Seona knew she was challenging her aunt, but she needed it. Patience’s glare intensified, but Seona held her gaze, waiting for an answer.

“Nay,” she finally confessed. “I am thankful he saved your life.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“Not yet. But I will,” Patience grumbled. “My concern is what happened after the rescue.”

“Do you honestly think I’d bed down with a man outside while someone is trying to kidnap me or during a horrendous storm?”

“Well…nay, I suppose not.” Her aunt shrugged. “But I don’t trust him. He could take advantage of you or force you.”

Seona shook her head. “Keegan is not that type of man.”

“What type of man is he… since you know so much about him?”

“Kind and protective. He risked his life to save mine.”

Her aunt lifted a brow. “Aye, well… he’d best not get it into his head he has a chance with you. Your father would never approve of him.”

“I ken it.” But her father was daft, valuing wealth and prestige over strength of character.

“Get the maids in here to help me over to the bed. I’m tired,” her aunt said.

“Very well.” Seona strode to the door, opened it and summoned the maids. After they helped Patience into the bed, Seona took a sponge bath and changed into a clean smock.

While she was getting into one of the four beds, Isobel arrived to spend the night inside the cottage with them.

Seona couldn’t sleep, nor could she talk to Isobel about anything of importance with her aunt and the maids so close. She felt safe enough within the stone walls of the cottage, but she missed Keegan… maybe because she’d ridden so close to him all day. The feel of his hard, strong body had become familiar. Addictive. Would she be allowed to ride with him again?

***

Two days later, Keegan and the MacKay party were finally drawing closer to Ullapool. He was still annoyed that Seona’s aunt had insisted she ride a separate horse both days. He had argued that Seona couldn’t ride her own untrustworthy one. They’d compromised and Seona had temporarily switched horses with one of the guards. Keegan didn’t like it but he had to live with it. They’d been riding daylight to dark most every day, and everyone was exhausted and short-tempered, especially Lady Patience. ’Haps her injury added to her bad mood.

He put her from his mind and thought of someone more pleasant. He grinned, remembering how he had enjoyed Seona riding with him for those few hours two days before. Now, he simply rode close to her in the event something threatened her safety. He relished the secret smiles she sent his way. But they’d had no more opportunities for a moment alone or for knife-fighting practice.

It had to be around midday but the sky was thickly overcast. The terrain turned from moorland to rough and rocky as they approached the pass through the mountains. Most everywhere he looked now, he saw gray granite and scrubby gorse bushes.

Something struck the ground nearby. An arrow?

“We’re being shot at!” Keegan glanced up at the cliffs above them and saw a figure with a bow drawn. “’Tis an ambush!” Keegan yelled, raising his targe and urging Curry forward, between Seona and the outlaws. “Archers!”

Their archers leapt to their feet and took up positions. A few fired arrows up toward the cliffs.

Dirk dismounted and slapped his horse on the rump. “Escort the women further along and take cover behind those boulders,” he told Keegan.

“I’ll protect them with my life,” Keegan said.

“I thank you, cousin.” Dirk directed five more of the guards to help Keegan.

Much as he’d love to be at the forefront, fighting the knaves, Keegan knew protecting the women was the main goal.

“Haldane may come after you because he’s wanting to kidnap Seona,” Dirk said.

“Aye. That bastard,” Keegan muttered, motioning for the women to precede him and head for cover. “Get behind the boulders.” Once they were beyond the range of Haldane’s archers, he and the guards helped them dismount.

Keegan stood peering out, the women and most of the horses behind him. Aside from Keegan, MacMillan, and four other guards, the rest of the men were fighting beside Dirk.

“Surround the women,” Keegan told the guards with him. “The outlaws may try to sneak up from behind again.”

“What do you see?” Isobel asked. “Is Dirk safe?”

“Aye. Naught is happening yet.” At least, nothing that he could see. The outlaws were no doubt doing something sneaky. Keegan wanted to be standing beside Dirk, ready to take down Haldane if he came close. The weasel was likely too afraid to face Dirk and fight hand to hand. Haldane was no match for him, anyway, and he knew it. He’d have his archers do most of the work. But they would run out of arrows eventually.

Keegan glanced around, making certain no one had circled behind them. He had to keep on high alert because Haldane had a powerful obsession for Seona, and he couldn’t lose her at all costs.

Facing forward again, he noticed the movement of plaid behind a bush off to the side, near Dirk and the others.

“To the left!” he called out.

Dirk shifted his focus. “Come out, wee cowards, and fight like men,” he yelled.

More than a dozen men broke from the bushes, charging Dirk and his guards. ’Slud! Haldane’s force was far bigger than last time, making the two sides more evenly matched. Where the devil had Haldane found more men? Some were several years older than most of Haldane’s gang.

Keegan cursed, annoyed he couldn’t join in and help protect the chief. Although, clearly, his cousin could protect himself. He dealt two of them killing thrusts with his sword.

The gray-haired McMurdo engaged Dirk in swordplay. Dirk was the stronger fighter and he drove McMurdo back, while the other guards fought the remaining outlaws.

A movement up the hill caught Keegan’s attention. One of the younger men in Haldane’s party, Gil, drew back his bow.

“Dirk! Up the hill!” Keegan shouted.

Just after Gil released the bow string, Dirk leapt to the side. The arrow struck Dirk’s lower leg.

“Iosa is Muire Mhàthair,” Keegan muttered.

McMurdo came back after Dirk.

“Damn the old bastard,” Keegan muttered, yearning to charge forward.

“What is happening?” Isobel asked behind him. “Is Dirk hurt?”

“Shh.” Keegan waved her back. There was naught she could do about his injury now. If he allowed her to get hurt, Dirk would string him up.

Rebbie moved in to help Dirk, beating McMurdo back. But Dirk was holding his own despite the arrow protruding from his calf.

Two more of Haldane’s men fell beneath the blades of the MacKay guards, both of them too young to be seasoned warriors. Keegan knew them, for they had both been part of the MacKay clan before Haldane had gone rogue and led the other lads astray.

Where was Haldane, anyway?

Keegan surveyed the area around himself and beyond. “Keep alert,” he told the guards.

Five men emerged from behind a rock formation several yards behind them. Haldane led the charge, his long red hair flying back in the breeze, his teeth bared in a snarl, and his green eyes glinting with pure bloodlust.

“There!” Keegan told the guards.

Placing the women between himself and the boulders, Keegan assumed the guard stance. In passing, he noticed knives in both Seona’s and Isobel’s hands. He hoped they could protect themselves if need be. But he didn’t want it to come to that.

Haldane avoided him and engaged one of the other guards in swordplay. Coward.

Keegan had never before seen the scraggly man who ran toward him. Though he looked scrawny, the first blow from his sword was passable. Keegan was faster and stronger and three strikes later, he ran the man through the abdomen. He shrieked and collapsed, writhing in pain. After disarming him, Keegan turned his attention to the other outlaws. One of the guards had already cut one of the knave’s throats. Haldane and the other two turned tail and ran the way they’d come.