Page 44 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

Mia began to release short panicked breaths as her heart sank to her feet. What could have happened to Archie? Something was clearly wrong. She moved even closer to Lennox who was now in front of Bram’s room, careful not to be seen.

Someone opened the door from the other side.

Mia saw Bram's eyes narrow as he understood it was Lennox that stood knocking at his door, but he let him in. She ran to the door, crouched, and pressed her ear against it, eager to know what was happening.

“Laird Murray,” Lennox's voice boomed through the walls.

“What do ye want? Why have ye nae gone with yer Laird?” Bram bit out.

Mia could hear Lennox release a frustrated grunt. “This might come as a shock, and from what I can see a source of annoyance to ye, my Laird… but Laird Macnab has been captured.”

“Shock? Nae, nae. Annoyance,aye.Because I was nae the one to do it.” Bram scoffed.

As if he didn’t hear what he said about Archibald, Lennox continued. “This complicates the plan for the Bonnie Prince's escape, and we dinnae ken how to proceed further.”

The impatience in Lennox's voice did nothing to spur Bram into action. Mia could hear his moving around his study, his feet scraping on the ground, as though his guest was not worth the effort. Mia had not even heard him offer Lennox a seat.

“Well, the bastard had it coming, did he nae? Always prancing about doing whatsoever he pleases,” Bram said. More shuffling. “So, tell me, who did the honors of getting that scoundrel out of the way?”

“Laird Macnab was kidnapped by his brother, Dallas,” Lennox said.

Mia gasped.

“We saw him captured around Glen Lyon as we reached the peak of the hill nae too far away, but we could nae get to him in time. I came back to ask what should be done regarding the Bonnie Prince plan… and to ask for a few men to come with us to Laird Macnab’s rescue. We’re too far from our lands to go there first, and we’ll lose valuable time.”

“And how are ye so sure it’s this so-called Dallas who did it? Does that excuse of a man nae have quite a number of enemies?” Bram asked again, disregarding the important question Lennox had asked about the Prince.

“Aye, but we recognize Dallas's colors. He has been gathering these men for several years now, and they all wear a certain mask that distinguishes them from regular bandits.”

Mia swallowed hard when she heard Bram say nothing. Was he not going to help them? Was he just going to let Archibald die? She thought back to the time when she had rescued him from what she assumed to be the same men. Those men were prepared to do anything to hurt him, and she was almost too sure they would do the same now.

“We will be needing some men, Laird Murray.”

“To be fair, I would nae care less about yer Laird if nae for us having to help our King,” Bram said contemplatively. “How many men do ye have and how many men do ye need?”

“About thirty men would do us fine. I have just ten able men.”

“And how do ye ken that there are nae more men than that in Dallas's camp?”

“We tracked them down all the way to the old mill hidden far up in the Highlands. There were too many men, and this was why we could nae attack. We need troops who are strong and agile, battle-hardened.”

Lennox sounded like he was beginning to hope, and Bram seemed to be roping him in with every word.

“So ye need ten men, aye?”

“Aye, just ten.”

Bram laughed loudly, presumably at Lennox’s confidence.

“That is more than I can spare for Laird Macnab.” He cackled again. “Ye must be quite mad to think I would help a man who betrayed me under my own roof, even if the fate of the whole of Scotland rests on his shoulders.”

Lennox seemed exasperated. “The Bonnie Prince Charlie needs my Laird to be able to cross the loch by Ledoch castle. Without him, the Prince is trapped and will be stranded.”

Mia could hear the smirk in Bram's voice, one that he had used so condescendingly with her more times than she could count. She had a feeling that Lennox had no idea what had transpired between her and Archibald.

It was either that or Archie was in grave danger.

“Ye seem like an intelligent man. Is it nae something ye can handle?” quipped Bram.

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