Highland Warlord - Amy Jarecki Page 0,34
I expected to see.” He placed his palm in the small of her back and headed for the shore. “Why did you not send a messenger? You could have been killed by coming here. Not to mention traveling alone. Where is Coira?”
“She is with Florrie, but I have grave news.” Her eyes grew haunted as she clutched James’ hand and squeezed. “My uncle stormed into the nave whilst we were at prayer and took Harris.”
James groaned, his head dropping back. Was no one safe? What of the sanctuary of the church? “How did Herbert discover you were harboring your brother in Lincluden?”
“I cannot be positively certain, but I believe one of my uncle’s men was riding with some soldiers who stopped to demand food. I tried to hide Harris from him, but he must have seen us—and I ken for certain he recognized me.”
“Blast.” James paced. “Where have they taken him?”
She fell in step beside him. “My uncle said to a place the lad will learn respect for the English crown.”
“South of the border, most likely.”
“Please, we must ride after him at once.”
James stopped. “Nay.”
“I beg your pardon?” Ailish shook her fists. “Harris is the Earl of Caerlaverock, a peer of Scotland, mind you, and he has been kidnapped by a tyrant!”
“’Tis an outrage, and I know you must be beside yourself with worry, but if we ride blindly after him now, we’ll never find the lad.”
“You cannot mean what you say!” A tear slipped onto her cheek. “Bless it, the longer we wait, the deeper into England he may go.”
James didn’t doubt her reasoning, though it still didn’t make the lad’s whereabouts any clearer. “Or he could be held at your father’s castle.”
“I doubt that. I feared my uncle would kill the boy until he said Harris would be taken to become a vassal of Edward.” Ailish knit her brows, giving him a wary once-over. “He also told me you razed your own keep—said you’d gone mad.”
“Hmm, I’m glad they took notice. I also wonder if Herbert kens of our alliance.” James scratched his beard as he paced. “We must take every care to ensure whatever measures we take to rescue Harris will not be thwarted. I shall send out scouts first, else we risk riding into a trap.”
“Scouts? I cannot possibly sit idle whilst my brother is in fear of his life.”
“Aye, we’re all in fear of our lives.” James grasped her shoulders and looked into those captivating eyes. Och, he’d missed them so. “Let me ask you this; if I am killed acting like a raging bull, what good will I be to Harris then?”
Ailish turned and buried her face in her hands. “I just want him back.”
His heart twisted as he smoothed his hand across her shoulder. No matter how much he wanted to ride to Caerlaverock and put the castle to fire and sword, it was a mighty fortress—one only conquerable with thousands of men and siege engines. Six years past, Edward had taken the castle with three thousand men and four catapults, hurling trebuchet balls day and night. And if James had learned anything from his years of training, it was always to ride into peril with a solid plan, preferably when one has the highest ground.
“We both want the same thing, lass,” he whispered as gently as possible. “But when I go after the lad, I must do so with a clear head and a solid plan.”
“What if your scouts do not discover where he is?”
“If nary a soul sees a Maxwell retinue ride south or mayhap east, then we’ll ken your brother is at Caerlaverock.”
“Oh, Lord in heaven, my insides feel as if they’re being torn to shreds.”
James slid his hands around her waist and pulled her into his arms. He knew her pain. He knew all too well the rage clawing at her insides. If only he could tell her how happy he was to see her again, but now was not the time. He closed his eyes and savored her scent. “M’lady, you have my oath I will find him. Now, I need to arrange for an escort to take you back to the priory where you’ll be safe.”
“Nay.” She pulled away from his grasp, a new bout of worry filling her eyes. “The prioress said if I left to find you, I could never return.”
“What? Why?”
“She thought it was too dangerous for me to come.”
“Well, she was right there.”
“Please, Sir James. I have nowhere to turn.”
He gestured back toward