The Scot's Pursuit - Keira Montclair Page 0,19

her. “Alick wants to play with the lads. Leave him be.”

Dyna left, and he hung back to watch her go, just to make sure she made it back to her mother. His mother had always told him he was overprotective of his cousins, especially Dyna. But she was always nearby when he needed help, and he tried to do the same for her.

When he turned back in search for Alasdair and Els, they’d both disappeared. He ran after them until he was out of breath and his legs were tired, but he still could not find them. He tried three different spots without any luck.

Why wouldn’t they wait for him? He was so upset, he called out, hoping they could hear his voice. “Els! Dair! You never wait for me.”

He finally gave up, moving back to the obstacle field, his head hanging, thinking maybe he’d sit on his mother’s lap since his cousins weren’t around to tease him. Aye, he was a big lad now, but he still loved his mother. “Mama,” he called out as he approached the field. “Mama?”

She wasn’t there.

He searched down the side of the field but didn’t see her. His sire was to be next on the course, and he was mounted and waiting. He searched for his younger brother, Broc, but didn’t see him either. And Aunt Celestina and Aunt Sela had also disappeared.

“Mama?” he turned around to head back toward the keep. Where could she have gone?

And that was when he panicked.

“Mama!” he screamed, his chubby legs churning back toward the keep. He ran and ran, to the gates, through the courtyard, through all the festival tents, in case she’d gone for a meat pie or a pastry.

Nowhere to be seen. Tears flooded his cheeks and he ran in circles, his vision so blurred he had no way of seeing the people he bumped into, but he’d know if he found his mama. She had a sweet aroma unlike any other.

“Alick, stop,” a familiar voice called out to him. “Wait for me.”

Although he was in too much of a panic to register who was speaking to him, he stopped anyway.

“Alick.” His grandmother leaned down to pick him up, and he didn’t care if anyone saw it. Perhaps he was too big to be hugged, but not by Grandmama Maddie.

Alick clung to the woman is if he feared to lose her, too. “Grandmama, they’ve taken her. I’m sure of it.” He sobbed into her shoulder and his dear grandmother carried him over to the bench in Aunt Brenna’s garden, rubbing his back in her soothing way, her voice alone able to calm him down.

“Alick, no one has stolen your mother.”

He stopped and moved over to sit on the bench next to her, looking up at Grandmama, her smile warming him through and through. Everything would be all right. He was certain of it now that Grandmama was here.

Wouldn’t it? He gazed up at her, swiping his tears away. “But I heard them talking by the hearth about the men who took her prisoner. They hurt her, and Papa had to save her. I have to go get him. He’ll need to save her again.”

“Nay, laddie, calm down. She’s not been stolen. She has one of those pains in her head. You know how she gets them sometimes.”

“But she didn’t tell me. She would have told me if she had to leave.”

“She tried to find you, but you were on the far side of the field. I sent her off to bed and told her I’d find you. Your brother is with Aunt Celestina in the kitchens. Your mother is probably sleeping. Do you wish to peek in on her? She was going to Aunt Brenna’s healing chamber for some potion, then she was going to rest.”

Just listening to his grandmother made all the hurt go away. His mother was probably fine.

“Where did you hear that story about her being stolen?” she asked softly.

“Papa was telling Uncle Quade and Gavin and some others last eve after the evening meal.” She ran her fingers through his thick hair, trying to straighten the waves, her touch so comforting that he leaned into her hand for more.

“That happened a long time ago before they were married. Your parents would never leave you.” Grandmama tugged him closer, wrapping her arms around him in a warm hug, humming one of her favorite songs. “You’ll be fine. Come, I’ll take you to Mama.”

And she had. His mother had been sound asleep,