Page 52 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
She nodded and started humming toherself again as he departed.
When he entered the great hall andsaw Alex looking grave and surrounded by a group of his men, plus Rory Mac andAngus, Iain knew the news was not good. He strode to the table and sat next toRory Mac at the bench, which put Iain face-to-face with Archibald. “What did yefind?”
Archibald rubbed his knuckles for amoment before he spoke. “I thought I saw a man with a surcoat with a snake onit, but I kinnae be sure and I lost the trail. I’m sorry.”
Iain nodded and caught Alex’s gaze.“I’ll be riding out to search.”
“What?” Archibald said, soundingincensed. “I’m the best tracker here. It’s insensible for ye to go. Isn’t thatthe truth of it, Alex?”
Iain kept his calm, as Alex lookedangry enough for both of them. Alex slammed both his fists against the table,his eyes narrowing into slits. “Ye overstep as usual, Archibald. And ye boasttoo much. Ye’re a verra good tracker, but that dunnae make ye unfailing, nordoes it mean another man will nae be able to find a trail ye lost.” Alex turnedhis gaze back to Iain. “I’ll go with ye, as will ten of my men. Will thatsuffice?”
Iain nodded. “That should beplenty.”
“I’ll go, too,” Archibald added,his eyes darting from Alex to Iain.
“Nay,” Alex said in a nowdangerously calm tone. “For failing to obey, ye’ll stay here.”
The man’s nostrils flared and hishands curled into fists, but he kept his silence.
The men all stood, and Iain, RoryMac, and Angus faced one another. “Rory Mac will come, and Angus, ye’ll stay.”
Rory Mac nodded but Angus crossedhis arms over his chest and glared. “Is it because I’m older?”
“Nay,” Iain assured the man. “It’sbecause I need ye to go upstairs and tell Marion that I’ll nae be back as soonas I thought, and then see her to supper in my stead.”
“Why dunnae ye go tell her ye’releaving yerself?” the man demanded.
“Because Marion will want to come,and I dunnae have time to argue. If I send ye, there is no time wasted when anEnglishman could be getting away.”
“Seems sound,” Angus agreed. “I’llsimply tell her ye had something to attend to with the MacLean. That way she’llnae be worried about ye while ye’re gone. She tends to fret over those shecares for.” Angus gave him a pointed look.
“Seems sound,” Iain repeated dryly,purposely overlooking Angus’s efforts to get any more information from him.
Within moments, Alex’s men wereready to depart, and as Iain and Rory Mac started for the courtyard, Iainturned back to Angus. “Keep my wife safe from harm.” He knew she’d be protectedhere, but there was a tension in his chest that he didn’t like.
Once they found the trail, which was not whereArchibald had told Alex it was, they followed it for hours to no avail. By thetime they rode back into the courtyard of the MacLean hold, the hour was verylate and Iain was sure Marion would be sleeping. After they saw to theirhorses, several of the men, including Rory Mac, Iain, and Alex, headed to thegreat hall for some drink to warm their bones. But after only being in the hallwith the raucous men for a short time, Iain stood, knowing he only desired hisbed and his sleeping wife in his arms.
Alex and Rory Mac both grinned athim.
“Up to see yer wife?” Alex asked.
Iain nodded. “She’ll be asleep.”
Rory Mac snorted. “That never stopsme with Alanna.”
“Which must be why Alanna is alwaysso testy,” Iain retorted.
Alex snickered, took a sip of hiswine, and then stood. “I’m to bed, as well. The hunt will start at dawn, if yestill intend to ride with us,” he said with a challenge.
“Of course,” Iain said. “Sleep isfor the weak.”
“I sleep every other night,” Alexboasted. Then he bid the remaining men good night and motioned Iain to thedoor.
“Every other night?” Rory Maccommented, falling in step with Alex and Iain as they departed the great halland headed toward the bedchambers. “I only sleep every four nights,” he said,grinning. “Ye can be certain I’ll be hunting.”
As they turned the corner, they raninto Archibald, who was oddly—or so it seemed to Iain—lurking about the hallstill fully dressed.
“Did ye find the knight?” Archibalddemanded, and Iain concluded the man had been awaiting their return only tomake sure he had not failed where they’d succeeded. Had he been stalking thecorridors since the moment they’d left? Archibald was as proud as he had everbeen.
