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“We all did,” Cavan said. “Go get your wife so that we may make amends.”
Lachlan hugged his mother first and whispered, “Thank you for always believing in her.”
“Alyce is trustworthy, brave, and true,” Addie said. “I knew that when first I looked upon her. You must never forget it.”
He felt chastised and so he should, for he had failed to believe in his wife when she needed him the most and if it took him the rest of his life, he would make it up to her. He hurried up the stone stairs and to his bedchamber.
He intended to grab hold of her and beg her forgiveness. While he didn’t think she’d accept his apology easily, she eventually would, for she loved him and oddly enough he knew she would always forgive his foolishness.
He opened the door keeping a smile off his face, though he wanted to grin knowing that his wife would take great pleasure in making him plead his case.
He burst in the room and found it…empty.
Chapter 35
Alyce sniffled back tears.
Septimus laughed and shook his head. “Lachlan will come for you.”
“No he won’t.” She sniffled again.
“He loves you.”
“This is your fault,” she said angrily and shook a fist at him.
“I just did what I was sent to do.”
“Ruin my chances of a happy life?”
Septimus shook his head. “No, I give you a chance at a happy life. Your husband will come for you, and you will know beyond doubt that he wants you and loves you.”
“This was your leader’s intentions?”
“If I confide in you about my leader, you will be obliged to tell your husband and so I must remain silent,” Septimus said.
“I understand. Can you tell me more about Ronan?”
“You intend to return home to your husband, don’t you?”
Alyce nodded, her heart having grown heavier the further they traveled from Caithness. She couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing her husband again, of never knowing his touch, his love and even his foolishness.
“I shouldn’t have been so hasty to leave him. I should know by now all men are fools, and I should have given him a chance to make amends.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was feeling the same way.”
She brushed a tear from her face. “You think he realizes he’s been a fool?”
“I know he loves you and that is enough.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“He wears it proudly in his smile, in his eyes, in his actions for all to see,” Septimus said. “The man has simply lost his heart to you and unless you return and forgive him, he will surely perish and die.”
Alyce gasped. “He will not.”
“Believe me,” Septimus said with a hardened tone. “He will, for once true love is found and lost, life becomes meaningless.”
Alyce sighed. “Oh my, you have lost a love.”
“This is not about me,” Septimus bristled. “I will send Hagen with you to make sure you return safely.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Don’t argue. You won’t win,” he said. “Hagen goes with you.”
Dale sped toward them reining in his horse at the last moment. “Trouble. A rogue band of warriors heads toward Caithness. They are clever, splitting up around sentries so it appears that two or three ride alone. I believe they will attack farms on the outskirts of Caithness.”
“I will warn them,” Alyce said, already turning her horse around.
“We will help,” Septimus said.
Dale shook his head. “No. There is no time for us to reach them. If Alyce and Hagen take the trail our men used to scout Caithness they will reach the first farm in time to warn them.”
“Surely the sentries will warn beforehand,” Septimus said.
“The various sentries will alert the approach of two or three men, and soon enough understand what goes on,” Dale said. “Time is of the essence here.”
“I must go,” Alyce said.
Septimus reached out and took hold of her arm. “First, let me tell you…” He leaned in close and whispered.
“The two of you needn’t have come with me,” Lachlan said to Cavan and Artair, who rode on either side of him. He then glanced over his shoulder. “And I don’t believe we needed such a large contingent of men.”
“It’s simply a precaution in case Septimus should have other ideas,” Cavan said. “Tactically, your wife would agree.”
“I suppose she would,” Lachlan said. “But I simply intend to collect my wife, after pleading what a fool I am, and return home with her.”
Artair grinned. “That’s a good start.”
“I hope Alyce is all right,” Lachlan said, having continually voiced his concern for her well-being since he had discovered her gone. He had gone mad with anger when he couldn’t find her, which instantly turned to worry, and then he had been ready to jump on his horse and go after her as soon as he had realized that she had left for good, until Cavan had calmed him down and Artair had offered sensible advice.
