The Highland Laird (Lords of the Highlands #8) - Amy Jarecki Page 0,32
he, laddie?”
A horse nickered. Another kicked the wall of its stall.
She let the dog pull her forward. When he stopped she reached out, her fingers meeting with the rungs of a wooden ladder. “The loft?”
“Arf!”
“Sam?” she called. “Are you up there?”
Emma wrapped her fingers around the rung and raised her foot, only to be hindered by her skirts. “Sam?” she asked, louder.
Rustling came from above. “Miss Emma?”
“Aye, ’tis me. I need your assistance straightaway.”
“But it is in the wee hours. You should be abed.”
Her spine shot rigidly straight. “Not when Dunollie is at the mercy of Governor Wilcox.”
Emma stepped away while the lad climbed down the creaking ladder. “Do ye ken the governor?”
“I know of his reputation, and that is enough.”
Sam hit the ground with a thump. “Good, because I reckon you do not want to meet him. No one does.”
“On the contrary.”
“Huh?”
“I need you to take me to Fort William straightaway.”
“Ye mightn’t have noticed, but ’tis black as ink outside. Besides, I’ll have to ask for permission to do that.”
She’d thought he might balk, but if she didn’t take charge and do this immediately, Janet would be sure to stop her on the morrow. “No, we cannot possibly wait. If we leave now, I will pay you a gold guinea.”
“A guinea?” the lad asked, sounding more interested. “That’s more than I make in a month. More than I make in two months.”
“Will you take me?”
“Come first light I will.”
“It must be now.”
“Now? Can you ride?”
She’d have preferred to ride in a cart, but hitching up a rig would cause too much of a commotion, not to mention take too much time. “I’ll ride double with you.” After all, she’d ridden double with Robert plenty of times. “But we must leave at once.”
“I suppose I’m awake now, but ye make no sense at all.” Grumbling a Gaelic curse, the boy moved away. “Give me a moment to saddle a mount.”
Emma waited while he brought a horse out of a stall, the muffled clop of hooves approaching. “Thank you for indulging me.”
“I hope it will not be for naught,” Sam said. “By the saints, what do you intend to do in Fort William when you can’t…?”
“Can’t see?” she asked, running her hand over Albert’s coat. “You’d be surprised what a blind woman can manage when she sets her mind to it.”
Mayhap he’s right. But if I do not do something, who will?
A myriad of scents filled the air as the lad worked—the musky smell of wool from the blanket, oiled leather. Emma even detected the sharp trace of iron from the bit.
Sam took her hand. “Step over to the mounting block.”
She tugged the dog’s lead. “Albert must come with us as well.”
“Not on the back of the horse. The animal will spook for certain.”
“But I’ll need him,” Emma insisted.
“If you want to bring him he’ll have to walk.”
“How far is it?” she asked.
“Twelve miles, near enough.”
“That’s awfully far.”
“He’s a dog. He’ll be fine,” Sam said.
She bent down and removed the clip from Albert’s collar. “Are you certain?”
“Positively.” Sam urged her up the two steps. “Climb aboard.”
Emma ran her fingers over the smooth saddle with one hand and found the stirrup with the other. “I’ll sit astride.” She swung her leg over the horse’s back and quickly did her best to straighten her skirts and cover her knees with her cloak. She’d ridden astride with Robert at home. He always said it was safer. “If Albert begins to lag, we’ll have to find a way to let him ride.”
Sam mounted behind her. “Och, next you’ll be asking me to throw a sheep over the gelding’s withers as well.”
He reached around her and took up the reins. “Come behind, Albert. We’ve a long journey ahead of us.”
Chapter Eleven
The ride was slow going as Sam let the horse pick its way through night’s darkness. But at least they were on their way.
“We’re approaching Fort William now,” Sam said as he tapped the reins.
Emma sat a bit taller. She’d heard the dog’s gait when they’d crossed the bridge over the River Lochy five or so minutes ago, but she didn’t hear him now. “Where is Albert?”
“Still beside us.”
“Are we on grass?”
“He is. The road is packed earth.”
“Very good.” She ran her fingers through the horse’s coarse mane. “I’d like you to take me straight to the fort.”
“Are you certain? The sun rose only an hour past. ’Tis still early.”
“The sooner we arrive, the better. Let me tell you what I need you to do.”