Page 59 of The Lion

Something about his demeanor gave Isobel pause. Sure, she didn’t know him well and perhaps, not enough to read him. In her gut, Isobel sensed he held something back.

“Did the messenger say anything else?”

“Nay,” Duncan replied. He seemed ill at ease, and she wondered if perhaps it was because he was a reclusive sort, not one to care to be around people.

Isobel cared little about how he felt in that moment. She locked gazes with him. “Is my husband safe at this moment?”

When his jaw flexed, she knew immediately something was wrong. “Where is Darach?”

“He is being held by the Uisdein. The man is angry over a disagreement with our late father. It will be resolved with haste.”

“Ye were not going to tell me?”

“No need to have hysterical women about right now.”

She curled her fingers into a fist and pushed her hand into the pocket of her dress to keep from striking the infuriating man. “I have every right to know if my husband is in danger. Do not dare keep any information from me. What are ye planning to do?”

With an annoyed groan, the man stood and stalked from the room.

Isobel ran after him. “Duncan! Duncan, tell me what ye are planning.”

Lady Mariel came when hearing her and looked to her son. “Is something amiss?”

Duncan took his mother’s arm and walked with her to the dining room, Isobel on their heels. “Mother, I have to deal with a situation. I do not want to have to explain my actions to ye or her.” He motioned to Isobel with his head.

Stuart, Ewan, and Gideon entered the room. The brothers stopped upon seeing her and their mother.

“What happened to my son?” Lady Mariel asked. Her face paled when the silence stretched. “Tell me or I swear to beat ye each to within an inch of life.”

It was Stuart who spoke. “The Uisdein took Darach prisoner. We are to ride there with half our army to rescue him.”

“Ye know very well, if ye attack, he will not be kept alive,” Lady Mariel said shocking everyone into silence. “Duncan, send a messenger asking that the laird meet ye on neutral land. Each of ye brings fifty men, no more. Insist that Darach and his guardsmen be brought alive. Be sure to let him know that if he is not present at the meeting place at the time allotted, we will attack.”

Duncan gave his mother a flat look. “Thank ye for yer advice,” he replied in a flat tone, telling her it was exactly what they were in the midst of doing. Preparations that were being made were for the meeting that was about to take place.

Gideon gave their mother an indulgent smile. “We do not give women enough credence. Ye are quite intelligent, Mother.”

“Stop speaking and go see about my son,” Lady Mariel snapped. “Which one of ye remains back?”

“Caelan comes to take my place,” Duncan said.

For the next hour, Isobel kept track of every activity, following what they did and what everyone said. If all went well, the Ross brothers would return with Darach within three days.

It would be the longest three days of her life.

She ducked into an alcove and leaned against the wall. A heavy pain constricted her chest. If Darach was injured or dead, would she sense it? Tears stung, and she pushed away from the wall doing her best to blink them away.

Through sheer willpower, she fought not to break down, there was too much to ensure was done right.

Already healers had been summoned, some would follow the men to the Uisdein lands. Hundreds of men and horses filled the field just outside the gates, the air ripe with a sense of what could come. Some men would remain behind to guard the keep, others would ride with the Ross brothers to face their enemy.

If a battle ensued, not all would return.

Her gut in knots, Isobel hurried toward the kitchens where food was being prepared and packed for the large contingency of men that were about to travel. The activity was dizzying, but soon Isobel joined the throng of women cooking, cutting, and wrapping food items and packing them into wooden crates that would be loaded onto a large wagon.

Lads rushed past the doorway with bundles of blankets and others with sacks filled with bandages and ointments.

Isobel finished packing a crate just as Ella appeared at the door and motioned for her.