The Scot's Quest - Keira Montclair Page 0,70
this vagrant into their home, her voice reached a feverish pitch she didn’t even recognize. “The nightmares came back, she thought the spiders were back.”
The look in her mother’s eye—her look of ice, or so Dyna’s father had always called it—stopped her mid-sentence. Her mother never looked at her like that. She stepped back until her legs hit a bench at the trestle table.
“Dyna, this man saved me from death, and he saved your sister from Hord. If not for Vern, we would not be here, you would not be here.”
Vern’s gaze shot from Dyna to Sela and then settled on Claray. “I just wanted to know that you were both hale. I’m sorry, Claray, if I frightened you. I didn’t realize you’d seen me. I didn’t think you’d remember me. You were so young when Hord held you captive.” He moved to a chair and sat down, his breathing labored. “They told me I have less than six moons before I pass, that I should take any last journeys now. I had to see you, Sela. I should have come to the door, but I meant what I said. I didn’t wish to upset anyone.”
Dyna fell onto the bench beneath her, so confused she didn’t know what to think. Had she gotten everything wrong again? Dyna wasn’t used to her impulses steering her wrong, but that’s all they seemed to do lately.
Claray reached for the old man’s hand. “I remember your voice.” She looked at her mother and said, “’Tis not a clear memory, but there’s something about his voice that is soothing.”
“Because they kept you from your mama, and I often rocked you to sleep. I’ll leave you now. I’ve seen what I needed to. Claray, you are a beautiful lass, and I hope you’ve been able to get past all that happened to you. I did what I could to help you both.”
Her father pulled out a chair and said, “Nay, Vern, you’ll stay the night with us. Welcome to Clan Grant. I’m grateful to you for all you did for my family, and for telling me about Hord. I made sure the bastard would never torture Sela or Claray again.”
Suddenly, it was all too much. Dyna had made a mistake, and her grandsire was still missing, and apparently the only person she’d saved Claray from was someone who was fond of her. Emotions rushed through her, bubbling over, and tears streamed down her face. She sobbed and sobbed because all her efforts had come to naught. She hadn’t saved anyone.
Derric strode over and lifted her into his arms, and she buried her face into his shoulder. He carried her to the door of the keep, but he stopped on the threshold and said, “Dyna, your sire is here and would like to speak with you.”
She lifted her head from Derric’s shoulder and looked at her sire. “I’m sorry, Papa.”
“For what? You’ve done naught wrong. I think you’re exhausted. Derric, take her up to her chamber and she can sleep.”
“Nay,” Dyna said, gripping Derric’s arm. “I’d rather sleep under a tree outside the gates. Please, Papa. I cannot be in here right now.”
“As you wish. Take care of her, Corbett. I’ve sent three patrols out, and we’ll be sending several more patrols for my sire in the morn. Rest up, Dyna. We need you.”
Once they were near the stables, Dyna said, “Derric, take me away from here.”
He lifted her onto a fresh mount, grabbed the reins of another horse that had already been saddled, and mounted behind her. Alasdair waved them on.
They rode out through the gates and headed off Grant land.
Dyna said, “Find me a place to sleep, then I’m going after Grandsire.”
“I had a feeling that’s what your plan was, Diamond.”
“I failed my sister, but I’ll not fail my grandfather. I cannot wait until morn.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Derric found a spot under a tree and placed several furs under it, settling Dyna on it. She fell asleep before he finished settling the horses.
He sighed, staring at the lass he loved, a feeling so deep and all-encompassing he could scarcely believe it. Right now, she was too exhausted and heart-sore to recognize what she’d accomplished by finding Claray’s stalker. The situation may not have been what she’d expected, but she’d allowed her sister to put a crushing fear behind her, plus she’d forced Vern to reveal himself, something he clearly hadn’t intended to do.
If he were to guess, Dyna was probably more upset about the look her mother