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"Aye, thank ye," Conran said and gave her a hug as well, though his was more circumspect. He let her stay on her feet and just gave her a quick, hard hug. "Saidh told us what happened with that harpy who tried to kill Lady Sinclair."
"Oh!" Murine said with sudden understanding now as Conran released her. Waving away their thanks with one fluttering hand, she mumbled an embarrassed "'Twas nothing."
"'Twas no' nothing," Dougall growled, and rather than hug her, crossed his arms and glared at her for the very suggestion. "Ye saved both Lady Sinclair and our sister when the wench would ha'e killed them. 'Tis a debt we can ne'er repay."
"But ye already ha'e," Murine assured him solemnly. "Ye saved me from me brother's plans fer me. Ye've definitely repaid the debt."
"Nay, lass, ye saved yerself, escaping on that cow o' yers," Dougall pointed out with a frown, thinking now that they should have done the saving rather than leave Danvries, and forcing her to save herself. Certainly, they would have had they known who she was. Saidh had told them a lot about the woman standing before them. She hadn't just saved Saidh's life, she'd become a dear friend to her as well, and by their sister's accounts was a fine lady; smart, honorable and brave.
"Aye, all we did was hide ye from yer brother's men when they came looking," Conran pointed out with a frown.
"And we'll continue to do so, will we no', Dougall?" Alick said excitedly. Without waiting for a response, he continued, "Ye're safe with us lass. We'll no' let that bastard English half brother o' yers catch and sell ye off like a mare to the first comer."
Geordie grunted an agreement and assured her, "Yer worries are over. We'll keep ye safe, will we no', brother?"
When all three of his brothers turned to him expectantly, Dougall hesitated and frowned. If Danvries was her guardian, he could do with her as he liked. If he found her. The best they could do for her was get her somewhere she might be safe from him. The problem was, Dougall couldn't think of many places like that. A nunnery came to mind. If she took vows, she would be protected by the church, but it did seem a waste to see a lovely lass like Murine, who was not only pretty, but brave and, according to Saidh, clever, locked away in a church for the rest of her days.
"Dougall?" Conran prompted when he remained silent. "We'll keep her safe, will we no'?"
Blowing his breath out on a sigh, Dougall nodded reluctantly. He couldn't in good conscience see her return to Danvries. The man would just use her horribly to gain the coin he lost with his wagers. So they would have to do what they could. First he had a couple of questions he needed answered, though. "Where were ye planning on going when ye fled on yer cow? Do ye ha'e family who might offer refuge?"
"Henry is a bull, no' a cow," Murine repeated firmly, and caressed her cow's nose. The animal immediately tried to lick her hand as if it might be a tasty treat, and Murine smiled crookedly as she avoided the tongue. Glancing to him, she added solemnly, "Thank ye fer bringing him along too. I ken it must ha'e slowed ye down."
Dougall ignored the nudge Conran gave him and didn't mention that he'd ordered the bull left behind. The ornery beast had decided to follow them on its own. In truth, Dougall was rather impressed that it had been able to keep up. To prevent one of the men from admitting that, he shifted and gestured back the way they'd come. "Let us all go sit by the fire. Ye can tell us where ye were headed. We'll escort ye there safely."
"Aye," Alick said with a smile as he turned back toward the fire. "We owe ye that much and more fer saving our Saidh."
The men all started to head back to the fire, but Dougall waited for Murine and arched an eyebrow when she didn't immediately follow them.
"I was just slipping away to attend to . . . er . . . personal needs," she finished demurely, and then scowled at the bull and added, "But was most rudely interrupted."
"Ah." Dougall said, and then frowned, unsure what to do. If he left, he took the light with him, and it didn't seem right to leave her standing here in the woods in the dark. On the other hand, she'd hardly appreciate his standing over her with a torch while she squatted in the bushes. Holding out the log, he asked, "Would ye like this?"
"Er . . ." Murine eyed the makeshift torch uncertainly, then stepped forward to take it, her eyes widening and her second hand rising to join the first as she felt its weight. It was rather a good-sized log, he supposed and wondered how she'd manage what she needed to do with both hands occupied holding the makeshift torch.
"Mayhap I should make ye a proper torch, one smaller, or longer that ye could plant in the ground and--"
"Nay," she interrupted and then offered a somewhat forced smile and added, "My need is rather pressing, m'laird. So, I'll make do," After a pause, she added, "If ye'd just like to return to the fire and leave me alone to get to it."
"Oh, aye." Dougall nodded and started to turn away, but when he realized he could see the men settling themselves around the fire, he turned back and suggested, "Ye may want to move a little further behind the tree there. Otherwise me brothers'll--"
"Aye," she interrupted, and with the torch so close to her face, this time there was no question that she was blushing.
Nodding, Dougall started to turn away again, only to pause and turn back in question when she cleared her throat.
"I . . . would ye mind . . . ?" She gestured to her amorous bull, who was presently licking at her arm through her gown, and Dougall had to bite back a smile.
Scowling instead, he walked over, caught the beast by the bulky collar around his neck and pulled at it. The bull was a stubborn cuss, and dug in, bracing his legs and refusing to move until his lady said, "Go on with ye, Henry. I'll be along in a moment."
Much to Dougall's amazement, the bull stopped resisting then and allowed Dougall to drag him away from his lady, as obedient as a dog. Shaking his head at the thought, Dougall led the beast back to the area behind his men, then paused, unsure what to do with the animal.
"He's probably hungry," Conran commented, glancing over his shoulder with a grin.
"Well then mayhap ye should feed him," Dougall growled.
Conran cocked an eyebrow, and then nodded and turned to look at Alick. He didn't have to say a word.
The younger man got up with a sigh and moved around to take the bull's reins from Dougall. He was the one in charge of the horses when they traveled, after all. Releasing the reins, he moved to sit where he'd been ere they'd heard Murine scream. He immediately found himself struggling not to turn and look in the woman's direction to see if she'd taken his suggestion and moved to a spot where she was less likely to be seen.
"Murine Carmichael," Conran murmured and then shook his head. "And here I thought her English."
"Aye," Dougall said thoughtfully.
"She's a fine-looking woman," Conran added.
"Verra fine-looking." Geordie agreed with a grin. "Saidh ne'er mentioned that."
"'Tis good she got away from that bloody brother o' hers," Alick said grimly, returning to the fire. "It makes me blood boil that he'd try to sell her like that. 'Twas bad enough when I thought her an English lass, but a Scot? And the brave lass who saved our sister?" He shook his head with disgust.
"Hmm," Geordie muttered, his grin fading. "We shall ha'e to see to it that her brother does no' sell her off."
"And how do ye plan to ensure that?" Dougall asked quietly, finally speaking his worries aloud. "He is her brother, and guardian. If he finds her--"
"Then we'll ha'e to see he does no' find her," Alick said with a frown.
"We could hide her at Buchanan," Geordie suggested.
"He kens she and Saidh are friends," Dougall pointed out. "Buchanan is one o' the first places he will look when they do no' find her close to home. Especially since we were at Danvries when she went missing. In fact, his men may already be following us."
His brothers all frowned at this truth and then Alick pointed out, "Were she to marry, he would no longer be her guardian with any rights o'er her."
That thought had occurred to Dougall, but he gave a humorless laugh and asked, "Are ye planning to marry her then?"
"Mayhap I will," Alick responded, sitting up a little straighter, his chest puffing out. "Certainly, I'd rather wed her than see her returned to Danvries. And bedding her would no' be a hardship."
The last comment made Dougall scowl. Bedding her would definitely not be a hardship, but for some reason he didn't like the idea of Alick being the one to do it, but it was Geordie who said, "The devil ye will! I'm older than ye. If she needs marrying, I'll be the one to do it."
