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Authors: Hannah Howell
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to hear Gillyanne cry out a warning. Avery kicked his horse into a gallop, but it would be a close-run race. He signaled Leargan to take down the man on the left even as he headed for the man on the right.
Avery felt as if her heart had leapt into her throat when Gillyanne cried out a warning. She caught a brief glimpse of two DeVeau men rapidly approaching and kicked her horse into a gallop. It was going to be a race to see who reached the MacAlpin camp first, and Avery wished she could feel more certain of victory.
Then, Gillyanne cried out again and Avery glanced behind her, terrified briefly that the DeVeau men had gotten close enough to hurt her cousin. When she recognized the two men close on the heels of the DeVeau hounds, she was elated to be rescued, though she decided it might be wise to keep right on running.
“’Tis Cameron and Leargan,” Gillyanne said.
“I ken it,” replied Avery.
“Cannae we stop running now?”
“Nay. The DeVeaux are clearly a lot closer than I thought they were, and Cameron will demand some explanations, if he e’en lets me speak.”
“How far?”
“Ten, mayhap fifteen minutes at this speed.”
“Weel, hie on, cousin.”
“I intend to.”
Cameron watched as the man he had just killed tumbled out of the saddle; then he quickly grasped the reins of the man’s horse. He looked to see Leargan just doing the same. When he saw that Avery still raced toward camp, he swore and then hitched the man’s mount securely to his. Leargan hurried to his side, also towing a horse.
“Why does she still flee?” Leargan asked, even as he and Cameron started to chase after the two Murray females.
“I begin to think the question we should ask is: Why are these DeVeau swine so close?” muttered Cameron.
“They are DeVeau’s men? Ye are sure?”
“Verra. I recognized the one I just had to kill.”
“An attack?”
“I fear it may be.”
Leargan cursed fiercely for a moment. “The lasses are trying to save our hides.”
Cameron just curtly nodded. This was going to cause him trouble. Avery and Gillyanne had obviously tossed aside their very good chance at freedom to warn him and his people. They had even put themselves in danger to do so. His people were going to think the lasses deserved to be rewarded because of that. Briefly, Cameron tried to convince himself that this was the only reason Avery was doing it—for freedom and a safe escort home—but he could not do it. His long-held cynicism refused to reach out and include Avery.
Despite that, he would continue with his plan. His sister’s needs had to come first. Using Avery was still the best way to pay back the insult done to his sister, and to get her the husband she needed. It did not ease his guilt much to know that Avery would probably understand. She would never let him forget the debt he owed her, but she would still understand why he could not reward her with her freedom.
“Attack!” Avery cried as she galloped into the MacAlpin camp and reined her mount into a rearing halt. “The DeVeaux are headed your way.”
“But, they arenae our enemies,” said Wee Rob.
“They are now,” said Cameron as he rode up, dismounting before his horse had come to a complete halt. “They want their money back.”
“How close are they?” asked one burly man.
Cameron looked at Avery. “Those men were forward scouts?”
“Aye. I doubt Gilly and I gained much distance on what looked to be a sizable DeVeau force. I would say only minutes.” Avery dismounted and helped Gillyanne down.
“Or less,” added Gillyanne, pointing to a slight cloud of dust.
Avery and Gillyanne found themselves hurried away with the other women, all of them grabbing what supplies and goods they could carry as they fled. They were accompanied by three pages and two squires who brought along the horses. But yards from the camp, sheltered by the trees, they halted. It was their sad duty to watch, prepared to flee if the battle turned against
Avery felt as if her heart had leapt into her throat when Gillyanne cried out a warning. She caught a brief glimpse of two DeVeau men rapidly approaching and kicked her horse into a gallop. It was going to be a race to see who reached the MacAlpin camp first, and Avery wished she could feel more certain of victory.
Then, Gillyanne cried out again and Avery glanced behind her, terrified briefly that the DeVeau men had gotten close enough to hurt her cousin. When she recognized the two men close on the heels of the DeVeau hounds, she was elated to be rescued, though she decided it might be wise to keep right on running.
“’Tis Cameron and Leargan,” Gillyanne said.
“I ken it,” replied Avery.
“Cannae we stop running now?”
“Nay. The DeVeaux are clearly a lot closer than I thought they were, and Cameron will demand some explanations, if he e’en lets me speak.”
“How far?”
“Ten, mayhap fifteen minutes at this speed.”
“Weel, hie on, cousin.”
“I intend to.”
Cameron watched as the man he had just killed tumbled out of the saddle; then he quickly grasped the reins of the man’s horse. He looked to see Leargan just doing the same. When he saw that Avery still raced toward camp, he swore and then hitched the man’s mount securely to his. Leargan hurried to his side, also towing a horse.
“Why does she still flee?” Leargan asked, even as he and Cameron started to chase after the two Murray females.
“I begin to think the question we should ask is: Why are these DeVeau swine so close?” muttered Cameron.
“They are DeVeau’s men? Ye are sure?”
“Verra. I recognized the one I just had to kill.”
“An attack?”
“I fear it may be.”
Leargan cursed fiercely for a moment. “The lasses are trying to save our hides.”
Cameron just curtly nodded. This was going to cause him trouble. Avery and Gillyanne had obviously tossed aside their very good chance at freedom to warn him and his people. They had even put themselves in danger to do so. His people were going to think the lasses deserved to be rewarded because of that. Briefly, Cameron tried to convince himself that this was the only reason Avery was doing it—for freedom and a safe escort home—but he could not do it. His long-held cynicism refused to reach out and include Avery.
Despite that, he would continue with his plan. His sister’s needs had to come first. Using Avery was still the best way to pay back the insult done to his sister, and to get her the husband she needed. It did not ease his guilt much to know that Avery would probably understand. She would never let him forget the debt he owed her, but she would still understand why he could not reward her with her freedom.
“Attack!” Avery cried as she galloped into the MacAlpin camp and reined her mount into a rearing halt. “The DeVeaux are headed your way.”
“But, they arenae our enemies,” said Wee Rob.
“They are now,” said Cameron as he rode up, dismounting before his horse had come to a complete halt. “They want their money back.”
“How close are they?” asked one burly man.
Cameron looked at Avery. “Those men were forward scouts?”
“Aye. I doubt Gilly and I gained much distance on what looked to be a sizable DeVeau force. I would say only minutes.” Avery dismounted and helped Gillyanne down.
“Or less,” added Gillyanne, pointing to a slight cloud of dust.
Avery and Gillyanne found themselves hurried away with the other women, all of them grabbing what supplies and goods they could carry as they fled. They were accompanied by three pages and two squires who brought along the horses. But yards from the camp, sheltered by the trees, they halted. It was their sad duty to watch, prepared to flee if the battle turned against
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