Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Within the hour
their company was prepared to move out. Jamie watched as Ian
MacPherson helped Lindsey into the saddle. The man’s hands lingered
overlong at her waist as she settled herself comfortably. And his
gaze lingered overlong on her shapely limbs before she smoothed her
skirts down to cover them.
Jamie felt his dislike for the man grow.
“I have lived all my life in this forest,”
Ian assured Douglas Gordon. He pulled himself into the saddle and
turned a smug look in Jamie’s direction. “No highwayman would dare
to attack you while you are in the company of a MacPherson.”
“Then we are grateful for your protection, my
lord,” the old man said as he mounted. Turning to his sons he
called, “Come. Let us ride.”
As he followed, Jamie brooded. Was he the
only one who had doubts about this MacPherson? When he had first
spotted the figure in the forest, Jamie was quite certain that the
man had been watching Lindsey for evil purposes. Despite Ian’s
claims otherwise, Jamie was not convinced. He would wait and watch.
Since MacPherson had agreed to accompany them all the way to
Edinburgh, they would be forced to endure his company for many
days.
As Jamie’s horse moved out smartly, Wolf
raced along under cover of the forest, keeping Jamie always in
view.
* * *
By early evening the rain had turned to a
fine mist. The horses picked their way over the spongy grass of a
high meadow.
“Darkness comes early in the Highlands,”
Jamie said to Douglas Gordon. “We must soon make camp for the
night.”
“I know the perfect place,” Ian MacPherson
called. “Follow me.”
As the others fell into line behind Ian’s
mount, Jamie took up the rear, glancing often over his shoulder. It
would have been an easy matter for the highwaymen to follow them.
There were too many in their company to conceal, even when they had
been in the dense forest. Now that they were in an open meadow,
they were perfect targets. Worse, since three of their number had
been wounded, they had been forced to travel at a much slower pace
than before.
They passed through glens and fells and made
their way to the banks of a swollen stream.
“This is a fine place to spend the night.”
Ian slid from the saddle and rushed to Lindsey’s side to assist
her. “We will have fresh water to drink, and the trees will protect
us from any further rain that might fall.”
“What is that sound?” Lindsey asked.
“The water rushing over a precipice.” Ian
pointed to a bend in the stream, where the water tumbled over rocks
before disappearing from view. “The stream spills out of sight into
a deep gorge.” He turned to Lindsey. “ ’Twill lull you to sleep
tonight, my lady.”
“I will need no waterfall to help me sleep
this night, my lord,” she said with a lilt of laughter.
Ian stared after her as she strolled to where
her brothers were already preparing a fire.
For long minutes Jamie remained on his mount,
surveying the scene. He had not missed the look of appreciation on
Ian’s face when Lindsey had walked away. Again he felt the swift
rush of anger and cursed himself for his petty jealousy.
As he watched the others set up camp, it
occurred to Jamie that the thunder of the waterfall would drown out
the sound of approaching horses. Could there be more to Ian
MacPherson’s plan than a comfortable place to spend the night?
Sliding from the saddle Jamie went in search of Douglas Gordon.
The old man was speaking in low tones to his
sons. They looked up as Jamie approached.
“I sense danger here,” Jamie announced
without preamble.
“Aye. So you feel it, too, lad?” The old man
kept his tone low. “We will post guards throughout the night. Each
of my sons will take his turn making certain that the guards remain
alert.”
Jamie felt a sense of relief at the older
man’s words. At least he was not alone in his fears. “I will take
my turn standing guard, as well.”
Douglas nodded, “Now let us eat and get some
rest.”
They made their way to the campfire where
Lindsey, with Ian’s help, had prepared a simple meal. The two were
laughing as the others approached. Jamie noted the ease with which
Lindsey and Ian conversed as they ladled out the food. Though it
rankled, Jamie sternly reminded himself that the woman was nothing
to him. If she chose to befriend a man of dubious background, it
was her right. He turned to Murray, who was watching his sister
with a frown.
“How are the wounded?”
“They will mend. None sustained serious
injuries, and they are resting comfortably since Lindsey prepared a
potion.”
“Did I hear you speak my name?”
At the sound of Lindsey’s husky voice, Jamie
turned away and busied himself with his meal. Lindsey sat down
beside her brother, facing Jamie, smoothing her skirts
modestly.
“Jamie asked about the wounded men. I told
him that you had ministered to them.”
“Aye. With Ian’s help.”
Jamie shifted uncomfortably.
“What have you learned about this
MacPherson?” Murray asked his sister.
“He is a man of some importance.”
“So he has told us,” Murray said with a trace
of impatience. “Though I have always found that a truly important
man need not talk about himself. His reputation speaks for him. A
braggart, on the other hand, must boast to all who would
listen.”
Donald nodded as he joined them. “Has
MacPherson a fortress or a clan?”
Lindsey glanced at Jamie, then at her
brothers. With an impish grin she shrugged. “I know not. He seemed
eager to share but one fact with me.”
“And that is?” Murray and Donald asked in
unison. “He has no wife.”
Murray shot his sister a dark look. Beside
them, Jamie got to his feet. He would not sit here and listen to
such prattle. “I will join Neal in seeing to the horses.”
As he stalked away, Lindsey watched him
through narrowed gaze. What imp inside her made her behave so
foolishly around this man? It was obvious to her that Jamie
MacDonald avoided her whenever possible. She must learn to do the
same with him. Though the thought vexed her, she struggled to put
it aside. It mattered not to her what Jamie MacDonald did. The man
was a bully and a brute. Not at all like Ian MacPherson, whose
manners were gentle and whose obvious attentions to her were like a
soothing balm.
At Murray’s sudden silence, Lindsey put aside
her troubling thoughts to concentrate on the matter at hand. She
had been so deeply engrossed in thoughts of the Heartless
MacDonald, she had not even noticed that all her brothers had
joined them.
Neal, the youngest, gave her a lingering look
as he repeated, “Did MacPherson reveal nothing else about
himself?”
“Nay. Nothing.”
“I was hoping he would take us to his home
and introduce us to many beautiful sisters,” Donald said with a
laugh.
“Can you think of nothing but the wenches?”
Murray asked. With a sigh of disappointment, their oldest brother
emptied his tankard and went in search of his father.
Laughing and chatting, the others ate
quickly. Only Lindsey did not join in the laughter. She seemed
distracted as she went about her evening chores.
As night settled over the Highlands, they
wrapped themselves in their cloaks and lay close to the fire.
* * *
Jamie made a slow turn around the camp and
paused at each side to check with the guard who stood watch.
Assured that there was nothing out of the ordinary, he turned and
retraced his steps. At a sudden movement he drew his dirk and went
very still, blending into the shadows.
The small, slender form nearly collided with
him before he reached out a hand.
“Oh!” Lindsey’s eyes went wide when a hand
closed over her mouth, cutting off her cry of alarm.
“Not a word, my lady. Do you understand?”
Lindsey felt the warmth of Jamie’s breath
against her cheek and was reminded of that first time, when he had
handled her so roughly. She felt the tingle race along her spine
and wondered if it was fear, or the reaction she always seemed to
get when she stood too close to this giant.
When she nodded her assent, he slowly removed
his hand from her mouth. They continued to stand so close they were
almost touching.
“What are you doing here?” Damn her for
coming out here now. He had spent hours thinking about her, denying
any concern for her.
Lindsey’s heart was pounding like the thunder
of horses’ hooves. “I might ask you the same.”
Jamie’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “I could
not sleep.”
“Nor could I.”
“The journey that lies ahead will be arduous,
my lady. You should take advantage of this time to rest.”
“And you, my lord?’ She tilted her head to
study him in the moonlight. “Is the Heartless MacDonald above us
mortals? Do you require no rest?”
At her taunt his lips curved into a smile. “I
am a man, my lady. No more. No less. When I am assured that all is
secure, I will take my rest.”
He slipped the dirk into his waistband.
Seeing the movement she asked, “Do you fear
that the highwaymen are still near?”
He shrugged. “There are many dangers that can
befall travelers. It is my responsibility to see that our company
arrives safely in Edinburgh.”
“Responsibility.” She lifted her head. “I
heard you speak of it today to my father and brothers. Have you
always placed responsibility above all else, Jamie MacDonald?”
“What else is there, after all, except duty,
honor, trust?” A wisp of her unruly hair lifted on the breeze, and
he curled his hand into a fist to keep from brushing it aside.
“They are the measure of a man.” She saw his eyes gleam in the
darkness. “When I was but a lad, Brice Campbell, my foster father,
told me that without these virtues, though a man be wealthy beyond
belief, he has nothing.”
Lindsey was surprised at the firmness of his
tone. This was another side to the rogue, one she had not seen
before.
From the many rumors about this man, she had
thought him to be a cruel and undisciplined warrior. But it would
seem that he had been reared with nobler virtues.
They stood for several moments studying each