Beloved Highlander

That was the first thing Meg noticed, as they rode up through the yew trees. Every window glowed with candlelight or a lamp. And then she saw that there were men all about, and voices loud with excitement, or fear, or agitation. Or all three.

“Something has happened,” Gregor said, at the same time as Meg thought it. His arms tightened about her, as she sat before him on his horse.

“Gregor!” Malcolm Bain came running, his hair wilder than ever from the rain and hard riding.

Gregor drew up, trying to read the other man’s face in the evening light. When they had left the cave, the rain had gone and the sun was setting in streaks of gold and crimson in the darkening sky. Now the light was fading into mauves and grays, and Malcolm Bain was barely visible.

“Lady Meg’s mare came back alone. We were fearing the worst, lad. Where have ye both been?”

“We found shelter out of the rain,” Gregor said shortly. “What is happening here?”

“Lorenzo’s men came to the house while we were out searching for Lady Meg.”

Meg felt her heart flutter. “My father…?”

“Is safe,” Malcolm assured her, “but a little shaken. Shona is all right, and Kenneth was out with us. ’Tis Barbara Campbell who was taken.”

Barbara Campbell? Gregor looked at Meg and saw the same confusion in her face that must be in his.

“Are you certain she just dinna go off somewhere?” he asked.

Malcolm Bain gave Gregor a grim smile. “It seems while we were all off searching, Barbara suddenly felt verra weary from her journey. She went upstairs to take a nap, and decided upon Lady Meg’s room for her wee sleep. Lorenzo’s men came creeping, and went straightaway to that room. It was dark. They bundled her into a cloak and were away before she could make them understand she wasna who they thought she was.”

Gregor closed his eyes briefly. If Meg had been here, if she hadn’t been with him in the cave…

Malcolm Bain went on. “The general heard her screams and tried to stop them. He thought they had ye, Lady Meg.”

“Father!” Meg gasped, and Gregor heard the fear in her voice.

“Is the general hurt?” he asked. Best to know the bad news at once.

Malcolm Bain’s expression was grave. “He’s a braw man, lad, but I fear the experience hasna done him much good.”

Swiftly Gregor dismounted and lifted Meg down after him. “I must see him,” she said, and set off at a run for the door.

“I canna believe it,” Gregor said flatly. “They came here, under our noses, and stole a woman from her room?”

“The house was all but empty, Gregor. Alison and Shona were in the kitchen, only Barbara Campbell and the general upstairs. ’Twas not such a feat for them to take her.” Malcolm Bain paused, gave him a sideways look. “What do ye think Lorenzo’ll do when he realizes his mistake?”

Kill her, Gregor thought, meeting his eyes in the half-dark.

“Aye,” Malcolm Bain said with grim agreement, as if Gregor had spoken aloud. “That’s what I thought, too.”

Inside the house, people were standing about as if not sure what to do, their faces long and worried. Alison gave a cry of relief when she saw Meg, running to hug her. The cheek she pressed to Meg’s was warm and wet with tears. “My lady, we thought ye taken for sure!”

“No, no, I am quite safe. Where is the general?” she asked, heading for the stairs.

Alison hurried after her. “In his room, my lady. He was verra shaken, poor man. But do ye know about Barbara Campbell? She was taken by Lorenzo’s men! The silly creature was asleep in your room, thinking herself mistress of the house, no doubt! They thought she was ye!”

“Then I pray they do not hurt her when they discover she is not,” Meg murmured hastily, all but running up the stairs. Her father had tried to stop the armed men; he had tried to save Barbara. If he was not badly hurt, then it would be a miracle.

The general’s room was just as ablaze as the rest of the house. The old man sat up in his bed, thin beneath the quilt, his body tense as he heard his door open. “Meg?” His voice quavered.

“Oh, Father! You are not hurt?”

He shook his head, but he looked pale and the hands he held out to her trembled violently. There was a red mark on his jaw where someone had struck him. Meg felt her throat close up and had to swallow, grasping his hands, while she restrained her emotions.

“I tried to stop them,” he was saying. “I heard the screams, and I found my old sword by the door there, and went to save you…. I thought they had you, Meg. Now they’re saying it’s some other lass I don’t know….” He shook his head in confusion.