Part 13 (1/2)
She shook her head. ”And Lochlan wondered why I chose the method of reaching his warriors that I did.”
Before Braden could retort, a door opened from the dormitory across the yard.
Maggie gasped as she dodged into the shadows. The men quickly followed suit.
Pegeen paid them no heed as she crossed the yard to the chapel, then vanished inside.
”That was close,” Maggie whispered. ”We'd best be leaving before someone sees us.”
Braden nodded solemnly before leading the way out the small postern gate that Fergus had used earlier that day.
They moved quickly through the heather-covered moor behind the kirk and into the thick woods that separated the MacAllister and the MacDouglas lands. None of them spoke as they put as much distance as they could between themselves and anyone who might want to stop them.
It was nearly two hours later, and long after the dense, dark trees s.h.i.+elded them, that Maggie dared to speak. ”Do you think we stand a chance of changing Robby MacDouglas's mind about the feud?” she asked the men.
”Not a bit,” they said almost in unison.
A deep frown drew her brows together. ”Then why are the two of you willing to do this?”
Braden gave her a grim look. He'd been dreading this question, and though he knew he should probably lie, he couldn't bring himself to be dishonest with her. Maggie was probably the only woman he had never lied to, and for some reason he wanted to keep it that way.
”Because,” he said, ”if you fail, then I know a certain way to end this feud once and for all.”
”And that is?”
”I plan to kill Robby MacDouglas.”
She stumbled at his words, then stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth open. ”Nay, you canna be serious.”
”Of course I am,” Braden said. ”You want this feud to end and this is the only guarantee I know.”
Maggie felt tears p.r.i.c.k her eyes. How could he?
And all this time she had a.s.sumed he was going with her strictly to protect her.
Foolish woman, her mind snapped.You should have known he didn't do this for you. Do you honestly think he'd care whether or not you live or die ?
But she couldn't say that out loud. Instead, she whispered, ”I thought you were being chivalrous. You said you couldn't let me go alone.”
”Listen to me, Maggie. The only reason I'm allowing you to come along at all is that I know you well enough to know you'd trail along after us on your own, anyway. At least this way I can keep my eye on you. Believe me, I did learn a thing or two about you while you were growing up.”
”And I learned a lot of things about you as well, Braden MacAllister, most of which left me in tears. But of all the heartbreaking lessons I learned, I never thought I'd see the day when you'd just go off to murder someone.”
Her words stung his conscience. Braden had no intention of murdering the MacDouglas. It would be a fair fight. But when he left MacDouglas lands, the feud would be over.
One way or another.
”If you're too squeamish to do what must be done, woman, then I suggest you hie yourself home where 'tis safe.”
Frustrated, she turned to Sin. ”Could you please talk sense into him?”
”Why?” Sin asked. ”For once, I completely agree with him. I would think the life of the MacDouglas would be paltry when compared to those of your family.”
Maggie was aghast. ”You would honestly walk up to him and just cut his throat?”
Sin's dark gaze became empty, dull. ”I've done worse things in my life.”
Braden flinched at the tone, for he knew only too well just what sort of things his brother had done. He patted Sin on the back.
”Maggie,” Braden said quietly, ”I am willing to do what I know is foolish. I'll give you time to talk to Robby MacDouglas. If you succeed, then there will be no more bloodshed. But if you fail...”
Anger darkened her eyes. ”Thank you for adding that.” Her sarcasm made a mockery of Sin's usual tone. ”Let's see if I have all this correctly. Right now I have hanging on my shoulders the lives of our laird, your brother Ewan, and my four surviving brothers, as well as the hopes of all the women of both our clan and the MacDouglas's, and now the very life of Robby MacDouglas rests with me too. Have I forgotten anything?”
”There are a few things more,” Sin added dryly. ”If you fail, you'll probably get yourself killed, along with Braden and myself. If the MacDouglas kills Braden, I'm rather sure Lochlan will spend the rest of his life trying to eradicate all the MacDouglases from this earth. Should I die, King Henry would be rather put out himself, and since he's not overly fond of the Scottish and completely fond of me, there's no telling what he might do to retaliate. Knowing the king as I do, I'm sure it won't be pleasant.”
Braden cleared his throat. ”This would probably be the place where I might mention that Sin is one of the king's chief advisors and a close personal friend.”
Maggie rolled her eyes toward heaven. ”Sweet Mother Mary,” she breathed. ”Now you've got me responsible for two countries going to war?”
”Aye, but that's only if you fail.”
Maggie squared her shoulders as she started trudging through the forest. ”Very well, then. I shall not fail.”
And then under her breath she added, ”I hope.”
Chapter 8.
By the time they finally stopped for the night, the full moon hung high above their heads. A thick, eerie mist clung to the forest floor as the cool white light dappled all around them, streaming through the trees and shrubs at strange angles. Braden took a deep breath and savored the smell of clean air that held a hint of heather and pine.
It was the kind of night for fairies and other fey creatures to frolic, and for more earthly creatures to take advantage of in quiet, undisturbed embraces.
It was also the kind of night Braden had once used to frighten a young Maggie into a screaming fit years ago.
Braden smiled at the memory.
No older than ten, Maggie had trotted along after Anghus and him one night when the two boys had snuck out of her small cottage in search of dragon's treasure. What they found was a red-haired imp who wanted to tattle on them unless they let her join them.
Being the clever ones, they had told her she could come along only if she could keep up.
Anghus had led her forward slowly while Braden had run ahead under the pretense of scouting for trolls and pixies. Once he was out of sight, he had doubled back to come up behind an unsuspecting Maggie.
Just as they were reaching the cave that was their destination, Braden had goosed her and shouted.
Terrified, she had screeched like a banshee, c.o.c.ked him with one swift kick to the groin, then ran home shrieking the whole way with her arms flapping above her head.
To this day, he swore he could still feel the pain of that kick. But how funny she'd looked running through the forest, screaming that a dragon was after her.