Chapter 20
20
“Shh lass, donna get yerself worked up or ye wonna be able tae breathe again.”
Ida gulped for air, trying to calm herself down as she watched Ian run into the burning stables, the walls starting to crash to the ground, unable to handle the heat. Her uncle was still inside and now the love of her life was as well.
A hand pressed to her back and she looked up, seeing the familiar features of the Wallace clan in his expression. “I’m Stephan,” he offered up, giving her a tight smile. “I’m the good-looking one.”
Ida choked out a startled laugh but it rang hollow in her ears.
“Ida!”
Ida turned to see the laird hurrying to her side, the sea of Scots parting for their laird. Behind him were Iris and James, James who rushed to help the others immediately. “Where is mah brother?” the laird asked, panic in his expression. “Where is he?”
Ida couldn’t force the truth out of her mouth. She didn’t want to believe it herself.
Just then, there was a loud rumble and Scots started to flee as the stable collapsed within itself with a loud thud.
“Nay!” Stephan cried out, racing to the rubble.
Ida tried and failed to get up from her spot, her body still too weak to move.
Others started to run toward the stable, throwing aside charred wood, a loud commotion filling the air as they hurried to see if they could find any survivors.
“He’s not dead,” the laird whispered just loud enough for Ida to hear, falling to his knees in the midst of the chaos. “He canna be. That fool of a Scot is tougher, stronger than I could ever be.”
Ida barely registered his words as she watched the scene unfolding before her, barely able to catch her breath. He might have lost one person but she was on the verge of losing two.
“Where is mah brother?” Iris asked as she rushed to Ida’s side, looking her over. “Where is he?”
Ida shook her head and Iris let out a keen wail full of pain, falling to her knees next to Ida. The two women embraced and Ida allowed the tears to flow unchecked down her soot-covered cheeks. He had saved her life and ran back for the person that he knew Ida cared for. She should have begged him to stay with her, yet she had asked him to go.
And he had. “Tis mah fault,” she breathed through her tears. “I asked him tae go back.”
Iris didn’t respond, but her arms tightened around Ida as they waited for their bodies to be found.
It wasn’t long before a yell went up and the women broke apart. “Help mah tae mah feet,” Ida begged her friend.
Iris did as she was asked and together, the women pushed through the crowd gathered, Ida gasping as she saw James in the midst of it all, pulling Ian’s large body from underneath the wood and stone. There was soot covering him and his tunic was charred on his left arm, the skin red and angry.
“Oh God,” Iris whispered, bringing her hand up to her mouth.
“Mah uncle,” Ida said faintly as another body was removed from the doorway. He had gotten to him. Ian had almost given his life up to rescue the very Scot that hated him because of her.
“Take them tae the keep!” the laird called out behind them. “I want mah healers there immediately.”
“Come,” Iris said, tugging on Ida’s arm. “We have tae go with them.”
Ida allowed the other woman to lead her to the great hall, whose heavy doors had been thrown wide open. There were many barking out orders, directing people to put out the remaining flames and bringing anyone that had injuries.
The two women hurried past, following the group of people that were bringing both injured men inside, Ida’s heart in her throat. Ian had to be alright. She had much to tell him, to explain to him how she felt and she wanted that chance to do so.
Iris clutched her arm tightly as they weaved their way into a large room, where both Ian and her uncle were laid out on a set of tables pushed together, healers hovering over them.
“Ida,” the laird boomed from behind the two women.
Ida turned to find the raw emotion reflected on his face. “Wot happened?” he asked, his warriors flanking him. “I need tae know lass.”
Ida drew in a breath, her throat raw from the smoke she had inhaled. “I was asleep,” she started out, Iris providing support to keep her upright on her feet for now.
Ida roused from her sleep at the sound of the front door to the cottage slamming shut, rubbing a hand over her face. It was still night outside, many hours before she had to wake.
Scrambling up, she threw a shawl over her shoulders and hurried to her uncle’s bed, only to find the blankets thrown aside.
Where was he going?
Worried, Ida hurried to the door and flung it open, the cold air rushing to greet her. Sometimes, her uncle did wander out of the cottage, but it was usually when he had been drinking and tonight, he hadn’t imbibed as far as she knew.
The stable door was also standing open and when she entered, she saw her uncle at the end of the stables. “Wot are ye doing?” she asked him, hurrying toward the stall. “Ye will catch yer death out here!”
He turned, confusion his gaze. “I heard one of the horses raising a ruckus. I thought someone was stealing them.”
Ida looked around, seeing nothing out of place. “Perhaps tis was just a dream.”
Her uncle put his hands on his hips. “Perhaps.” His tone of voice told her that he didn’t believe it himself, but it was clear that everything seemed just as she had left it earlier. “Come,” she said, holding out her hand toward him. “Let’s go back tae bed.”
The sound of something clattering across the floor caught both of their attention and Ida reared back as she realized it was a lighted torch, the hay nearby catching on fire the moment it landed. “Ida!” her uncle yelled, grabbing her and pulling away from the threat. Quickly, Ida wrenched out of his hands and grabbed the blanket hanging on the wall, throwing it over the fire to snuff it out. “The horses!” she called out, racing to the stalls. “We need to get them out of here!”
Another torch hit the floor but Ida ignored it, her fingers fumbling with the leather straps that held the horses in their stalls. They would be unable to protect themselves if she left them in here.
The torch took the hay up in a ball of fire and Ida yelped as she felt the heat on her face, slapping the horse on its flank to get it to run to safety. “Run!” she told her uncle, moving to the next stall to release the terrified horse. “Run!”
“Ye never saw who it was?” the laird demanded, pulling Ida out of her thoughts.
Ida shook her head, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Nay, I dinna.” She didn’t know who would do such a thing to innocent horses, but whoever it was had lured them out to perish as well. Clearly, the horses were not the center of their attack.
The laird swore and Ida turned her attention back to the two injured men that were currently being tended to. It mattered not right now. She needed Ian and her uncle to be alright. They could deal with the culprit later.
After a while, one of the healers approached them, wiping her hands on a rag. “Both are still alive. Laird Wallace has still not awakened, but yer uncle is.”
Ida’s heart went into her throat and she made her way to him, finding his eyes opened. “Yer alive,” she breathed, touching his hand.
He nodded, tears leaking from the corner of his eye. “Takes more than that tae kill mah.”
Ida let out a choked laugh, pressing her face to his tunic that smelled like thick smoke. “Ye should have run when I told ye tae run.”
“I couldna leave ye,” he said, his hand brushing over her head. “Yer mah family.”
Never before had her uncle said something like that to her and it only made her burst into tears.
“Brother.”
Ida raised her head to see the laird next to the table, his jaw clenched but relief flickered in his eyes.
“Brother,” uncle said slowly, reaching out with his free hand.
The laird took it and Ida swore she saw a glimmer of tears in Laird MacGregor’s eyes before he blinked them away, clearing his throat. “Did ye see who did this?” he asked tightly.
Uncle took in a breath, a fitful cough escaping him, which took several moments. Once he had been given some water and helped to a seated position, he looked at his brother. “Wallace.”
Ida immediately shook her head. “Nay,” she stated, looking over at Ian’s still form still being tended to with Iris at his side. “He wouldna.”
“Nay lass,” her uncle interrupted, shaking his head. “Not Ian. Tis another Wallace. I saw, I saw his tartan before he disappeared through the doorway.”
Ida sucked in a breath. “Are ye certain?” Why would someone from Ian’s men set their stables on fire? Their own horses were stabled there.
“Right before ye entered,” he said, clearing his throat. “I saw them hurry out. I think they were going to shut mah in but ye frightened them.”
“Bleedy hell,” the laird muttered, sliding a hand through his greying hair.
“We will handle this,” Stephan said, stepping up to the group, his expression hard. “I am laird in mah brother’s stead. I am asking ye tae allow mah tae find out who did this.”
The laird clenched his jaw and Ida held her breath, hoping that he wouldn’t declare that all Wallaces should be thrown into the dungeon. If he did, all thoughts of peace would be lost and Ian would be fighting for his life for nothing. “Fine,” he finally said, a weary look about him. “But ye will do it with mah men.”
“Of course,” Stephan replied, setting his jaw.
“I will help,” James added, coming to stand beside Stephan, Iris clutching his hand. “We canna allow this tae happen tae both clans, not when we want peace.”
The laird looked at his advisor and his ambassador, giving them a faint nod. “Peace. If this culprit is captured, I will sit down with Laird Wallace. That is mah vow.” He looked at Ida. “After all, he saved two of mah family members. A Scot who is willing tae risk his life tae help his enemy is a Scot that I want tae be allied with.”
Ida’s breath left in a whoosh and she looked over at Ian, seeing the blood that covered him. He had gotten what he wanted, yet he wasn’t awake to hear the words.
Because of her.
The laird walked off and the men gathered to discuss their plans, Iris making her way to Ida’s side. “I’m going with them,” she told Ida, her jaw clenched and pain haunting her eyes. “I am still a Wallace and if one of mah clansmen did this, then I want tae be there.” She glanced at her brother. “I need ye tae watch over him.”
“Of course,” Ida said, her throat working.
Iris gave her a nod and with that, she moved with the rest of the group that was gathering.
“Go tae him,” her uncle said a moment later, having watched the exchange. “I’m fine lass. He needs ye more than I do right now.”
Ida gave him a grateful look and a squeeze on his hand before she moved to Ian’s side, dipping the rag in the bowl next to him to gently wipe away the dirt and soot from his handsome face. “Ye have tae wake, Ian,” she told him. “Yer clan needs ye. I need ye.” Ian was clearly the backbone of his family and his clan and without him… Ida didn’t want to think about not having him in her life.