to you.”
The one in charge said, “I’ll agree that you’re useless, but now ’tis a matter of pride.”
Hamish said, “Turn around and go home. There’s nothing here for you.”
With his pistol aimed at Ciarán, the leader said, “Oh, but there is. There’s the matter of a ransom.”
Hamish laughed. “We havenae got it. Do you not think we’d have paid it by now?”
The leader grinned as he saw Mac walking toward them. “Well, she’s no ransom, but she’ll do for a start.”
Ciarán muttered a curse. From inside the folds of her skirt, Mac drew a pistol. Two men from the Ross party turned their rifles toward her. She surprised everyone by directing her pistol at Ciarán’s brother. With a narrowed eyes, she said, “Hamish is going to give you the ransom. In turn, you’ll ride away, and our business is settled. Are we agreed?”
The leader grinned. “Aye, wench, we’re agreed. ’Tis a shame we can’t stay and acquaint ourselves better. Perhaps another day.”
In even tones, Ciarán said, “Touch her and I’ll kill you.” His direct look drew an uncomfortable smile from the Ross leader.
“Hamish.” Mac took a step closer. “Give the men their ransom.” She watched Hamish consider his options, which she had thought through already. He could refuse her orders. Perhaps she would not have the courage to shoot him, but if she faltered, the Rosses would oblige. Ciarán and Fergus would put up a fight, which they might win. Even so, with everyone focused on him at the moment, Hamish’s chances looked worst of all.
“God’s teeth, woman!” As he scowled, the sharp look in his eyes sent a shiver through Mac. “You’ll pay for this.”
His words prompted a warning grunt from Ciarán, which Hamish seemed to understand. Hamish’s face showed the strain as he lifted his hands and said, “I’m going to lower my pistol.”
“No, give it over.” One of the Rosses approached and took the pistol from Hamish. He handed it off to another man.
“Dismount,” said the leader.
When Hamish hesitated, Fergus said, “You’d best do as he says.”
“As should you all,” said another Ross.
After they all dismounted, the leader ordered his men to search each of them. “The wench included.”
As one man took her pistol and leered, Mac said, “Try anything, pal, and I’ll knee you so hard that you’ll have to crawl home.”
He laughed and began searching her, starting with her ankles. When he reached the top of her thighs, she jabbed the sgian dubh into his hand. “That’s off limits.”
He grabbed her wrist and wrenched the knife from it, then he pulled his hand back and struck her. Fergus held Ciarán back.
“That’s enough,” said the one in charge. He turned to Mac. “You had that coming.” He chuckled. With the searching done, the Clan Ross men stowed the weapons, took the MacRae horses in tow, and rode off, leaving them standing in the glen.
When she felt they were a safe enough distance away, Mac looked over at Ciarán. He watched, jaw clenched, as the men rode away.
Mac said, “Thank God no one was hurt.”
“Shut your damn gob, woman!” said Hamish.
While she had not expected Hamish to part easily with the ransom, she thought he would at least appreciate her having spared his brother another kidnapping. She looked to Ciarán, expecting something other than what she received, which was a cold glance before he turned away and started to walk toward the castle. Hamish followed. It was Fergus who came to her and said, “Come, lass. We’ve a long walk ahead.”
They walked in silence for what must have been more than an hour. Mac’s spirit sank further with each step. Ciarán had not said a word to her. Under his quiet demeanor, a fierce anger burned. When she could take no more, Mac asked, “Fergus, what did I do?”
He scoffed. “Och.”
Mac stared for a moment, sure that he would follow up with something. He did not.
“Oh, well, that explains it,” she said
The one in charge said, “I’ll agree that you’re useless, but now ’tis a matter of pride.”
Hamish said, “Turn around and go home. There’s nothing here for you.”
With his pistol aimed at Ciarán, the leader said, “Oh, but there is. There’s the matter of a ransom.”
Hamish laughed. “We havenae got it. Do you not think we’d have paid it by now?”
The leader grinned as he saw Mac walking toward them. “Well, she’s no ransom, but she’ll do for a start.”
Ciarán muttered a curse. From inside the folds of her skirt, Mac drew a pistol. Two men from the Ross party turned their rifles toward her. She surprised everyone by directing her pistol at Ciarán’s brother. With a narrowed eyes, she said, “Hamish is going to give you the ransom. In turn, you’ll ride away, and our business is settled. Are we agreed?”
The leader grinned. “Aye, wench, we’re agreed. ’Tis a shame we can’t stay and acquaint ourselves better. Perhaps another day.”
In even tones, Ciarán said, “Touch her and I’ll kill you.” His direct look drew an uncomfortable smile from the Ross leader.
“Hamish.” Mac took a step closer. “Give the men their ransom.” She watched Hamish consider his options, which she had thought through already. He could refuse her orders. Perhaps she would not have the courage to shoot him, but if she faltered, the Rosses would oblige. Ciarán and Fergus would put up a fight, which they might win. Even so, with everyone focused on him at the moment, Hamish’s chances looked worst of all.
“God’s teeth, woman!” As he scowled, the sharp look in his eyes sent a shiver through Mac. “You’ll pay for this.”
His words prompted a warning grunt from Ciarán, which Hamish seemed to understand. Hamish’s face showed the strain as he lifted his hands and said, “I’m going to lower my pistol.”
“No, give it over.” One of the Rosses approached and took the pistol from Hamish. He handed it off to another man.
“Dismount,” said the leader.
When Hamish hesitated, Fergus said, “You’d best do as he says.”
“As should you all,” said another Ross.
After they all dismounted, the leader ordered his men to search each of them. “The wench included.”
As one man took her pistol and leered, Mac said, “Try anything, pal, and I’ll knee you so hard that you’ll have to crawl home.”
He laughed and began searching her, starting with her ankles. When he reached the top of her thighs, she jabbed the sgian dubh into his hand. “That’s off limits.”
He grabbed her wrist and wrenched the knife from it, then he pulled his hand back and struck her. Fergus held Ciarán back.
“That’s enough,” said the one in charge. He turned to Mac. “You had that coming.” He chuckled. With the searching done, the Clan Ross men stowed the weapons, took the MacRae horses in tow, and rode off, leaving them standing in the glen.
When she felt they were a safe enough distance away, Mac looked over at Ciarán. He watched, jaw clenched, as the men rode away.
Mac said, “Thank God no one was hurt.”
“Shut your damn gob, woman!” said Hamish.
While she had not expected Hamish to part easily with the ransom, she thought he would at least appreciate her having spared his brother another kidnapping. She looked to Ciarán, expecting something other than what she received, which was a cold glance before he turned away and started to walk toward the castle. Hamish followed. It was Fergus who came to her and said, “Come, lass. We’ve a long walk ahead.”
They walked in silence for what must have been more than an hour. Mac’s spirit sank further with each step. Ciarán had not said a word to her. Under his quiet demeanor, a fierce anger burned. When she could take no more, Mac asked, “Fergus, what did I do?”
He scoffed. “Och.”
Mac stared for a moment, sure that he would follow up with something. He did not.
“Oh, well, that explains it,” she said
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