Carrick thought. He would tread carefully on the subject when the time came. For now, there were greater issues at stake.
As they found Morag‘s cottage empty, but familiar things in place, they assumed they were in the correct time and walked on to Beinn Fhithich.
Carrick felt increasing unease in every step and his stomach surged when, through the moon‘s full light, he saw smoke rising from the direction of the great house.
―Christ‘s blood,‖ he swore as he ran up the hill.―Hurry,‖ he called back to Hamish and Olivia, who had also noticed the smoke.―As fast as ye can.‖
Carrick ran to the top of the hill, his blood pulsing like ancient war drums and dove under a thick gorse hedge.
―Cursed whin ,‖ he swore at the bushes as the thorny spines dug into him. His keen eyes surveyed the area around the house for traces of soldiers. In the light of the burning barn, it appeared they had gone. Olivia and Hamish joined him, more wary of the thorns than Carrick had been.
―I think the Sasunnach have gone,‖ Carrick whispered to them.―Ye stay put while I go and look,‖ he told them, crawling back from the hedge, a bloody tear in his shirt from the plants.
―Aye,‖ Hamish whispered.―We will stay,‖ he agreed. Olivia was quiet with terror and merely nodded.
With precision and stealth, Carrick made his way toward the house. He hid behind vegetation and rocks as he went, his arm aching for a sword and his hand twitching for a pistol.
―Cat!‖ He bolted from the shadows toward her. She had recovered enough to attend to Ian, who was still face down on the bloody ground.
―Carrick?‖ Cat rose to meet him.―Thank God ye‘ve come!‖ she cried, throwing her arms around him. ―Oh, thank God,‖ she sobbed into his shoulder.
Carrick held her tight for a moment, then drew back in alarm to look at her.―Ye are bloody, Cat. Where are ye hurt?‖
―Not me,‖ she said with urgency.―Ian. We have to help Ian. Did grandda come with ye?‖
―Aye, Caitriona, I‘m here,‖ Hamish said as he and Olivia stepped forward. ―Let me take a wee look at him.‖ Hamish knelt beside Ian and began to triage him. Cat had done a fine job using torn strips of wool about his ankles to staunch the bleeding. But the wounds were deep and would need great care if he was to survive.
―Who did this to ye?‖ Carrick saw her horribly swollen eye first thing. Anger swelled in him like the fires of hell.
―Captain Camden hit me, then cut Ian‘s ankles.‖ Cat could barely say the soldier‘s name.
―Caldwell Camden?‖ Carrick repeated.―The one from the castle who tried to take ye?‖
―Aye, Carrick, ‗twas he,‖ Cat answered, her mind on what her grandfather was doing with Ian. ―Please, let‘s discuss it later. We must tend to Ian. Please.‖
―Just so,‖ Carrick answered her with an arm around her waist and drew her back to him to await Hamish‘s verdict.
Hamish pulled a stethoscope from his canvas bag and listened.―His heart is strong,‖ he announced with relief.
―But Anne,‖ Cat interrupted urgently.―I think Camden murdered her by the barn. You must see to her.‖
―I‘ll go,‖ Hamish volunteered.―Just keep him warm. He‘s stable for now,‖ he instructed as he left in haste.
Hamish was gone only a few minutes. He answered Carrick‘s questioning expression with a slight shake of his head.―No,‖ he answered softly.―She‘s gone.‖
―She‘s dead?‘ Cat began to tremble again.―Oh God, no!‘ Tears ran fresh down her face as she tried to pull herself together.
―Nothing ye can do for her, lass,‖ Carrick said, sorrow welling within him for the lost girl. ―Ian needs us now.‖
Cat nodded and drew herself up. ―Ye‘re right. What do we do, grandda?‖
―Carrick, help me get him into the house. He‘s lost a great deal of blood and I will need to stitch him. Cat and Olivia, go and set water to boil and find some linen.‖ Hamish quickly directed them, so as not to call attention to Anne. He
As they found Morag‘s cottage empty, but familiar things in place, they assumed they were in the correct time and walked on to Beinn Fhithich.
Carrick felt increasing unease in every step and his stomach surged when, through the moon‘s full light, he saw smoke rising from the direction of the great house.
―Christ‘s blood,‖ he swore as he ran up the hill.―Hurry,‖ he called back to Hamish and Olivia, who had also noticed the smoke.―As fast as ye can.‖
Carrick ran to the top of the hill, his blood pulsing like ancient war drums and dove under a thick gorse hedge.
―Cursed whin ,‖ he swore at the bushes as the thorny spines dug into him. His keen eyes surveyed the area around the house for traces of soldiers. In the light of the burning barn, it appeared they had gone. Olivia and Hamish joined him, more wary of the thorns than Carrick had been.
―I think the Sasunnach have gone,‖ Carrick whispered to them.―Ye stay put while I go and look,‖ he told them, crawling back from the hedge, a bloody tear in his shirt from the plants.
―Aye,‖ Hamish whispered.―We will stay,‖ he agreed. Olivia was quiet with terror and merely nodded.
With precision and stealth, Carrick made his way toward the house. He hid behind vegetation and rocks as he went, his arm aching for a sword and his hand twitching for a pistol.
―Cat!‖ He bolted from the shadows toward her. She had recovered enough to attend to Ian, who was still face down on the bloody ground.
―Carrick?‖ Cat rose to meet him.―Thank God ye‘ve come!‖ she cried, throwing her arms around him. ―Oh, thank God,‖ she sobbed into his shoulder.
Carrick held her tight for a moment, then drew back in alarm to look at her.―Ye are bloody, Cat. Where are ye hurt?‖
―Not me,‖ she said with urgency.―Ian. We have to help Ian. Did grandda come with ye?‖
―Aye, Caitriona, I‘m here,‖ Hamish said as he and Olivia stepped forward. ―Let me take a wee look at him.‖ Hamish knelt beside Ian and began to triage him. Cat had done a fine job using torn strips of wool about his ankles to staunch the bleeding. But the wounds were deep and would need great care if he was to survive.
―Who did this to ye?‖ Carrick saw her horribly swollen eye first thing. Anger swelled in him like the fires of hell.
―Captain Camden hit me, then cut Ian‘s ankles.‖ Cat could barely say the soldier‘s name.
―Caldwell Camden?‖ Carrick repeated.―The one from the castle who tried to take ye?‖
―Aye, Carrick, ‗twas he,‖ Cat answered, her mind on what her grandfather was doing with Ian. ―Please, let‘s discuss it later. We must tend to Ian. Please.‖
―Just so,‖ Carrick answered her with an arm around her waist and drew her back to him to await Hamish‘s verdict.
Hamish pulled a stethoscope from his canvas bag and listened.―His heart is strong,‖ he announced with relief.
―But Anne,‖ Cat interrupted urgently.―I think Camden murdered her by the barn. You must see to her.‖
―I‘ll go,‖ Hamish volunteered.―Just keep him warm. He‘s stable for now,‖ he instructed as he left in haste.
Hamish was gone only a few minutes. He answered Carrick‘s questioning expression with a slight shake of his head.―No,‖ he answered softly.―She‘s gone.‖
―She‘s dead?‘ Cat began to tremble again.―Oh God, no!‘ Tears ran fresh down her face as she tried to pull herself together.
―Nothing ye can do for her, lass,‖ Carrick said, sorrow welling within him for the lost girl. ―Ian needs us now.‖
Cat nodded and drew herself up. ―Ye‘re right. What do we do, grandda?‖
―Carrick, help me get him into the house. He‘s lost a great deal of blood and I will need to stitch him. Cat and Olivia, go and set water to boil and find some linen.‖ Hamish quickly directed them, so as not to call attention to Anne. He
Similar Books
