come in with you?” his cousin asked. “You’re still pretty wobbly on your feet.”
“Nay. I must do this alone. It is going to be hard enough telling Scotia that Arya was captured. I dinna need an audience when she tears a strip off my hide for allowing her daughter to come along.” Garrett squared his shoulders and knocked. “Best get this over with.”
Logan nodded. “I dinna envy you. From what I’ve heard, Scotia is so ill she can hardly lift her head. I’d be worried the news might kill her, rather than fearing her wrath.”
“She may be gravely ill, but she is as feisty as they come. I am sure that is where Arya gets her spirit and tenacity. Her father was a brave warrior, but a very quiet man who would do anything to please his wife and daughter.”
“God’s speed, cousin.” Logan patted Garrett on the back. “When you’re through, I’ll be waiting for you at the clearing. The rest of the men will meet us there after they have seen to their families. Most are moving their wives and bairns higher into the mountains in case of a retaliatory attack. Once assembled, we can work on a plan to free Arya and the others.”
“I pray we’re not too late.” Garrett rapped softly on the door, but when he got no reply, he knocked louder, then entered.
“Is that you, Arya? I was beside myself with worry when you dinna come home in time for the evening meal,” Scotia said in a strained voice that was barely above a whisper.
Her companion, Isla, rose and faced Garrett. “Is Arya outside?” she asked hesitantly.
“Arya?” Scotia called.
“Nay.” Garrett moved closer. Caught off guard by a sudden bout of dizziness, and the feeling like his legs might buckle, he clutched the back of a chair for support.
“You’re injured.” Isla rushed forward and grasped his elbow. “Sit before you fall.”
“I’m fine,” Garrett lied through clenched teeth, his shoulder aching and his head throbbing again.
“Where is my daughter?” Scotia glared up at him.
“I am afraid she is being held prisoner by the Lord of Argyll.” Garrett hung his head in shame.
“I dinna understand. You promised you wouldna take her on any more raids. You swore to me that no matter how much she begged or pleaded, you would stand firm.” Scotia brought a shaky hand to her mouth to stiff a coughing spell.
Isla went to Scotia’s bedside, lifted her friend’s head, then brought a mug to her lips. “Have a drink.”
Scotia brushed Isla’s hand away. “I dinna need any ale. I want answers. I want my daughter.” She narrowed her eyes, her glower intensifying. “Explain to me why Arya is being held captive, when I made it clear she was not to accompany you.”
Facing Scotia was harder than he’d anticipated. “Your daughter is a very persuasive lass, not to mention as stubborn as sin. I did my best to convince her to remain behind, but she’d have none of it.”
“Are you a man or coward?”
“I asked myself that same question,” Garrett replied, shaking his head. “I tried to reason with her, but she vowed if I dinna allow her to come, she’d wait until we’d left, then follow. In the end, I thought it was better she come with us so I could keep an eye on her.”
“Well, you obviously thought wrong.” After a moment’s pause, Scotia continued. “However, I am partly to blame.”
“What do you mean? Arya’s capture is my fault, not yours,” Garrett replied.
“I should have known Arya was up to something when she asked Isla to stay with me, and should have forbidden her to leave the croft.”
“You couldna stop her any more than I could make her stay behind. If there is one thing I’ve learned about Arya, once she makes her mind up to something, there is no changing it.” Garrett paused to stifle a chuckle. While her temerity was frustrating, it was also one of her many traits he found refreshing and appealing. He cleared his throat. “The Lord of Argyll might have her, but rest assured, we will
“Nay. I must do this alone. It is going to be hard enough telling Scotia that Arya was captured. I dinna need an audience when she tears a strip off my hide for allowing her daughter to come along.” Garrett squared his shoulders and knocked. “Best get this over with.”
Logan nodded. “I dinna envy you. From what I’ve heard, Scotia is so ill she can hardly lift her head. I’d be worried the news might kill her, rather than fearing her wrath.”
“She may be gravely ill, but she is as feisty as they come. I am sure that is where Arya gets her spirit and tenacity. Her father was a brave warrior, but a very quiet man who would do anything to please his wife and daughter.”
“God’s speed, cousin.” Logan patted Garrett on the back. “When you’re through, I’ll be waiting for you at the clearing. The rest of the men will meet us there after they have seen to their families. Most are moving their wives and bairns higher into the mountains in case of a retaliatory attack. Once assembled, we can work on a plan to free Arya and the others.”
“I pray we’re not too late.” Garrett rapped softly on the door, but when he got no reply, he knocked louder, then entered.
“Is that you, Arya? I was beside myself with worry when you dinna come home in time for the evening meal,” Scotia said in a strained voice that was barely above a whisper.
Her companion, Isla, rose and faced Garrett. “Is Arya outside?” she asked hesitantly.
“Arya?” Scotia called.
“Nay.” Garrett moved closer. Caught off guard by a sudden bout of dizziness, and the feeling like his legs might buckle, he clutched the back of a chair for support.
“You’re injured.” Isla rushed forward and grasped his elbow. “Sit before you fall.”
“I’m fine,” Garrett lied through clenched teeth, his shoulder aching and his head throbbing again.
“Where is my daughter?” Scotia glared up at him.
“I am afraid she is being held prisoner by the Lord of Argyll.” Garrett hung his head in shame.
“I dinna understand. You promised you wouldna take her on any more raids. You swore to me that no matter how much she begged or pleaded, you would stand firm.” Scotia brought a shaky hand to her mouth to stiff a coughing spell.
Isla went to Scotia’s bedside, lifted her friend’s head, then brought a mug to her lips. “Have a drink.”
Scotia brushed Isla’s hand away. “I dinna need any ale. I want answers. I want my daughter.” She narrowed her eyes, her glower intensifying. “Explain to me why Arya is being held captive, when I made it clear she was not to accompany you.”
Facing Scotia was harder than he’d anticipated. “Your daughter is a very persuasive lass, not to mention as stubborn as sin. I did my best to convince her to remain behind, but she’d have none of it.”
“Are you a man or coward?”
“I asked myself that same question,” Garrett replied, shaking his head. “I tried to reason with her, but she vowed if I dinna allow her to come, she’d wait until we’d left, then follow. In the end, I thought it was better she come with us so I could keep an eye on her.”
“Well, you obviously thought wrong.” After a moment’s pause, Scotia continued. “However, I am partly to blame.”
“What do you mean? Arya’s capture is my fault, not yours,” Garrett replied.
“I should have known Arya was up to something when she asked Isla to stay with me, and should have forbidden her to leave the croft.”
“You couldna stop her any more than I could make her stay behind. If there is one thing I’ve learned about Arya, once she makes her mind up to something, there is no changing it.” Garrett paused to stifle a chuckle. While her temerity was frustrating, it was also one of her many traits he found refreshing and appealing. He cleared his throat. “The Lord of Argyll might have her, but rest assured, we will
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