A Hellion at the Highland Court (The Highland Ladies #9) - Celeste Barclay Page 0,122

know where you wife is,” Dominic said as he tried to push Brodie away.

“You’ve been here for hours. Laurel wouldn’t avoid being here when the men returned. She kens her duties. Where is she?”

“Where’s Laurel?” Monty asked as he joined the two brothers. He looked between the men, his eyes narrowing at Dominic. He felt uneasy around the man. Then he noticed Brodie was trembling with rage. Monty gritted his teeth and hissed, “Where’s my sister?”

“The hell I should know. She wandered off hours ago. No one’s seen her. Probably taking a nap,” Dominic snapped.

“Don’t confuse my wife for yours. Mine isn’t lazy,” Brodie barked before he turned his ire on Colina. “Have you done a single bluidy thing today or left my wife to run herself ragged? Where is she? Have you left your chamber long enough to notice?”

As he fired one question after another at Colina, he realized he’d harbored more anger and resentment toward the woman than he imagined. Her ambivalence to her clan, and now her blasé attitude when Brodie asked about Laurel, made him want to rip her apart. He supposed bloodlust still pounded through him, but he’d only felt exhausted and calm when he rode in.

“Leave my wife alone, Brodie. Speak to yours however you wish.” Dominic stepped in front of Colina.

“Aye. Be the doting husband. Protect her from everything. Don’t even let her speak for herself. It might be too taxing.” Brodie opened his mouth to say more, but he caught sight of Aggie running toward him.

“Ma laird! Ma laird!” Aggie waved to him as she beckoned him to her. “I canna find Lady Campbell. It’s been hours since I’ve seen her.”

Brodie’s heart pounded. Had someone sneaked in and taken Laurel? Had she been injured somewhere while watching the battle? Did she fall ill? Questions buzzed in Brodie’s mind as he looked at Monty and Donnan. He shook his head.

“She wouldn’t rest,” Monty stated.

“She wouldn’t be able to,” Donnan added. “She’d have to keep herself busy.”

“Where was she last seen?” Brodie tried to calm his voice as he spoke to Aggie, who was visibly distressed. Aggie had been a second mother to him and Dominic, even before their own mother died.

“Here in the bailey, ma laird. People saw her checking the storage buildings and visiting the shepherds by the corral. A few noticed she’d gone up to the battlements when the battle started, but that was before she worked her way around the bailey.”

“Could she have gone into the village?” Monty asked.

“I dinna think so,” Aggie replied as she shook her head. “I asked the guards at the gate, but none saw her.”

“She’d likely cover her head with her arisaid to make her hair less visible to the Lamonts and MacDougalls. She might have gone to make sure no one lingered there,” Brodie reasoned. He spun on his heel, wincing at the pain in his side. Now that the fight was won, and the fatigue set in, he noticed the pain. He was certain he needed stitches, but he needed to find his wife more. He’d looked earlier, and the bleeding had stopped. It could wait until he knew Laurel was safe.

He passed Graham as he moved toward the gate. “Can’t find Lady Campbell,” was all he said before his second fell into step. Brodie didn’t have to look back to know his brother wasn’t with him. But Monty and Donnan were. They fanned out as they reached the village, having walked since it lay just beyond the barmekin. He didn’t have to issue any instructions, the others knowing what to do without asking. Brodie knocked on doors. He was grateful no one answered, assured that the residents were at the keep. But it frustrated him that he didn’t find Laurel. It took the men an hour to work their way through the village and to no avail. The four men wore matching fearful expressions as they returned to the keep.

When a blonde woman walked toward the well in the center of the bailey, a thought permeated the others churning and whirling through Brodie’s mind. “Where’s Gara?”

Brodie spoke to any and everyone. The woman had shot daggers from her eyes at Laurel throughout the morning meal. She’d bumped into Laurel’s chair several times the night before. He didn’t understand the woman’s hostility since he’d done nothing more than tease her a few times. There was no relationship beyond laird and servant. He looked around, but the woman didn’t appear. Furious and frightened, Brodie