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Mary Connor was beside herself when Alyce arrived and quite upset that more help hadn’t arrived with her. Alyce calmly explained that more help was on the way, but that she was an excellent tracker and if Mary would show her where Lily was last seen, she would do her best to follow her tracks.
Mary insisted that her husband Jake and two sons, John and Peter, were already doing that. Alyce remained calm and suggested that another tracker could be beneficial.
Mary agreed and showed Alyce the edge of the woods where Lily had last been seen. There she found small footprints, giving her a place to start. Alyce wanted to begin before any of Cavan’s men arrived and disturbed the fresh tracks.
She patted her stomach that had been rounding nicely every week and with fatigue gone and feeling stronger then ever, she said, “Hold strong there, little one, while we go find this lass.”
While she disliked the reason that had her tracking in the woods, she felt elated with the task and so very confident that she would find the child. Unfortunately, hours later Lily still hadn’t been found and with Cavan’s warriors and others joining the search, any tracks that could have proved helpful were now destroyed.
“I’ve allowed you to help far too long, now go home,” Cavan ordered.
Alyce glared at him. “Why should I take orders from you?”
“I’m your laird.”
While she wanted badly to challenge him, she knew it wouldn’t be wise. Whether she liked it or not, he was laird and she had to obey him.
She held her tongue and turned to walk away but stopped and turned around. “I obey you, Cavan, out of respect for my husband, but don’t think to command too often, for you will find I don’t do well with orders.”
She marched off, a mumble of voices trailing after her and knowing full well she would be the village gossip by nightfall, which was when her husband was due home. She sighed, frustrated that with all Piper had taught her she had been unable to locate a track in the woods. She must not have been as apt a pupil as she had thought.
Alyce was about to mount her mare when she suddenly stopped and shook her head. Piper had taught her too well for her not to have been able to locate a track. If she hadn’t found one it could mean only one of two things, either someone had covered their tracks, or she was looking in the wrong place.
She glanced around then looked down at the ground scuffed with too many imprints to make sense of just one, and then it hit her. She recalled noticing one small, solid imprint made by Lily and at that moment it struck her. The young lass could have stopped abruptly and possibly changed direction.
With that knowledge to guide her, Alyce turned and went in the opposite direction.
Chapter 29
“What do you mean Alyce is missing?” Lachlan asked, having arrived home only minutes ago.
His whole family was in the great hall waiting and visibly upset. He shouldn’t be, but he was insanely jealous that Artair hugged Zia and that Cavan had his arm around Honora while his wife was…
“What the hell happened?” he demanded.
“The Connor lass went missing,” Cavan began. “Alyce was the first to join father and sons in search of the child.”
“Alyce would do well; she learned from the best,” Lachlan said.
“Not so this time. Lily couldn’t be found and with dusk not far off and your wife rounded with child, I thought it best she go home.”
Lachlan shook his head. “You didn’t order her home, did you?”
“Wouldn’t you have?” Artair asked surprised.
“No,” Lachlan snapped. “I would have known she was the best chance in finding the child and allowed her to lead the search.”
“That’s a moot point now,” Cavan said. “With dusk settling over the land and not a trace of the child, I called off the search until morning. I saw Alyce’s mare as soon as I left the woods, tethered to the same spot as before. I knew she hadn’t left and I thought perhaps she went to talk with Mary Connor.”
“But she hadn’t?” Lachlan asked, though he knew the answer. Alyce would never have given up so easily.
Cavan shook his head. “She was nowhere to be found.”
“She must have realized something and went in another direction to search,” Lachlan said.
“Without informing anyone?” Cavan asked.
“You forget that where she came from, she was the leader,” Lachlan reminded. “She asked no one’s permission.”
“Aren’t you concerned for her safety?” Artair asked.
“Of course I am,” Lachlan said annoyed. “But I also know that my wife is more than capable of taking care of herself.”
“What if she’s hurt?” Honora asked.
“You don’t understand Alyce,” Lachlan said, thinking that maybe he was truly just beginning to understand her himself. “She’s been schooled like a warrior and she added to that schooling while on her own. She will determine the situation and do what is best.”
