CHAPTER 12
He looked so different. So unfamiliar. Like a…savage.
I racked my brain about what I should say and do. But it seemed to have shut down completely. I couldn’t take my eyes
off him as he came closer.
Finally, he stopped within inches of me and studied me with a bewildered look.
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” he said. The sound of his voice gave me goose bumps. It really was him!
Even though my mouth was open, not a sound came out of it.
He crouched down and wrinkled his forehead. Then he pulled on my ties.
“Oh, my sweet,” he whispered, “whatever did you do that they had to tie you up? What a shame! I would have enjoyed
your gracious company by the fire.”
I couldn’t believe what was happening and didn’t notice Duncan approaching until his voice startled me out of my
paralysis.
“Sean!” he called out. “Don’t dirty your hands on that one. Don’t you see that she’s a Cameron?”
Sean, who was still holding my gaze, gave me a mischievous smirk.
“Duncan, you know very well that most fun things are also dirty.”
Could it be true? The way he had greeted me made me doubt my own sanity. Was all this a dream? Or could this really be
Sean, the charming smooth talker I’d met back in Scotland? Was that already the man in there that he was going to be?
Was it possible that all these years really didn’t change him at all?
My relief was so great that a tear ran down my cheek. I had no idea how I was going to explain things to him, but at
least I was no longer surrounded by only strangers.
He held up my hands and turned to Duncan. “What’s all this? Is this wee lass really such a wildcat that three strong
lads such as yourselves can only keep her in check by tying her to a tree?”
“She’s our prisoner—not our guest,” Duncan grumbled.
Sean got up, smoothed his plaid, and gave me a final sympathetic look.
“So to what minor offense does she owe her involuntary presence?”
The dark-haired Highlander gave me a warning glare.
“We were following the tracks of our stolen cattle when she suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rammed a dagger into
my arm. She heckled me like a crazy person. She tried to cut my throat, Sean! She’s not all there, if you know what I
mean. Or, maybe she has something to do with the cows that went missing. In which case I will find a way to make her
talk. I can promise you that. Either way, she’s coming with us to Castle Galthair.”
“What?” I called out. “That’s not true! I have—”
“Shut your trap!” Duncan barked. Little droplets of his spit landed on my face, and I was afraid that he’d hit me. I
raised my arms to protect my face.
“Oh, if you don’t shut your lying mouth, I’m going to shut it for you!” he growled.
I hoped for help from Sean, but he didn’t seem to care.
“I would give her some food and water instead. If she dies from starvation, you’ll be hard-pressed to get anything
meaningful out of her anyway,” he said flatly. “The lass is looking the worse for wear already.”
With that, Sean turned away and reclaimed his seat by the campfire without another look in my direction.
In his stead, the dark-haired giant bent down to talk to me. I forced myself to look him square in his ink-black eyes.
“I’m not done with you yet. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
After the men turned in, I trembled with fear in the cold dark of the night. The fire’s heat no longer reached me, so I
tried to warm myself by curling up in the fetal position.
Although Sean slept just a few yards away, I had no chance of talking to him. How could he help me if he didn’t even
know what was going on? Exhausted and in despair, I closed my eyes and hoped sleep would soon take me away into the
realm of dreams.
I woke with a start when something cold and wet touched my ankle. It was Barra the dog, who then lifted her nose and
curled up across my legs into a soft, warm, hairy ball. Ross quietly giggled and sat down beside me. He opened his
sporran and took out a small package wrapped in cloth.
“Here, for you. Enjoy.”
Hungrily, I reached for the packet as best I could with my tied-up hands. I marveled at its contents: a cold rabbit leg,
a thick slice of bread, and a big juicy piece of ham. I gave him a grateful smile before digging into his delicious
gift. He giggled again, and Barra rested her head on my hips. Like a great warm comforter, she warmed me with her body.
After I gobbled up everything down to the last crumb, Ross handed me the wineskin. It had been filled with fresh, clear
water instead. I gulped the delicious water so fast that I almost choked on it—twice. Still, I felt brand-spanking new.
I wiped the water from my chin and returned the wineskin to Ross.
Ross gave me a sympathetic smile as he stood up.
“Sleep now.”
Before he could turn away, I reached for his hand.
“Thank you, Ross. I—”
“It’s all right.” He looked me in the eyes. “And no funny business during the night, because I won’t be here to
help you.”
“Where are you going?”
“Duncan has assigned me to guard duty.”
I watched him walk past the died-down campfire, climb over the sleeping men, and leap onto his horse. He called his
other dogs with a quick whistle and rode away across the plain. Barra lifted her head to listen for a moment before
laying her head back down on my old housedress. I sat for a few minutes, gently petting the wolfhound’s shaggy coat and
staring up at the clear night sky.
Sean McLean was only a stone’s throw from me.
A single question had been racing through my head ever since I’d seen Sean’s face in the glow of the fire—and I
wanted to scream it: “Payton McLean, where the hell are you?”