Page 17 of The Beast of the Highlands
Flynn had dreaded the time ticking down to that Saturday night, when Autumn would leave MacLennan Castle. He had tried to speak with her, to explain himself in more detail, but she had been rather clever in managing to avoid him. Even when he came to watch her lessons with Leighton, she concentrated only on teaching the younger man and made her excuses to exit promptly when she was done.
As such, when that Saturday finally came, he feared he had missed her departure altogether. Serving the clan and organizing his soldiers had taken more of his time than he had intended, as it always did, and the sun had already set.
“Where’s the lass?” Flynn came to an abrupt halt in the hallway as he caught sight of Mary coming in the opposite direction.
She’d have made the preparations for Autumn. She’ll ken if I’m too late.
Mary raised a haughty eyebrow. “Did she nae tell ye she was headin’ home tonight?” She paused, the haughtiness turning to worry. “Are ye nae sendin’ an escort with her? She cannae be ridin’ alone out there, nae if ye want her comin’ back in one piece.”
“I’m aware of that.” Flynn balled his hands into frustrated fists. “When did she leave? She was supposed to wait for the escort.”
“Couldnae be more than a half an hour ago,” Mary replied, staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.
He did not say another word as he took off down the hall and headed for the stables, praying he would be able to catch Autumn before she got too far ahead.
What is she thinkin’? Has she a death wish, or does she just want to be away from this castle as quickly as possible?
He knew he was to blame for that. For the last few days, it had been burning him up inside, that he was the cause of her melancholy appearance. It hurt even more to go to the library every evening and see her armchair vacant. Though the worst part was standing outside the library before opening the door, and letting himself hope…
Charging out into the cold courtyard, as fresh flurries of snow fluttered silently down to the flagstones, he cut straight across it and veered left. A few stragglers lumbered out of his way, likely wondering why he was in such a hurry.
Before long, he reached the stables, only to find a familiar face awaiting him… just not the one he had been hoping for.
“What are ye doin’, lad?” Flynn slowed as he approached Leighton.
Leighton smiled. “Same as ye, I imagine, since Autumn told the escort that she wouldnae be goin’ tonight.” He gestured to the two saddled horses behind him—Frost and his own gelding, Tarn. “She dinnae leave long ago, and she doesnae ken these roads like we do. We’ll find her, nay bother.”
Och, lass… why did ye do that?
There was only one reason, in his mind, why she would refuse the aid of the escort that Flynn had promised. Namely, that she did not intend to come back.
“Ye shouldnae be out here.” Flynn’s voice hardened as he concentrated on his brother. “It isnae safe for her, and it isnae safe for ye. I amnae goin’ to let ye ride with me, so ye can take yerself back up to yer chambers and say nothin’ more about it.”
Leighton’s expression turned sullen. “Ye think ye’re the only one who cares about her?” Hastily, he clambered up into Tarn’s saddle, likely terrified that Flynn would drag him back down. “I daenae want any harm befallin’ her, and she isnae thinkin’ right because of whatyedid. If ye want me to go back to me chambers—ye’ll have to catch me first.”
Stubbornly, the younger man dug his heels into Tarn’s sides, and the gelding lurched forward. Before Flynn could do anything to stop the beast, Leighton and his mount charged past him and tore out of the stable doors, loping out into the darkened expanse of the evening wilderness.
“Och, ye’ll get the hidin’ of yer life when Idocatch up to ye!” Flynn cursed under his breath and swung up into Frost’s saddle.
Within moments, he was haring after his brother’s trail, though he had already resigned himself to letting Leighton come with him. If he was forced to guide Leighton back to the castle, it would mean allowing Autumn to ride alone… and Flynn had seen what could happen in that treacherous situation.
11
Holding out her lantern at arm’s length to illuminate the road ahead, Autumn was beginning to regret her stubborn decision to trick the escort into thinking they were not required. But she had not wanted to trouble them, when she was still not sure if she would be returning to MacLennan Castle.
And I would not have wanted them to be the first to know, when I made my decision…
“There will be no one to persuade me to come back to this place. Indeed, what if the choice is taken from me? Would that make it easier to stay away from Flynn, if I am forbidden from leaving home again?” she whispered aloud, fearful of her family’s reaction to her arrival after weeks away.
Her little sister, Laurel, would not advocate for her departure, though Autumn was unsure about her mother and father. They knew by now, from the note she had left, that she was working in order to save them from ruination—would that make them more inclined to push her back out onto the road, come tomorrow night?
Is that what I want—to be persuaded? I no longer know.
“It will be strange without you, Orwell.” Her hand went to the dagger, fastened to a belt on her waist. In a way, having the weapon made her feel closer to her brother, though she felt a pang of guilt for having taken the item that Leighton had been borrowing for the past few weeks.
As Seashell plodded along the obscure road, Autumn’s mind drifted back to the afternoon before she had left Doxford Manor—her home—to seek out the unknown realm of Flynn and MacLennan Castle. Could she have avoided the stabbing ache that throbbed in her heart if she had let her brother dissuade her from taking the position of tutor?
She saw herself in her mind’s eye—a lone figure standing upon wild shores, staring out at the frothing whitecaps of a stormy sea, which reflected the leaden skies overhead. She remembered smelling rain on the air.
