They’d left Mac in charge of the forces at the castle to protect those within. They’d already overseen the hiding of their treasure. Jenny had wished her mother a good night, hugged Isla, and watched Toran shake his younger brother’s hand. Camdyn looked up at him with such admiration, it was truly touching.
“Pray we dinna come across any redcoats this time,” she said, making the sign of the cross over her chest. It would be a miracle if they didn’t. The entire country was swarming with dragoons, especially now that Prince Charles had landed.
His initial arrival had been kept secret, but a secret that big had a way of finding its way out. And Jenny had received several warnings the day before that there were whispers of the bonnie prince having landed near Eriskay and then taken his French ship up the coast to Kinlochmoidart. A check with Fiona had shown those rumors to be fact.
She glanced to her right at Dirk, who gave her a curt nod. His lips were pinched in the torchlight, brows drawn together. Though he supported her, he still believed the risks of this journey were too great. She understood his reservations. There was a part of her that would rather have remained behind, reading Gulliver’s Travels, but there was a reason she loved that book so much, and the adventure was part of it. She had a duty to her clan and a mission to carry out.
John and Archie nodded at her, their expressions controlled, though she sensed in both their gazes a light of excitement. At last, she turned to face Toran.
The intensity of his gaze was enough to knock her off her horse, but she held herself tightly in place.
What he’d said to her in the study still struck strong, and she wasn’t certain how to decipher it. The feelings he brought out in her were too intense. She drew in a steadying breath, which did little to calm the racing of her heart. Not even looking away helped. She could still see him in her mind’s eye, feel the intensity of his gaze on the side of her face.
They rode with her at the fore, centered between Dirk and Toran, with John and Archie at their backs.
Through the gate and onto the road they went, several of their guards having gone out the hour before to scout the roads and make certain no lingering dragoons were watching Cnàmhan Broch.
Only two had been found, and so the rebels avoided their path. Certainly Dirk and Toran would have liked to dispose of the redcoats, but that was something Jenny wasn’t willing to risk. Dead or missing dragoons on Mackintosh lands would just be asking for another visit from Boyd.
They walked their horses at a reasonable pace for about an hour before breaking out into a gallop to avoid the rumbling of the earth that would alert any hiding Sassenachs of their journey.
Several hours passed before they took their first break to rest and water the horses and get a reprieve themselves. They were silent as they went, each of them moving in a pattern they all knew well.
A half hour later, they were on the road again. When the sun rose, they continued on, staying off the roads as much as possible so as not to be noticed.
By midday, Jenny’s eyes were heavy, her body exhausted, but still she clung to the reins and tried to keep upright. She’d barely slept in weeks, and the rush of excitement had left her body feeling depleted of whatever energy remained. The men, too, seemed to be dragging. She’d hoped they could make it to sunset and then rest for the night. But it was summer, and the sun was not due to set for hours yet. At this time of year, daylight could remain until nearly nine o’clock.
Maybe she could try to push it for another hour.
But even as she thought that, she felt herself sliding on her saddle. With a curse she righted herself, angry at the weakness her body was showing. She was the leader of rebels on her way to meet the future King of Scotland, and she couldn’t even keep her seat.
“We should stop,” Toran said, the first words he’d spoken in hours.
Jenny’s back snapped straight, stubborn irritation lancing through her. “Not yet,” she said.
He didn’t answer, and when she turned to look at him, he only gave a short nod. But she could see what he was thinking in his