Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,34

keep his own hands clean.

If they had not taken Mairi MacCullough, Black Richard would have ignored it in so much as they would have simply rieved the cattle back. But the life of an innocent girl of five and ten was at stake. He could not in good conscience simply leave her to her fate.

With six men riding with him, Black Richard thundered through the gates of his keep and headed north, in search of Farquars and Abel MacCullough’s daughter.

Silently, he prayed that no true harm had been done to Mairi. If she had been hurt he doubted he would be able to keep his clan from revenge.

In less than an hour Black Richard and his men reached Abel’s farm. It sat a little under a mile from their northwestern border, on flat land with rich soil. A wide stream ran through the eastern edge, making it a perfect place in which to grow barley and wheat.

As he and his men rode down the path leading up to the croft, the hair on the back of his head stood on end. An eerie silence had fallen over the place. The cattle that would normally have been grazing in the glen had been stolen. But there were also no chickens pecking at the dirt. Not even a lamb could be heard bleating in the distance. No smoke billowed through the chimney.

A heavy sense of doom and dread filled his gut as he scanned the area for any sign of life.

“Check the croft,” Black Richard ordered Traigh as he dismounted. “Rory, ye and the others fan out. Abel and Liza must be here somewhere.”

While Traigh went inside the croft, Black Richard went into the small barn attached to it. Where there should have been chickens and a milk cow, there was naught but an empty stall and nests. Overhead, was a small loft, filled with straw. He was about to leave when he heard a slight rustling above.

On the off chance ’twas not Abel or his daughter, he withdrew his sword slowly, careful not to let the steel scrape against the sheath. Bracing himself, he studied the loft carefully for a long moment. “Abel? Be that ye?” he called to whomever was above.

He received no reply.

“Whoever ye be, make yerself known at once,” he said, his voice even and firm.

’Twas then he heard a soft whimper.

Believing mayhap that Abel had been injured and had hidden himself above, Black Richard took to the wooden ladder, keeping his sword at the ready. Cautiously, in case his instinct was incorrect, he rose up the ladder until he could see inside. The shutters had been closed over the small window on the north side of the space. ’Twas dark, save for a tiny beam of light streaming in through a crack in the wall.

In the far corner, in the shadows, he could hear the slight rustle again. “Abel? Be that ye?” he whispered. “’Tis me, Black Richard.”

As soon as he identified himself, the person within began tossing the hay away in hurried fashion. A moment later, he saw the terrified eyes of Liza MacCullough peering through. “Black Richard!” she exclaimed as the tears fell from her eyes.

Black Richard climbed the rest of the way up. Her blonde hair was mussed, with little bits of hay sticking to it here and there. Just like her older brother, Andrew, her face was streaked with tears and dirt. “Och, lassie,” Richard said as he lifted her from the corner. “’Tis all right now,” he said, as she began to cry against his chest.

Clinging to him, frightened near out of her own skin, she began to cry louder. “Da hid me here!” She said. “He went to find Mairi!”

Hearing the commotion, Traigh and Rory came rushing into the barn. As soon as they saw the little girl clinging to Black Richard, they sheathed their swords and offered assistance. Black Richard had to pry the child away and hand her down to Traigh.

As he descended the ladder, he said, “Abel has gone off to find Mairi.”

Lord only knew what fate had already befallen Mairi. Knowing Abel as he did, the man was fit to be tied with anger. He pitied the Farquars should Abel get his hands on the men who took his eldest child and daughter.

With Traigh staying behind to watch after Liza, Black Richard and his men set off in search of Abel and Mairi. They stopped at the border, swords at the ready. He knew these lands like