Page 46 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

Mia smiled stubbornly. “Ye ken me, Clyde. I have never been one to ask for help. Not from anybody. I have always been fine on my own, and I will be this time too. Do what ye must but dinnae try to stop me. I am going.”

As she spun around, Clyde took her by the arm, turning her around to face him. “Lennox has gone already with the few men he could gather. They will do the best they can to save the Laird. A battleground is nae place for ye, Mia.”

“Have ye forgotten that I have beaten ye in every single sparring match we have had? Dinnae try my patience, Clyde, or doubt my ability to overpower ye. Nae matter how grateful I am for everything ye do to help me, I’ll find a way to leave with or without yer help.”

“Nae… I will nae let ye go and get yerself killed!”

Mia had always been stubborn, and Clyde knew it too. The only way she would be stopped from doing exactly what she intended on doing was tying her up and hauling her away.

“Clyde…” Mia droned wearily. “Just wish me luck—"

They both froze as they heard voices outside the stables. The guard that she had allowed to escape wasted no time in rallying men to come and get her back. Mia overcame her panic and attempted to mount her horse, but Clyde held her firmly, his strong arms on her small shoulders.

With one fast kiss on the forehead, he helped her get on Buck.

She flashed him a slightly teary smile and caressed his hair while taking the reins in her hands.

“I will distract them. Ye go do what ye must. May the Lord be with ye, Mia.”

“I will always be grateful. Ye are like a brother to me, Clyde.”

He gave her one last smile before he disappeared into the night. The din of voices was the last thing she heard as she rode Buck through the back door of the stables.

* * *

Mia had never thought she would be grateful to her father for anything, but as she used the skills he had taught her, like hiding and fighting, she was glad she had been forced to listen.

Yet, her gratitude to him was not as strong as it was to the man she had left behind in the clutches of whatever warriors Bram had sent to capture her. Mia still could not believe Clyde had thrown himself to the wolves just for her.

Hewasher brother, in everything but blood.

Clyde was the one person who had always stood by her no matter what.

She remembered her early days in the keep when he had consistently defended her against the maids who snickered behind her back. She had had so much trouble getting even the smallest amount of respect from the people in Murray keep. The men were as cruel and uncouth as the women were sharp-tongued. Bram had not treated her like a wife, so the rest of the workers in the castle barely regarded her as such.

Clyde had become more than a friend. And she hoped that he was not hurt in the process of ensuring she escaped safely.

Mia focused her thoughts back on the road ahead. She was aware she still had a distance to go before she reached around the old mill where she had heard Archie was being held captive.

Having just reached Glen Lyon, she slid off Buck and scanned her surroundings, hoping to find any clues as to what they might have done to Archie. Just as she was about to turn away, giving up on finding anything worthy, she caught a glimpse of some cloth stuck in between two rocks down the slope of the valley.

It did not take her long to realize that it was Archibald's plaid. The very same sash that she had guided off of his chest as she had slowly undressed him. This was where he was taken away from her.

She sucked in a sharp breath, saying another prayer to whoever cared to listen to keep him safe.

Mia stood frozen in her tracks as she heard the howls of wolves a little far off. Her father had taught her to hunt, but she never did get over her fear of the wilderness. The sounds seemed to be coming closer and from all sides of her too. She was certain they were behind her, at the top of the valley.

Perhaps they could smell the blood from Archie’s sash.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

After riding for several hours, the old mill finally came into view. The little wooden building was at the far end of a cluster of trees. The men had made camp right there on the outskirts of Bram's land. Mia could not help but think how much audacity they had to camp so brazenly after having abducted a Laird. Men usually would ride all night when being pursued by others who sought to smite them, only stopping to water their horses.

Clearly these ones were oblivious to the fact that they were being tracked.

Or they just didn’t care.

All this while, Mia had been standing far off, watching the camp for signs of struggle. She counted a total of twenty men. Momentarily, doubt crept into her mind. What could she do against this retinue all on her own? The likelihood of her saving Archibald alone seemed impossible. There was no way she would be as lucky with her rescue as she had been with her escape.

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