The Scot's Pursuit - Keira Montclair Page 0,82
her. “We left the army fighting the English who thought to hold you until Grandsire agreed to side with them against King Robert. Everyone thought you’d be there, but Alick sensed you were not.”
“Ah, and it was this man, Denton, who had a man killed and stole me away for his own use. Originally, there were many involved with my abduction. At least ten. Some of the men at Thane Castle were aware of what was happening, but it also seemed to be a secret. Then Denton lost control and stole me away. I knew he had planned it because his constant mutterings to himself warned me he’d turned daft. But enough about him. Tell me about our clan. Your father and grandfather? Your sister and brothers?”
“They’re all fine.” A noise caught their ears, and they all turned to the source, a horse that had been sent into a gallop. Alick’s sire flew into the meadow and jumped off his horse, running to his mother. “Kyla? Are you hale? They did not hurt you?”
His hand flew to her shoulders, but he waited for her nod before he wrapped his arms around her.
“I’m fine, husband. In need of a bath and some food, but otherwise fine.”
Da glanced at Alick over her shoulder. “How did you know how to find her? I was shocked when you left, but I guessed you must have had your reasons. Why?”
He shrugged. “I just had a funny feeling.”
Grandmama.
A few more horses broke through the trees. Grandsire and Uncle Jamie led the way, followed by Alasdair, Chrissa, and Els.
Grandsire brought his horse as close as he could. “I’ll not be getting down, but you are hale, daughter?”
“Aye, Papa, but is that not my daughter behind you? Why is she here?”
Her father arched a brow and said, “She’s become a fine archer. I see the same is true of Branwen, or is that Dyna’s arrow in the bastard?”
“Not my arrow,” Dyna said, sounding almost proud.
“Well done. Welcome home, daughter.” Grandsire and Da looked so relieved, and Alick knew he wore the same expression. They’d been lost without her.
Uncle Jamie said, “Time to mount up. She looks good enough to get her out of here, Papa. We know not how many more English are around.”
Da led her to his horse and started to lift her, but Grandsire cleared his throat. “May I? I feel the same need I had behind a waterfall long ago.”
Finlay looked at his wife, kissed her forehead, and handed her up to her sire’s horse. “Of course, Alex. We’ll be able to spend the rest of the evening together.”
Filled with a sense of peace, Alick lifted Branwen up onto his horse, then mounted behind her, but Grandsire stopped his horse.
He glanced from Dyna to Alick, Branwen to Kyla. “Who exactly should I thank for returning my daughter to me safely?”
Alick, Kyla, and Dyna all pointed to Branwen, who blushed. “I needed Alick and Dyna’s help to distract him.”
“Many thanks to you, new granddaughter. You and your husband will tell me later how you knew to come this way.”
They headed out, and Alick knew by his mother’s next action that she was going to be just fine. She hollered back over her shoulder, “And Chrissa? You and I will have a talk later, lassie.”
“But Mama,” Chrissa said. “They kidnapped me and were not nice and told me…”
“Enough. We’ll discuss it later.”
It was probably a good thing their mother couldn’t see Chrissa’s face because she glanced at Alick with the biggest grin he’d ever seen, wrinkling her nose.
“Is she in trouble with your mother, Alick?” Branwen asked as they started riding.
“Mama will have some choice words for her. But if Grandsire said she did a good job and followed instructions, she’ll be kinder.”
“I am part of your clan now, am I not?” she asked softly.
He smirked. “Aye, you are, and a valued one already.”
She fell asleep moments later.
They made it back on MacLintock land in less than two hours, hundreds of Grant warriors behind them. He heard Alasdair call out, “Celebration in the courtyard to start in two hours. We caught a boar on the way back. We’ll get it roasting soon!”
“Do you think ’tis ended? The threat from the English?”
Alick sighed. “Nay, likely not, but ’tis over for now. This war won’t end until the English let us have our king. But for this eve, we celebrate getting Mama back. We’ll go to MacLintock Castle for another night or two. ’Tis closer.”
Cheering abounded, along with shouts