brother.” She touched William’s shoulder where her scarf still held the blood. “He’s been shot.”
The prisoner shifted William again so that he didn’t press on his injured shoulder. “I will carry him where ye want me to.” He stared into her face, and the side of his bearded mouth went up in a grin. “A kindness repays a kindness.”
She hesitated for only a moment and waved him after her as she moved swiftly into the woods. She didn’t know where to go. It had to be far enough away from Leeds Gaol, but close enough for Keenan Maclean to find them. She certainly hoped the Highlander knew how to track. If he didn’t find them, what would she do? Her heart thumped wildly from the need to run. This was a race, a race to save her brother. Her pulse thrummed so loudly that she could hear it. Its tempo propelled her forward on light feet through the night like a doe caught in the scent of the wolf.
The man behind her bore his burden silently. Only the slight sound of William’s toes touching a tree every so often could be heard. The man was taller than she had at first estimated. Even without the sound, she could smell his nearness. The pungent odor of unwashed filth wafted from him. How long had he been in the gaol? Serena didn’t have time to discern his thoughts as she continued to scan ahead. She didn’t want to run into anyone except Keenan.
After walking for what felt like half a league, she motioned for the man to put William down next to a fallen log. “Let us rest while I see how William fares.”
The prisoner put her brother down and sat on the other side of the log. “Would ye have any food, lass?”
“No, I’m sorry,” she said and really felt it. “I’ve known hunger before...I’m sorry. I have nothing with me.” The man nodded then leaned back against the log.
Panic hitched in Serena’s stomach. She really had nothing, no food, no money, and she had broken the law to save William. Serena breathed deeply to loosen clenched muscles. She bent over William, searching in the darkness. The binding was dry. The shot must be removed and the wound washed and cared for.
Although Serena’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she still needed light to work. She looked around. Where were they? Would it be safe to light a fire? Where was Keenan Maclean? She knew practically nothing about him yet she had thrown him trust out of desperation. She had learned not to trust promises, when she could read in their hearts what they really felt and thought. Promises were just words and words meant very little to Serena.
The prisoner studied the night sky peeking through the tops of the tall oaks around them. He breathed deeply. “Ahh, the smell of fresh air.” He sighed as if savoring a precious meal. He looked at her. “I must smell worse than a carcass.” He smiled in the moonlight. His teeth looked white behind the scruff of beard.
Serena grinned slightly. “You could use a bath, sir.”
“Robert is the name, Robert Mackay. And I be thankin’ ye, lass, for freeing me from that hellhole. Ye are an angel.”
An àngelas? But what type of man had she released on the world? The type of man who had helped her, by carrying William farther than she ever could have dragged him. Even without opening herself up to Robert Mackay’s mind, she knew his actions were honorable.
“Thank you for carrying my brother for me. I have naught to pay you with, but you may have your freedom. You don’t need to stay with us.”
“Now, lass, what will ye do out here if I dinna stay to help ye?”
What would she do? Serena ran fingers through her hair to rub at the dull ache. She’d never held such responsibility before. What if they were truly all alone?
Chiriklò’s high-pitched chirping pulled her eyes to the right. Hoof beats thudded against the road, a drum beat to the bird’s song. Serena reached out to Chiriklò with her mind and concentrated on their location in relation to the bird’s song.
The prisoner shifted William again so that he didn’t press on his injured shoulder. “I will carry him where ye want me to.” He stared into her face, and the side of his bearded mouth went up in a grin. “A kindness repays a kindness.”
She hesitated for only a moment and waved him after her as she moved swiftly into the woods. She didn’t know where to go. It had to be far enough away from Leeds Gaol, but close enough for Keenan Maclean to find them. She certainly hoped the Highlander knew how to track. If he didn’t find them, what would she do? Her heart thumped wildly from the need to run. This was a race, a race to save her brother. Her pulse thrummed so loudly that she could hear it. Its tempo propelled her forward on light feet through the night like a doe caught in the scent of the wolf.
The man behind her bore his burden silently. Only the slight sound of William’s toes touching a tree every so often could be heard. The man was taller than she had at first estimated. Even without the sound, she could smell his nearness. The pungent odor of unwashed filth wafted from him. How long had he been in the gaol? Serena didn’t have time to discern his thoughts as she continued to scan ahead. She didn’t want to run into anyone except Keenan.
After walking for what felt like half a league, she motioned for the man to put William down next to a fallen log. “Let us rest while I see how William fares.”
The prisoner put her brother down and sat on the other side of the log. “Would ye have any food, lass?”
“No, I’m sorry,” she said and really felt it. “I’ve known hunger before...I’m sorry. I have nothing with me.” The man nodded then leaned back against the log.
Panic hitched in Serena’s stomach. She really had nothing, no food, no money, and she had broken the law to save William. Serena breathed deeply to loosen clenched muscles. She bent over William, searching in the darkness. The binding was dry. The shot must be removed and the wound washed and cared for.
Although Serena’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she still needed light to work. She looked around. Where were they? Would it be safe to light a fire? Where was Keenan Maclean? She knew practically nothing about him yet she had thrown him trust out of desperation. She had learned not to trust promises, when she could read in their hearts what they really felt and thought. Promises were just words and words meant very little to Serena.
The prisoner studied the night sky peeking through the tops of the tall oaks around them. He breathed deeply. “Ahh, the smell of fresh air.” He sighed as if savoring a precious meal. He looked at her. “I must smell worse than a carcass.” He smiled in the moonlight. His teeth looked white behind the scruff of beard.
Serena grinned slightly. “You could use a bath, sir.”
“Robert is the name, Robert Mackay. And I be thankin’ ye, lass, for freeing me from that hellhole. Ye are an angel.”
An àngelas? But what type of man had she released on the world? The type of man who had helped her, by carrying William farther than she ever could have dragged him. Even without opening herself up to Robert Mackay’s mind, she knew his actions were honorable.
“Thank you for carrying my brother for me. I have naught to pay you with, but you may have your freedom. You don’t need to stay with us.”
“Now, lass, what will ye do out here if I dinna stay to help ye?”
What would she do? Serena ran fingers through her hair to rub at the dull ache. She’d never held such responsibility before. What if they were truly all alone?
Chiriklò’s high-pitched chirping pulled her eyes to the right. Hoof beats thudded against the road, a drum beat to the bird’s song. Serena reached out to Chiriklò with her mind and concentrated on their location in relation to the bird’s song.
Similar Books
