Page 43 of Highlander's Caged Rose
“Where did he take Moira?” Niall asked. “It would be better for you to tell me because I might have a little more mercy on you.”
Gerald was silent, then Niall shook him so violently that his teeth rattled. “Where is she?” he roared.
“I don’t know!” Gerald answered, his voice hoarse with fear. “He just disappeared. If I knew, I would tell you!”
Niall stared down at him, then slapped him once, twice, with the front and back of his hand hard across his face, before flinging him with all his might towards one of the guards.
“Put him in the cell at the end—the darkest one,” he instructed. “Give him enough food and water to keep him alive, no more.” Then he addressed Gerald. “I will have mercy on you and put a couple of rat traps in there with you, you’ll need them! If anything bad happens to my Moira, I can assure you that the same—or worse—will happen to you!”
He beckoned to two other guards, who marched up and hauled their prisoner away none too gently. The last Niall saw of Gerald was his terrified face as he glanced over his shoulder. He felt a stab of vicious satisfaction, but he had no time to gloat. He had to find Moira because he needed her as much as he needed the air that he breathed.
Niall ran to the stables and saw Ritchie Young standing with Glennie. They were holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes, and although he would have reprimanded them at any other time, Niall had no time to be angry just then.
“Get to work, you,” he snapped tersely at Ritchie, and he and Glennie sprang apart, looking guilty. Niall gave his sister a look that said,I’ll deal with you later.
Then he went to find Logie, who had already been saddled for him.
Glennie came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. “Niall,” she said gently.
He whipped around to face her, ready to give her a piece of his mind, but when he saw the expression on Glennie’s face, his expression softened.
“Where are you going?” she asked anxiously.
Niall took a deep breath. “A situation has arisen on the estate that I need to take care of,” he replied, “but it’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be back soon.”
His reply was evasive, and not very convincing, but he could think of nothing else to say to her, having been unable to think of a suitable lie. He kissed her cheek softly, then turned and strode away.
Glennie watched as Niall mounted Logie and rode down to the gate. He was not taking the entire garrison with him, only a few of his best and most experienced men. Glennie watched as they rode out of the gate, and burst into tears as soon as the riders were out of sight, but Ritchie was behind her, and he folded his arms around her.
“They will be back soon, hen,” he said soothingly. “There are no’ many men that go up against your brother an’ come away unhurt. He will be fine.”
Glennie wished that she could be so confident.
19
Brody looked back as they rode away from Baltyre castle and smirked in triumph. “Well, that was a lot easier than I expected,” he said. “To be truthful, I feel a little disappointed. I expected a bit more resistance from McPhee’s men.”
If he wanted Moira to speak up, he was disappointed. She said nothing, and stared resolutely in front of her, refusing to meet his eyes.
She was terrified, but was doggedly refusing to show it, since her fear would be another weapon for Brody to use against her. What was Niall doing, she wondered? She hoped against hope that he was following her with a rescue party, but how could he if he had no idea where she was going? Her situation seemed hopeless.
Her thoughts were racing, however. Her hands were tied in front of her to make it possible for her to ride, but she would be unable to run; she needed her arms and hands for balance and drive. No—that would be impossible, and she would never be able to outpace a man, especially wearing her long skirts and petticoats.
Moira tried surreptitiously moving her hands to test the tension of the ropes, but they were too tight to allow her hands to slip out, although not painfully so. If she had time and somewhere to hide, she was sure she could untie herself, but she had neither of those things. She was helpless.
Perhaps trickery? Could she perhaps pretend to faint with shock, as so many ladies did? Maybe she could find a way out if she pretended to be unconscious, but the more she thought about it, the less likely it seemed as an option. Anyway, she might have to fall off her horse and injure herself, then she would indeed be doomed!
Moira looked down at the horse they had chosen for her. Moira could tell the mare was fairly old and not very fast, so trying to outrun the bigger mounts of her kidnappers was also impossible. She sighed irritably, knowing that she would have to face whatever fate awaited her.
Another thrill of fear went through her as she saw that they were about to enter into the dark shadows of a pine wood, where the trees were so close together she could hardly see. All her married life, Moira had been wary of the dark, mostly because her husband had often lurked in shadowed corners to frighten her.
However, there was one bright spot on the horizon. Jean would be there, someone who loved her would be there, and she would do everything to protect Jean. Moira tried to cheer herself up with this thought, but as they moved over the narrow path through the dark pines, she was trembling with fear.
Brody had been keeping up a continuous stream of nonsensical talk all the way along their route, mostly boastful lies about his own abilities and achievements, and Moira’s attention had soon wandered.
To Moira’s intense relief, they emerged eventually onto a grassy field where a flock of sheep and lambs were grazing.A small rundown farmhouse with an equally ramshackle barn stood there, and Moira shuddered as she looked at it and realised that this was their destination.
The first signs of dusk were beginning to show in the sky, and night would soon be closing in. Moira dreaded what McDonnell had in store for her. Would she be tried for her husband’s murder? She hoped not, otherwise her life would be done.
