Read Online The Highlander's Folly (The Novels of Loch Moigh Book 3) by Barbara Longley - Free Book Online Page B

he grumbled his order. “By the saints, I canna fathom what is taking you lads so long this morn.”
    Neither the squires nor the pages answered, but a flurry of activity ensued. “George, you will drive the wagon, and once John is rested, he can take over. You may then take your turn to rest. Mayhap we can travel longer this day if you lads all take turns thus. Fix a lead for the palfreys.”
    They were down to three pages and two squires, not counting Meghan. It should have taken half the time to pack up and begin their journey. Unease pricked at him. The sooner they reached Aberdeenshire the better. He would send word to Moigh Hall and request a guard be sent to accompany them. Aye, that’s what he’d do. They’d wait in the comfort of an inn he’d oft stayed in with his foster father and uncles. Once he had word that their guard was close, their small band would set out to meet them. A good plan. Once again he had things well in hand.

    Hunter glanced at the dark, low-hanging clouds and shivered. The weather had grown worse since the day past when Cecil and Gregory had departed. ’Twould soon rain, and they’d be forced to travel on through the mud whilst wet and miserable. There were no inns between here and Aberdeenshire.
    At least his lads had readied themselves for travel much quicker this morn; Meghan as well. All were as anxious as he to see the safety of Aberdeenshire’s gates. He swung up on Doireann’s back and started for the road, trusting the rest would follow. The creaking of the wagon wheels assured him he’d assumed correctly.
    Hunter kept a careful watch upon the way ahead, scanning the edge of the fog-shrouded forest along to his left for any sign of danger. Naught but the sea and rocky cliffs lay to the east, and none could approach undetected from that direction. He set a goodly pace and prayed they’d encounter no trouble along the way. The closer they came to town, the thicker the thieves. God willing, they’d reach town just past Prime this very day.
    They traveled on in silence. Tieren took up the rear, and Murray guarded their middle. Meghan’s mount was directly behind his, flanked by Allain on one side with Tristan and Harold, Murray’s page, on the other. John would likely sleep on the wagon until midday again today, since he’d had last watch. George took his place, reins in hand, behind the rouncies pulling their belongings along the muddy, rutted track stretching before them.
    ’Twas the best they could do, and their two squires were close enough to earning their spurs that they could enter into battle and manage well enough. After all, they’d been trained by Tieren, Murray and himself, all MacKintosh knights and the best in the realm.
    By late morn the rain began to fall in earnest. Still they slogged on, and the collective glumness of his cluster of weary travelers weighed heavily upon him. ’Twas cold enough that huffing out a breath caused a cloud of steam. He kept his focus on the way ahead and hunkered down under his wet cloak. They’d been traveling for hours when they reached a menacing stretch of road with forest on either side. At least the rain had eased some.
    Hunter sent his senses into the shadowy depths of the woodland stretching before them, not liking at all what came back. Nefarious intent rolled in waves from the darkness, chilling his blood far more than the weather ever could. He halted and signed for silence. Fog obscured the way, making it impossible to see beyond the edges of the tree line on either side. He concentrated in an attempt to locate the source of the evil lying in wait, grateful that their own presence upon the road was as equally obscured.
    “What is it?” Meghan whispered, coming up beside him. She too stared toward the forest.
    He whispered back, “These woods are teeming with a thieving lot of brigands and murderers.”
    With a quick intake of breath, her head whipped around, and her eyes grew large. “How can you possibly know