look, as if he were pulling at an elusive memory and losing it. “I found a woman. She said Rose and William had been taken away.”
“That was Mary,” Jones volunteered. “She’s the captain’s wife. He’ll be glad you saved her. Come. She is this way. We must wake her and find out what she saw.”
“Jones!” the earl barked. “Why do you not invite him in for—” He stopped as if remembering there was nothing to go into and turned to look over his shoulder at the castle. His second home with possibly his daughter inside. A whimpering sound escaped his lips before he returned his gaze to MacPherson’s. “If my Rose is dead…if you have killed her—” He held up his palm to stop the Highlander from cutting him off. “Then please, kill me also. I give up my life.”
MacPherson shook his head and then closed his eyes and held his head, which likely ached from the earl’s hilt. “I didna kill her. But I will find her.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Why should I keep the truth from ye?” MacPherson countered. “Ye just handed yer life over to me. If I wanted ye dead, he—” he pointed to Jones, “–couldna stop me, even though my head is poundin’,” he emphasized with a gleaming, deadly glare.
“So,” Jones answered, “you no longer want the earl dead? And to be clear, you are in bad shape. I could stop you.”
MacPherson offered him a quick smirk that dared him to try. The Highlander was either a mad fool or chillingly confident with good reason. “I came here to kill him if he is guilty.”
“Who made you my judge?” the earl asked acidly.
“Yer daughter. I came as yer executioner.”
The earl’s eyes filled with tears again. “I did not kill my wife…although,” he choked on a cry, “it feels like the wrath of God is upon me.” He stopped for a moment and pulled himself together. “The one who did this did the same to my wife, and now he has my daughter. If you want me to believe that you love her, vow to me you will kill whoever is responsible for this.”
“I vow it,” MacPherson didn’t hesitate to reply.
The earl broke away without another word and ran to Mary.
Jones followed, with MacPherson limping close behind.
“She is awake!” the earl shouted, though the two behind him could see for themselves.
“Mary! Mary!” the earl cried. “What happened here? Who did this?”
The captain’s wife coughed into her hand and then looked up at MacPherson. “I thought for certain I was going to die. You saved me.”
They all looked at him and he scowled at his boots.
“Mary, where is my Rose?” the earl pleaded.
“Men came. Mr. Watley let them in. I did not know what to do. The castle felt so far away, and they were spilling in. A man with golden hair, ’twas very light and long, stood in the courtyard I ran into my home and watched from the window when he came out later. Rose and William were with him, being held against their wills by soldiers. William began yelling and trying to run to me but the man hit him over the head. Another man struck Rose. He died for it a moment later and the first man carried her and William to the horses. I smelled the smoke after that.”
She began to cry, and the earl comforted her.
“How many men were there?” MacPherson asked.
She shook her head. “From ten to twenty I think.”
“Long, golden hair.” Jones rubbed the sides of his chin with his thumb and index. “Do you know anyone who fits that description?”
“No,” the earl cried out and turned and yanked at his hair. “We will never find her.”
“I can track them,” MacPherson announced and turned to leave. “I have wasted enough time.”
Jones glanced at the earl to see what he was going to do, and then took off after him. “You are in no condition to hunt for anyone.”
“I will mend on the way.”
“I will have to save your life again,” Jones argued.
“As I recall,” Tristan said succinctly, “I killed as many of those as ye did.”
Jones laughed at him. “The blow to your head still affects you.”
“I am coming with you!” the earl called out, catching up.
MacPherson turned and called to Mary. She smiled gratefully and hurried toward them.
Jones and the earl had their horses. Mary rode with Dumfries while MacPherson scouted outside the gate for tracks. Finding them, he hurried to get his horse. He returned a short