Page 63 of Wolf Pack

“We apologize for no’ coming forth. It willna happen again,” Bhaltair said.

Alasdair finally inclined his head. “Aye. Return home. I have no quarrel with you or your parents.” He wouldn’t say the same for Mege.

17

In the distance behind them, Isobel and Conall could hear the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves pounding against the ground, indicating that someone was approaching them rapidly.

“Friend or foe?” Conall asked, riding faster to the croft.

“Some of Mege’s friends?”

“I doubt that many would come to terminate you, well, us, because they couldna very well hurt you and get away with it. Then they would have to kill me. I’m sure many of Alasdair’s people know how much you already mean to him and wouldna go against his rule.”

“Then they could be Alasdair’s men and worried about us.”

“Lorne,” Conall said, smelling his scent now as the breeze carried it to them.

“Good. No’ the enemy.” She was relieved that no one was coming to fight them.

“Aye.”

“Have you come to protect us?” Isobel called out to Lorne as soon as he and the others came into view.

“Aye, my lady.”

“Because of Mede?” she asked.

“Aye. The woman must have been crazy to have threatened you.” Lorne shook his head, and he and his men joined them. “Especially after she saw you practice fight in the inner bailey. She might have believed you hadna actually killed the Viking guarding the longships. But once she saw you swinging your sword at Bessetta and the others, she knew you had the skill to fight.”

“She wouldna have come after me herself. She would have had to send a man or two.” That was the thing. Mege would have talked someone else into it, and that person would have suffered the consequences.

“Aye.”

“You didna see anyone coming after us, I take it,” Isobel said as they approached the croft.

“Other than the men who came here to return Cleary and Baine to the castle, nay.”

“Thank you for looking out for us,” Isobel said as they reached the clearing at the croft. She dismounted.

Conall leaped from his horse and took Isobel’s horse's reins. “I’ll take care of the horses.”

“I’ll check on Agnes and Dawy and learn if they need anything. Thanks again!” Isobel waved at Lorne and headed for the croft’s door.

“If you need us, let us know.”

“We will.” She couldn’t wait for Alasdair to show up at the loch again and didn’t want anyone out here but her and the laird when the time came.

When Alasdair rodeto the loch, he hoped Isobel would come out of the croft to join him for a swim. Then he saw Lorne and his other men returning from the croft.

“No sightings of anyone,” Lorne reported. “Do you need me to post a guard for you in the meantime?”

“Nay. We’ll be fine.”

Lorne smiled. “Aye, I’m sure you will be. You’ll be returning in a while?”

“Aye. If you see Rory or Hans, tell them I’ll return when I’m done here.”

“See you later.” Then Lorne and the rest of the men rode off.

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