Chapter Twelve
Maddie recovers and regrets.
She was standing on a frozen loch in the middle of an ice storm, wind blowing her hair. Maddie spun around looking for anyone to help her, to take her away from the cold. But she could see nothing through the whirlwind of snow.
Suddenly, a roar of heat blasted straight at her, warming her so much that she moaned. She pivoted toward the heat source, though she could still see nothing.
Another blast came and she ran toward it. She swallowed the hot air, feeling it inside her mouth, down her throat, and into her chest. The sweet warmth spread throughout her.
She needed more.
Her desire was granted. Another blast of heat.
“I love you, I need you. We have more bairns to bring to life. Bairns and grandbairns and more love to give.”
Her eyes flew open at the sound of her husband’s voice. “Alex?” But the cold pulled at her again, dragging her down.
“I love you, Maddie. Wake up, please.”
She resisted the pull, forcing her eyes open again.
“Alex?” she croaked.
Alex cupped her face, and she saw tears running down his cheeks. Alex never cried. She grasped his arms, knowing she had to hang onto him to survive. “Alex? What happened? Why am I so cold?”
But before he could reply, she remembered everything. She’d taken the bairns and left with Mac and Alice, determined to get to Ramsay Castle for the Yuletide. “Alex, forgive me. I’m so sorry. I endangered everyone.”
“Hush, love. We’ll not speak of it now. Save your strength. You need to get warm.” He scuttled closer to the fire, the heat bringing out a sigh in her, followed by a deep shuddering as her body absorbed the warmth.
“The bairns. Kyla, Jake, Jamie . . .” She searched her surroundings for the children, but they weren’t there. She pushed against Alex, trying to sit up. “I must find them . . .”
He lifted his wife and settled her on his lap in a sitting position. “I left Kyla safe with Alice. They are hale and Nicol is with them now. He’ll keep the fire burning. Brodie even brought goat’s milk for our lassie, and Kyla drank her fill. She’s well.”
“The lads. Where are the twins?”
Alex rested his chin on the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “I don’t know. Mac went after you and took the lads with him. But fear not—Brodie and Logan are searching the area for them. You know our boys; they’ll not be out there quietly.”
“What have I done?” She pushed against him, trying to stand. “Alex, we must go after them. We must.”
Alex stood, helping her to find her way to her feet, though her knees buckled twice. “What happened to me? Why can I not stand? Where are the laddies? What have I done, Alex? Help me, please.”
She fell against him, tears flooding her face in fear. Alex could find them. He would. He must. “Leave me. You must go after them.”
“Nay, I’ll not leave you. I nearly lost you. Do you know how cold you were when I found you? I thought you were dead, Maddie. If not for . . .” He stopped, an odd look crossing his face. “It does not matter now. But I’ll not risk your life. I’ll trust my brother and Logan.”
He helped her to the entrance of the cave. They stared out at the stunning beauty the storm had left behind: the tree branches covered with snow, the landscape sparkling like crystal whenever the sun peeked out of the clouds.
A sound caught her attention. “Listen, Alex. I heard something.”
Sure enough, a moment later came a group of horses headed straight toward them.
Though a good distance away from them, Maddie could still hear her lads. “Papa! Here we come. Is Mama there?”
“I see Mama too.”
“I saw her first.”
“Nay, I did.”
Mac brought his horse up to the cave and whispered, “Thank the Lord above. You’re hale, lass?”
Maddie nodded, watching Jamie jump from Mac’s horse while Brodie dropped Jake down. The two raced to greet their mother and father.
“Lads, do not soak your mother with your snow. Shake it off your mantles first.” Alex pointed over to the side of the cave.
Logan waited until the greetings ended before giving Alex an odd look. “Where’s Midnight, Grant?”
“On the far side of the cave. In a covering where he won’t get drenched. Why do you ask?”
“He was a big help guiding us here. I wondered why he wasn’t here now.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean he guided you here?”
“Papa, we saw him. He led us here,” Jake said. “Jamie saw him too.”
Brodie said, “Aye, he was there, then he disappeared. He kept moving, but each time he was closer to this cave.”
Alex looked from one face to the other and said, “Midnight hasn’t moved. He’s been there since I arrived.”
Logan narrowed his gaze at Alex, then shrugged. “Must have been a ghost horse, then.”
Brodie chuckled and waved his hand in dismissal.
But Maddie had a sudden memory then of four riders on horses in the snow—three men and a woman.
Their grandchildren.