Page 56 of Bride of the Wicked Laird
As he’d had in his mind to bid good-morrow to Davina, Everard glanced around.
“The lass is nae hard at work this morning?”
Broderick shook his head. “She is, but nae here. She’s gone with the Lady Aileen. She intends tae collect some herbs from the midwife in the village. I thought she’d have returned by now. Lady Aileen was tae bring her back but I guess there’s been a change of plans. She said she would meet wi’ Lord Maxwell here instead of the village.”
“When did the lasses depart from here?”
“Right after we’d broken our fast. Many hours ago.” Broderick frowned. “Mistress Davina said she’d only be gone an hour.”
“God’s hooks, lad. Something may have happened to them. Why did ye nae sound the alarm before this?”
“I didnae think… she was with mistress Aileen. Nay harm could come tae her.” He glanced at the sky. “’Tis fair sailing weather, so mayhap they’ve met with difficulty in the village.”
“Thank ye, lad. I’ll get there soon. Mayhap I’ll come upon them.”
Heart sinking into his boots, Everard turned on his heel and hurried over to Maxwell and grabbed his brother’s arm. “C’mon, something’s happened that’s nae right. Yer lass and Davina were planning tae be here hours ago.”
Concern immediately creased Maxwell’s face. “I hope this is nae something dire. Only last night ye said we should guard Davina well.”
They dashed down the slipway to the moorings, where Maxwell quickly unfastened his boat. They jumped on board and were away and sailing on the bay in mere seconds.
Everard’s heart was pumping fast. All his instincts were telling him that something was badly wrong. Mayhap it was the talk of Dùghall MacKinnon that had set his imagination afire, but he’d long known that when a MacKinnon appeared on the Island, no good would come of it.
His mind flashed to Alexander MacDougall and his ally Murchadh MacKinnon. He could only pray that his roving thoughts were altogether mistaken.
They reached the shore in no time and while Maxwell was hauling the boat ashore, Everard took off at a run in the direction of the tavern.
Before he reached the inn, he came across a hurrying Aileen, turning in from a side lane.
She was out of breath and puffing. “Everard, I’m so pleased tae see ye. Is Maxwell wi’ ye?”
Everard nodded. “Where’s Davina?”
“I dinnae ken where she is,” Aileen said. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her hair in disarray from running, her face as white as a gull’s wing. “I found the midwife’s house and waited there fer a while as there was nay one home. Then, at last, Mistress Marigold Arasgain, the midwife, happened along.”
“And?” Everard stomped his feet impatiently. “What did she tell ye of Davina?”
“That’s just it. She said she’d been attending a newborn in the village and she’d nae seen hide nor hair of anyone of Davina’s description.”
“But Davina went tae her house?”
“Aye. She went down this lane. We were tae meet at the tavern, but naebody has seen her there.”
“Tell Maxwell, when he comes, tae follow me,” Everard took off at a run down the lane, cursing himself for not having kept better watch over Davina, and cursing her for having been so headstrong come to the village without sending him word.
His mind surged with thoughts of her being in the clutches of Dùghall MacKinnon, or of having been taken by the two ruffians who’d hunted her in Mull.
Even now she could be on board a birlinn heading out to sea.
Arriving at the midwife’s little cottage at the end of the lane, he studied the thicket of woods behind her house.Mayhap she’s wandered there and had fallen, or some animal, a wild boar mayhap, had frightened or attacked her.
He paused a moment, looking back along the lane, relieved to see his brother heading toward him at a run. He had his broadsword strapped to his shoulder, whereas Everard only had his dirk sheathed at his waist. If some ruffians had taken hold of Davina, he would need his brother’s sword.
Maxwell was beside him moments later. “Let me have yer sword, brother. I believe some ill may have befallen Davina in these woods.”
Taking the sword his brother handed over, he clasped the heavy weapon in his hand. “D’ye have yer dirk?”
Maxwell nodded and, weapons drawn, the two moved stealthily into the shadowed, hushed world of the forest.
