man I have ever met and Jemma would have taken a blade to him with that temper of hers.”

Kieran was forced to smile. “Mayhap. But I would have liked for them to have known each other nonetheless.”

William looked at him. “How is it that a man with your mild temper is attracted to firebrands? Your brother was certainly no saint, although he was an excellent knight, and you happened to marry the wildest woman in Scotland.”

Kieran snorted. “Because I have the patience for them. God is wise when he chooses our relatives for us.”

Down the road they could see a company of knights bearing torches converging on them. Kieran mounted quickly and they rode to meet them.

“Leave the horses here for the moment,” William ordered his men. “We are tracking hoof prints and I do not want our own confusing us.”

The men dismounted and handed off the destriers to the soldiers that had come with them. Bearing torches bright enough to light up a city, they began to slowly and methodically studying the mucky road. Since each blacksmith put a certain seal on his shoes, they knew what they were looking for.

They searched the immediate stretch of road and found nothing. Spreading out, they continued to search, gradually moving down the road until Northwood was nearly gone from view. By that time, the other knights began to question the value of continuing the search since nothing had been discovered yet, but they persevered because of William and Kieran.

Other than the standing orders, William had yet to say another word to them. If he was so sure they were going to find a clue to the disappearance of his wife and Lady Jemma, then they would continue searching for his sake. William, they had learned, was rarely, if ever, wrong.

Suddenly, William stopped and dropped to a crouch at the very edge of the road. Kieran saw him and was immediately at his side.

“What is it?” he demanded.

William’s fingers were lightly tracing the ground. “Here! Look,” he said. “Northwood crests on these shoes.” His despair was quickly turning into excitement. “They came out of the forest, here, and then continue up the road.”

By this time, all of the knights were by his side, indeed studying the tracks.

“There are only two sets,” Jason said helpfully. “One ’fore the other, in a line. They go north.”

William stood up, staring at the tracks for a long minute, not saying a word. A slow horror was creeping over him as he realized what had actually happened. There were no kidnappers and no murderers. There was no blood because there had been no struggle. Jordan had been adamant about going alone. Alone, she said. And the dresses weren’t ripped because they had been easily discarded. Dear God… he knew what had happened.

“Damnation!” he exploded, kicking at the ground furiously.

The knights looked at him in astonishment. He was so furious he clenched his fists and swung away from them just so they would not see his veins bulging.

“What?” Kieran demanded insistently, his hands outstretched as if pleading for an answer. “What is it?”

William whirled to his second, jabbing a finger in his face. “They have not been abducted, Kieran. They have bloody well launched themselves to Langton. It all makes sense now, all of it.”

Kieran stared back at him in disbelief. “Langton? What in the hell are you talking about.”

William was daft with anger. “I shall tell you what I am talking about,” he seethed. “Your devious little wife somehow convinced Jordan to ride with her to Langton. Only Jemma could think of such a foolish scheme.”

Kieran’s eyes narrowed. “Watch what you say about my wife,” he warned calmly.

“It is true!” William fired back at him. “Jordan is not capable of this kind of deception, but we know from experience that Jemma is certainly sly and conniving enough. And Jordan, being as goddamn gullible as she is, listened to her.”