Ignoring his dubious expression, Evina tightened her hold on his arm and reached for the rail with her other. She started down at an extremely slow pace that she knew chafed the men’s patience, but she had to regain her strength and wasn’t likely to do so if she wasn’t allowed to use her muscles. Still, Evina was regretting her decision by the time she stepped off the last stair tread. By then her legs were shaking, and she was panting as if she’d just finished a run across the bailey.
“Let me carry ye the rest o’ the way, cousin,” Gavin insisted, turning to face her.
With a hand pressed to her breast as she tried to regain her breath, Evina glanced to the trestle tables and almost moaned at how far away they looked to be. But she shook her head. “I needs must—Oomph!” she gasped as Geordie suddenly scooped her up off her feet to stride toward the tables.
Evina took another moment to regain her breath and merely scowled at the man as she did. They were nearly to the table before she had enough breath to mutter, “I notice ye Buchanan men have a terrible habit o’ carrying women around whether they like it or no’.”
“And I notice ye’re as stubborn as our Saidh,” Geordie responded dryly, and then shrugged. “There is no arguing with stubborn, and I’m too thirsty to wait another half hour fer ye to get across the hall so I can have a drink.”
Evina merely shook her head and then forced a smile for Saidh and the other women as Geordie set her on the bench next to them.
“How are ye?” Saidh asked at once. “Ye were no’ hurt, were ye?”
“Nay. I’m fine,” Evina assured her.
“I thought so, but when Conran carried ye straight above stairs I feared he’d knocked the wind out o’ ye or bruised ye up when he tackled ye to the ground,” she said with a grimace.
Evina shook her head, and then reluctantly admitted, “I was upset that Cormag got hurt in me place.”
“Aye. I can imagine. I’d feel the same way and no amount o’ being assured ’twas no’ me fault would help,” Saidh murmured with understanding, and then said firmly, “We must do something about yer attacker.”
“Do no’ fret about it,” Geordie said, bending to lean between them to grab a mug and pitcher of ale off the table in front of them. Straightening, he began to pour himself a drink and added, “The men are no’ just searching the keep. They’ll be searching everywhere inside the outer wall of Maclean. They’ll find the bastard.”
Evina glanced to Saidh, unsurprised to see the doubt on her face as well, and when the woman turned that expression to her, she said, “I have thought of a way to trap the man if they don’t find him in the search.”
Saidh straightened and grinned. “Do tell.”
“Ah, hell,” Alick muttered behind them. “The women are thinking. Ye ken there’s always trouble when the women start in thinking.”
Ignoring him, Evina leaned toward Saidh and began to tell her what she’d come up with in her room.
Chapter 16
“Well?”
Conran glanced up at that barked question from the Maclean as he led his brothers and Donnan to the stairs of the keep. He spotted Evina’s father halfway up the steps, but before he could respond to the man’s question, a soldier shouted Donnan’s name. Conran glanced around just in time to see the big man break off from the group to head back across the bailey. He watched him head for the gates and then turned back to the old man he was approaching. Noting his questioning expression, Conran shook his head wearily and said, “We coordinated with Donnan and the soldiers and searched every square inch within the walls. We also questioned everyone we encountered and—” his mouth tightened with frustration “—nothing.” Pausing on the steps next to the Maclean, he asked, “Did ye have yer men search the keep?”
“Aye.” Fearghas sighed the word, as weary and disappointed as him. Conran wasn’t surprised when he said, “And they found nothing either.”
Nodding, Conran continued up the stairs, saying, “Then he must have a hidey-hole somewhere here. We’ll have to keep Evina guarded and come up with a trap to catch the bastard.”
“Aye,” the Maclean muttered, hobbling up the steps on his heels.
Conran had just reached the door to the keep when he heard shouting from the gate. Pausing, he turned to peer back to see